Samuel Asare is a Senior Research Manager for the African Education Research Database (AERD) at ESSA and an Associate Member of the Research for Equitable Access and Learning (REAL) Centre at the University of Cambridge. 

He leads ESSA’s work to strengthen the use of African data and evidence to improve early childhood development outcomes. This includes supporting African-based researchers through research grants and capacity-building to produce high-quality, policy-relevant research that informs decision-making and investment. He also contributes to advancing equitable education research in Africa, focusing on how global funding models and local structural barriers affect African researchers' capacity to generate knowledge. 

Before joining ESSA, Samuel held a postdoctoral position at the REAL Centre, where he helped develop the African Education Research Database in partnership with ESSA to raise the visibility of African education research and researchers.