Deborah Owurotangba

Owurotangba Deborah is an AfOx Scholar at the University of Oxford and a member of Mansfield College, where she is pursuing an MSc in Nature, Society and Environmental Governance at the School of Geography and the Environment. She is a Mastercard Foundation Scholar.

She graduated with First-Class Honours in BSc Land Economy from Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, finishing in the top 5% of her cohort. Her undergraduate research examined compulsory land acquisition in Ghana, revealing persistent gaps between legislative intent and community outcomes and sharpening her focus on land governance and institutional reform. The research was co-authored as a conference paper and presented at the International Federation of Surveyors Working Week 2026 in Cape Town.

Deborah was retained as a Research and Teaching Assistant, where she supported faculty research, organised tutorial sessions, and guided final-year students with their dissertations. She also served as President of the Ghana Institution of Surveyors Students Society, KNUST Chapter, and founded the inaugural Surveying 360 Conference, connecting hundreds of students with industry professionals to bridge the gap between classroom learning and professional practice.

At Oxford, Deborah hopes to deepen her knowledge of how power and institutions shape environmental outcomes. After her studies, she plans to research and collaborate with governments, civil society organisations, and international bodies to ensure that biodiversity goals improve the lives and livelihoods of vulnerable communities in Ghana and across Africa.