Dr. Daniel Kwasi Adjekum has over 25 years of experience as a former Ghana Airforce VVIP squadron commander, airline pilot, and aviation safety consultant. He has an airline transport pilot license (ATP) and is type-rated on the Britten-Norman BN-2T Islander, Fokker F-27, and Boeing 737 (300-800) series aircraft. He has also flown the Aerovodochody L-29 Dolphin jet trainer and L-39 Albatross light attack jet aircraft.
Dr. Adjekum is an International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) designated subject-matter expert in flight safety and an International Air Transport Association (IATA) certified Safety Management Systems (SMS) implementation and control expert. He is also a United States Airforce Safety Center International Flight Safety Officers Course graduate. He also had aircraft accident investigation training with the United States Naval Safety Center.
Dr. Adjekum's academic achievements and professional certifications further underscore his credibility and recognition in the aviation industry. He holds a Master of Science in Aviation and a Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Aerospace Sciences from the University of North Dakota. As a certified safety professional (CSP) accredited by the Board of Safety Professionals (BCSP) of the United States, he is a trusted authority in the field. His role as an assistant professor at the aviation department (UND). He teaches graduate-level courses in statistics, research methods, SMS, Human Factors and ergonomics, and recently, occupational safety and health in aerospace. He has been a principal investigator (PI) for an inter-collegiate research initiative on aviation safety culture and safety management systems, demonstrating his commitment to advancing the industry's safety standards.
Dr. Adjekum's extensive consulting work for various aviation organizations globally is a testament to his expertise and industry recognition. He has been a prime consultant for safety management systems implementation for the Ghana Airforce and other aviation organizations, as well as for SMS implementation projects for Virgin Nigeria Airlines and UND Aviation. His contributions to the field are not limited to consulting, as he has also published extensively in peer-reviewed academic journals and presented at academic conferences and industry workshops, both in the US and internationally, further solidifying his reputation as a thought leader in aviation safety.
Dr.Adjekum has conducted a safety assessment/audit of the Ghana Airforce Maintenance Safety Program and a post-project standards compliance and certification/acceptance requirements for a new hangar facility. He recently (July 2018) conducted a Human Factors Workshop for aviation personnel of the Ghana Airforce and allied civil aviation entities. The evidence-based training focused on strategies to minimize operational errors due to human factors and operational performance limitations. It is also geared at ensuring proactive safety in aviation operations.
Dr. Adjekum was the principal investigator (PI) for a $756,000 three-year grant from the National Academies Of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine to study safety reporting culture/practices in the Gulf of Mexico area of operations for Offshore Oil and Gas Organizations using exemplars from the aviation safety action program (ASAP). It is the first multi-disciplinary research effort between the aviation department and the petroleum engineering department of UND. An outcome of the study was a safety reporting framework called the Offshore Action Safety Program (OSAP). He is regularly sought after by local, national, and international media houses to provide expert insight on aviation accident investigations and relevant aviation safety issues.