Alumni

He successfully defended his PhD Research thesis on Using Machine Learning for weather forecasting and crop disease classification and severity quantification to increase farmers’ resilience to the negative effects of a changing climate” at the Gaston Berger University of Saint Louis, Senegal, on April 27, 2024.

His research represents a significant contribution to both agricultural science and climate resilience. His work aims to enhance farmers’ ability to adapt to climate change through advanced data analysis and machine learning techniques. Dr Nyasulu’s research underscores his commitment to leveraging technology for sustainable agricultural development and climate adaptation.

David Oluwasegun Afolayan, who was enrolled at the African University of Science and Technology (AUST) in Abuja, Nigeria, one of the RSIF African Host Universities (AHUs), successfully defended his PhD theses on 20th December 2021 . His research was in the RSIF Thematic area of minerals, mining and materials engineering. Dr. Afolayan undertook his sandwich programme at Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI), one of the RSIF International Partner Institutions (IPIs), where his research focused on “Optimization of smart beneficiation and mineral bioprocessing strategy of Nigerian barite for industrial application”. He is currently a volunteer Postdoctoral fellow at the AHU (AUST, Nigeria).

Dr Emmanuel Effah earned his PhD in Computer Science with a focus on IoT from Gaston Berger University, Senegal, in February 2022, with funding from PASET-Rsif. He is currently a Lecturer in the Department of Computer Science and Engineering at the University of Mines and Technology (UMaT), Ghana. Dr Effah’s research interests encompass wireless sensor networks (WSNs), Agricultural-Internet-of-Things (Agri-IoT), IoT-based water monitoring systems, smart systems design technology, and machine learning. He has authored numerous papers in reputable journals and conference proceedings and has been actively involved in several international research projects. His work continues to advance the application of IoT technologies across various fields.

He successfully defended his PhD Research thesis on development and application of hydrogel microparticles for direct viral RNA amplification and detection from non-invasive animal matrices (saliva and stool) without prior purification of nucleic acids at Sokoine University of Agriculture, Tanzania on 23^rd November 2023. Kifaro holds a BSc in Biotechnology and laboratory Sciences and an MSc in One Health Molecular Biology both from the Sokoine University of Agriculture. His research interests include simple RNA preparation methods, the design and application of field deployable genomic-based diagnostic assays, and molecular epidemiology of viral infections.

He is currently a Lecturer of Molecular Biology at the Department of Microbiology, Parasitology, and Biotechnology, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences (CVMBS) at Sokoine University of Agriculture (SUA) in Tanzania; and the current lead researcher in a project funded by PASET-Rsif under the Junior Investigator Research Award (JIRA).

Dr Fenet Belay is a distinguished alumna from Ethiopia who recently completed her PhD in Climate Change from Bayero University Kano (BUK) in Nigeria. Her thesis, titled Impact of Agricultural Adaptation Strategies to Climate Change and Variability on Smallholder Farmers’ Food Security in Southwestern and Central Ethiopia, has significantly contributed to understanding how climate adaptation practices can enhance food security among smallholder farmers. During her PhD program, Dr Belay also undertook a research placement at the Natural Resource Institute, Greenwich University, United Kingdom, further enriching her research and expertise.

Dr Belay’s work has provided critical insights into the resilience and adaptive strategies of smallholder farmers in the face of climate variability, offering practical solutions to improve agricultural sustainability and food security in Ethiopia. Her dedication to climate research and its applications in agriculture positions her as a leading figure in the field, driving forward efforts to mitigate the impacts of climate change on vulnerable farming communities.

Dr. Frejus Sodedji successfully defended his PhD Research thesis on Genetic diversity and optimization for increased carotenoids biosynthesis in cowpea at the University Felix Houphouët-Boigny in Abidjan, Ivory Coast on 8^th September 2022. He is currently a Research Associate at the University of Abomey-Calavi in Cotonou, Benin. He is passionate about crop improvement, especially emerging approaches and technologies for developing nutrients dense improved varieties of food crops.

