The influence of a teacher is rarely measured by public applause or headlines. More often, it is found in university lecture halls, research centres, classrooms, and libraries where ideas are exchanged, challenged, and built upon.

For Professor Ben Akpan, that influence has travelled far beyond the borders of Nigeria through a remarkable body of scholarly work that continues to shape science education around the world.

While many educators dedicate their careers to teaching students, Akpan has in addition spent decades doing something equally enduring. He has helped produce the books that educate the educators.

As one of Nigeria’s most accomplished professors of science education, Ben Akpan has built a publishing legacy that has earned international recognition.

Through six major books published by Springer Nature, one of the world’s most respected academic publishers, Sense Publishers, and Next Generation Education he has brought together leading scholars from different countries to examine the changing landscape of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics education. These publications have become important references for researchers, lecturers, policymakers, teacher educators, and postgraduate students across continents.

His journey began in Ikot Akpasia, Ibesikpo Asutan Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State, where he was born on November 11, 1959. It was there that the foundation was laid for a career that would eventually place him among the respected voices in global science education.

After obtaining a Bachelor of Science Education in Chemistry from the University of Calabar in 1983, he proceeded to earn a Master of Education in Science Education from the University of Jos before completing a doctorate in Science Education at the University of Ibadan in 1999. Those academic qualifications opened doors to teaching, research, and educational leadership, but they also nurtured another passion that would become central to his career: creating knowledge that could be shared across the world.

Throughout his professional life, Akpan has remained fascinated by one question. How can the quality of delivery of science be enhanced?

That question has guided much of his work, whether serving as Executive Director of the Science Teachers Association of Nigeria (STAN), leading the International Council of Associations for Science Education (ICASE) as its President, or editing books that bring together experts from different parts of the world.

His approach to publishing has never been about producing books for the sake of increasing academic credentials. Instead, each publication addresses practical questions facing teachers, students, curriculum developers, and governments seeking to strengthen science education.

One of his earliest major editorial achievements is Science Education: A Global Perspective. The book was conceived at a time when science education was undergoing significant transformation across many countries. Rather than limiting discussions to one educational system or region, Akpan assembled contributors from different parts of the world to examine how science education was evolving in diverse cultural and social contexts.

The publication explores issues ranging from curriculum development and classroom practice to scientific literacy, indigenous knowledge, cultural beliefs, and the future direction of science education. It encourages readers to think beyond traditional approaches while recognising that science education must remain relevant to the societies it serves. The result is a volume that has continued to influence conversations among educators long after its publication.

Building on that success, Akpan co-edited (with Professor Keith S. Taber) Science Education: An International Course Companion, a publication by Sense Publishers that responded to a challenge many universities faced. Although science education programmes existed across the world, there were few comprehensive resources capable of supporting both undergraduate and postgraduate students within a single volume.

The book brought together contributors from multiple continents to produce a resource that reflects the truly international nature of science education. By combining accessibility with academic depth, it has become a trusted reference for lecturers preparing future science educators and researchers.

His commitment to strengthening classroom practice became even more evident in Science Education in Theory and Practice. While educational theories are abundant, translating those theories into effective teaching remains one of the greatest challenges for educators. This publication by Springer Nature bridges that gap by examining the historical foundations of educational thought while demonstrating how those ideas can improve science teaching and learning in practical settings.

Now in its second edition, the book (edited in liaison with Professor Teresa Kennedy) has expanded the conversation even further, incorporating discussions around digital learning environments, modern pedagogical practices, and contemporary developments that continue to reshape science education across the globe. As classrooms increasingly embrace technology, the book offers guidance that remains relevant to educators navigating the rapidly changing learning environments.

Recognising that science education itself continues to evolve alongside society, Akpan also co-edited (with Professors Teresa Kennedy and Bulent Cavas) Contemporary Issues in Science and Technology Education. The publication examines many of the questions confronting educators today, including sustainable development, technological advancement, scientific literacy, curriculum implementation, educational psychology, and the growing demand for learners to develop critical thinking and problem-solving skills.

What distinguishes the book is its emphasis on the teacher. Throughout its chapters, there is a consistent recognition that no curriculum, however carefully designed, can succeed without capable educators who understand how to inspire curiosity, encourage inquiry, and adapt learning to the needs of their students.

His publishing journey has continued with newer works that reflect emerging directions in education.

Among them is The Convergence of the Learning Sciences and Science Education, which explores how discoveries in psychology, neuroscience, cognitive science, and educational research can help improve science teaching. By drawing together different disciplines, the book reflects the growing understanding that effective education depends not only on what students learn, but also on understanding how they learn.

What makes Professor Akpan’s publishing record particularly remarkable is not simply the number of books he has edited, but the collaborative spirit behind them. His publications consistently bring together scholars from universities and research institutions across different continents, creating conversations that extend beyond national boundaries.

In many respects, the books mirror the philosophy that has defined his career. Science education is not confined to one country, one curriculum, or one culture. It is a global endeavour that benefits when educators learn from one another and share ideas capable of improving classrooms everywhere.

That same philosophy has also shaped his wider academic career. Beyond publishing, Akpan has served on the editorial boards of several respected international journals, helping maintain scholarly standards while encouraging new research in science education. His own interests span chemistry education, environmental education, emerging technologies, space science, regenerative science, teacher development, and STEM pedagogy, giving his work a breadth that few academics achieve.

Yet despite the international recognition his publications have received, Professor Ben Akpan’s work has remained firmly connected to a larger purpose. Every book, every chapter, and every editorial project ultimately returns to a single belief that has guided his career for decades: better science education creates better societies.

It is a belief reflected in the thousands of educators who have consulted his books, the universities that continue to recommend them, and the researchers whose work has been influenced by the ideas they contain.

Academic books rarely become household names, but their impact can shape generations. They influence how teachers teach, how students learn, how researchers investigate new ideas, and how governments think about education.

Professor Ben Akpan’s publishing legacy is a testament to that quiet influence. From a small community in Akwa Ibom State to universities and research institutions across the world, his work continues to demonstrate that some of the most powerful contributions to society are made not from the spotlight, but from the written page.

In an age where nations increasingly look to STEM as the engine of innovation and economic progress, his books have become more than scholarly publications. They have become lasting contributions to a global conversation about how the next generation of scientists, engineers, innovators, and educators should be prepared for the future.