Nii Quaynor
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| Nii Narku Quaynor | |
| Born | Nii Narku Quaynor |
|---|---|
| Occupation | Computer Scientist |
| Known for | Developing telecommunications and Internet in Africa |
Nii Narku Quaynor is a scientist and engineer who has played an important role in the introduction and development of the Internet throughout Africa.
[edit] Biography
Quaynor graduated in engineering science from Dartmouth College in 1972 and received a Bachelor of Engineering degree from the Thayer School of Engineering there in 1973. He then studied Computer Science, obtaining an M.S. from the State University of New York at StonyBrook in 1974 and a Ph.D. from the same institution in 1977. He attended the prestigious Adisadel College,Ghana
He was one of the founding members of the Computer Science Department at the University of Cape Coast in Ghana, and continues to hold a professorship there. [1] He is also a member of the Council of the University of Ghana.
In 2000, he became director of ICANN for the African region.
[edit] Work with telecommunications and the Internet
On Quaynor's return to Ghana from the United States in the early 1990s he established some of Africa's first Internet connections and was involved in setting up some key organisations including the African Network Operators Group (AfNOG).[2] He introduced Value Added Networks in the region through the introduction of the SWIFT, Internet and Commerce networks, and was founding chairman of AfriNIC, the African numbers registry.
Quaynor is Chairman of the Ghanaian company Network Computer Systems, a member of the United Nations Secretary General Advisory Group on ICT, member of the ITU Telecom Board, Chair and of the OAU Internet Task Force, President of the Internet Society of Ghana, and member of the Worldbank Infodev TAP.
In December 2007, Quaynor was awarded the Jonathan B. Postel Service Award from the IETF (The Internet Engineering Task Force).[3]