Dr Haftu Abrha is an esteemed alumnus from Ethiopia who recently earned his PhD in Climate Change and Biodiversity from the University Félix Houphouët-Boigny (U-FHB) in Cote d’Ivoire. His dissertation focused on Modelling of Biodiversity and Ecosystem Service Response to the Impact of Land Use and Climate Change in Hugumbrda Grat-Kahsu National Forest, Tigray, Ethiopia. His research has made significant contributions to understanding the intricate relationships between land use, climate change, and biodiversity, providing valuable insights for conservation and sustainable development efforts in Ethiopia and beyond.

Currently, Dr Haftu Abrha serves as an Assistant Professor at the Institute of Climate and Society (ICS) at Mekelle University, Ethiopia. In his role, he continues to advance research and education in climate science and biodiversity, striving to address environmental challenges and promote sustainable practices. His dedication to academia and his impactful research work highlight his commitment to fostering a deeper understanding of climate change and its effects on biodiversity, making him a valuable asset to the academic and scientific community.

Dr. Humphrey Andalo Mabwi successfully defended his PhD Research thesis on “Design of synthetic human gut microbiome ecosystem model for screening potential prebiotics” at Sokoine University of Agriculture, Tanzania on 2^nd November 2022. His research sought to design an in vitro system mimicking human gut microbiome ecosystem which can be used for rapid screening of potential functional foods, prebiotics and other materials beneficial to health. These will help in mechanistic studies of functional foods and prebiotics-human gut microbiota (GM) interaction, important in the development of novel therapeutics.

Dr. Jean Nepomuscene Hakizimana is PASET-RSIF Alumnus from Rwanda.

He is currently a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at Oliver R Tambo Africa Research Chair for Viral Epidemics, Southern African Centre for Infectious Disease Surveillance (SACIDS) Foundation for One Health of the Sokoine University of Agriculture (SUA), one of the Rsif African Host Universities (AHUs) where he completed his PhD studies.

Dr. Hakizimana is determined to contribute to containing viral epidemics in Africa. To date, he has published six (6) papers and four manuscripts from his Ph.D. research have been published in high impact international peer-reviewed journals, including Viruses.

Dr Hakizimana holds a Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) obtained in 2014 from Inter-State School of Sciences and Veterinary Medicine (EISMV) at the Cheikh Anta Diop University, Dakar, Senegal and an MSc in Veterinary Epidemiology and health risk management from the same university.

His research interests include the epidemiology of viral diseases that threaten health, food security and livelihood, disease dynamics and the application of next generation sequencing technologies and associated bioinformatics to understand transmission dynamics of infectious diseases.

Dr Hakizimana holds a Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) obtained in 2014 from Inter-State School of Sciences and Veterinary Medicine (EISMV) at the Cheikh Anta Diop University, Dakar, Senegal and an MSc in Veterinary Epidemiology and health risk management from the same university. His research interests include the epidemiology of viral diseases that threaten health, food security and livelihood, disease dynamics and the application of next generation sequencing technologies and associated bioinformatics to understand transmission dynamics of infectious diseases.

Dr. Jeanne Pauline Munganyika is currently a Geologist and coordinator, Co-founder at N.M.K. Geological and Mining Consultant Services Ltd.

She successfully defended her PhD Research thesis on Geometallurgical Characterization and Environmentally friendly method of gold leaching process in Rwanda and Nigeria at the African University of Science and Technology, Nigeria on 12^th October 2022. Her research seeks to characterize gold ores in different parts of Rwanda and Nigeria and to suggest the most suitable gold recovery method. This will help the two countries to reduce wastage during gold processing and to reap the benefits of their gold endowment.

Dr. Noel Gahamanyi is PASET-Rsif Alumnus from Rwanda. He is currently a Lecturer of Microbiology at the University of Rwanda. His research area is in Molecular Epidemiology and Antimicrobial resistance of Campylobacter using One Health approach. He completed his PhD studies at Sokoine University of Agriculture, Tanzania in 2021.

Dr Gahamanyi holds MSc in Microbiology from Jain University (India) and BSc in Biotechnology from the former National University of Rwanda. Before embarking on Ph.D. journey, he served as a Lecturer of Microbiology-related courses at Catholic University of Rwanda where he also served as Head of Biotechnology Department and then as the Vice-dean of the Faculty of Science and Technology (2013-2018).

In Research, Dr Gahamanyi has ten (10) published papers and one book chapter all related to Microbiology. Six of these papers are indexed in the PubMed. He also served as a reviewer for six international journals. Dr Gahamanyi chaired the committee in charge of monthly webinars for PASET scholars (2021-2020), and is a member of the American Society for Microbiology (ASM) and the Young East African Health Research Scientists (YEARS) forum affiliated to the East African Health Research Commission.

Dr Gahamanyi received a number of awards including the Best Sokoine University of Agriculture (SUA) Postgraduate student Research Award for the academic year 2020-21 and the First-class with gold medal after completing MSc in Microbiology at top of the class (2013).

Dr Koech holds a PhD in Material Science and Engineering and an MSc in Physics. As an esteemed Rsif alumnus, he currently serves as a lecturer of Physics at Moi University, Kenya. His research interests are centered on materials characterization for applications in solar cells, light-emitting diodes, and energy storage devices. Dr Koech’s current focus is on perovskite solar cells, and he has made significant contributions to the field through numerous published papers. His work is pivotal in advancing the development of innovative materials for sustainable energy solutions.

She successfully defended her PhD thesis at the Nelson Mandela African Institution of Science and Technology (NM-AIST) in Tanzania on 7^th August 2023. She was the first Rsif scholar in the second cohort to finish her PhD study. Her research topic was on remediation of soils contaminated with fluoride using seaweed-derived materials. She undertook her sandwich placement at the University of Greenwich Natural Resources Institute (NRI), UK

Dr. Moirana was awarded the “Top Ph.D. student of 2023 in the School of Materials, Energy, Water, and Environmental Sciences (MEWES). She has four (4) published research articles derived from the results of her PhD research. She was also the first runner in the business plan competition at NM-AIST with the business idea “Mbolea Bora”

She is currently  a Lecturer in Material Science and Engineering at NM-AIST). She obtained her bachelor’s degree in Environmental Science at Sokoine University of Agriculture (SUA), Tanzania and then went to China for her Master’s degree in Environmental Science and Engineering at Harbin Institute of Science and Technology (HIT) where she graduated with honors. Her research interests are water and wastewater treatment, climate change mitigation and adaptation and soil science. She is the current lead researcher in a project funded by PASET-Rsif under the Junior Investigator Research Award (JIRA).

He successfully defended his PhD Research thesis on Techno-economic impact of photovoltaic solar power plants connected to the electrical network under Sahelian climate at University of Nairobi, Kenya on 5^th June 2024.

His research provides valuable insights into the feasibility, efficiency, and economic benefits of integrating photovoltaic solar power within the Sahelian climate, addressing the unique challenges and opportunities presented by this region.

Dr Palm’s work contributes significantly to the field of renewable energy, offering practical solutions to enhance the energy infrastructure in Sahelian countries. By focusing on the techno-economic aspects, his research supports the sustainable development of solar power projects, aiming to improve energy access and stability in the region.

Dr. Sylvia Wairimu Maina successfully defended her PhD Research thesis on Deciphering biosynthesis and utility of bioactive compounds in neglected African cabbage and Ethiopian mustard vegetables at Sokoine University of Agriculture, Morogoro Tanzania on 26th January 2023.

Her research aims to understand the health benefits of bioactive compounds in Africa’s orphan vegetables (African cabbage and Ethiopian kale) and strategies to improve their content in a smart farming system.

Dr Sylvia has authored four peer reviewed articles from her research findings which have gathered over 70 citations

Dr. Jean Baptiste Habinshuti, currently a Member at the Society for Geology Applied to Mineral Deposits, successfully defended his PhD Research thesis on Optimization of beneficiation and extraction techniques of tantalite ores at the African University of Science and Technology, Nigeria on 9^th September 2022.

His PhD research area is in Mining, minerals processing and extraction using environmentally friendly techniques; case study of columbite-tantalite ores  from Rwanda and Nigeria. The research focuses on processing and extraction of tantalite from its ores and concentrates using simple, affordable and eco-friendly techniques.

To date, Dr Baptiste has authored two publications and co-authored five research articles.