Professors and facilitators

Daniel Olago, a Rhodes Scholar, is Professor of Geology (Environmental Geoscience) and heads the Department of Earth and Climate Sciences, and the Institute for Climate Change and Adaptation, University of Nairobi. His research interests span the broad field of environmental geoscience, including water, climate change, environment, and human linkages. He has been involved in capacity-building activities on global environmental change for a diverse range of stakeholders at the grassroots, practice, management, and policy levels. He is the Lead Author of the recent 6th IPCC Report and the 4th report that won the Nobel Peace Prize for 2007.

Dr. Opondo is a globally respected African leader in the areas of Ethical Trade, Business and Human Rights, Climate Change, Sustainability and Gender Safeguarding. She is passionate about creating awareness on Ethical Trade and Business and Human Rights on African global value chains and continues to make a significant impact in advocating for and driving implementation of ethical trade practices, social and climate sustainability in the Private Sector in collaboration with Governments and Development Organisations.

Self-motivated qualified meteorologist relishing new and dynamic challenges. Currently an Associate Professor in the Department of Earth and Climate Sciences, University of Nairobi with over twenty years of experience in the University. Specific areas of specialization in Remote Sensing and Satellite Meteorology. Has a broad experience in Participatory Action Research methodology and Climate Change Adaptation through involvement in several application-related projects working directly with vulnerable communities. His current research interest is in the assimilation of co-development in early warning systems and promotion of forecast based financing models. He is highly motivated, has experience of training in other African countries and has well-developed communication skills.

Marc ZOLVER is Foreign Expert seconded at University of Nairobi (Kenya) since September 2022. He is accompanying the project of the Engineering and Science Complex funded by the French Agency for Development (AFD). The Complex will host Higher Education, Research and Innovation activities in cooperation with economic and societal stakeholders such as companies and public organizations.
Graduated Engineer from Ecole Centrale de Lyon (France), specialized in Fluid Mechanics and Acoustics, Marc Zolver worked as research-assistant in the Nice Observatory (France) and the European Southern Observatory (Germany). In 1993, he was recruited by IFP-Energies Nouvelles (France) as research engineer in Computational Fluid Dynamics in Internal Combustion Engines.
In 2004 he joined Ecole Centrale Paris to set up “Centrale Pékin” in China as deputy director. Centrale Pékin is a Franco-Chinese cooperation between the Group of Ecoles Centrale (Paris, Lyon, Nantes, Lille, Marseilles) and Beihang University (Beijing). In 2008, he came back to France to deputy the International Relations directorate at Centrale Paris to develop strategic partnerships, international research and academic programs, and student and staff mobility. In addition, he was coordinator of two ERASMUS MUNDUS Partnership programs respectively with China and with Japan/South Korea.
In 2015, at the merger of Ecole Centrale Paris and Supélec, he became Vice-President for International Affairs at CentraleSupélec. In addition to the international affairs management and leadership, he contributed strongly to the Université Paris-Saclay international strategy and development.
From 2008 to 2018, he was the coordinator for CentraleSupélec of the T.I.M.E. Association (Top International Managers in Engineering), where he sat in the Advisory Committee. From 2018 to 2022, he sat in the Board of Directors of the CESAER network (Conference of European Schools for Advanced Engineering Education and Research) for Université Paris-Saclay.

Dr. Jefwa G. Mweri is a Senior lecturer at the University of Nairobi department of Kiswahili and the Director at the Kenyan Sign Language research project (KSLRP) at the University of Nairobi (UON). The project was established in 1991. Dr. Jefwa Mweri is a teacher or educationist by profession and a linguist by training. He has done extensive research and published articles in referred journals and chapters in books which relate to Linguistics and Education. His research interests are mainly on Kenyan Sign Language (KSL) and education of people who are deaf in Kenya and worldwide. Dr. Mweri has been involved in many activities such as training Interpreters, teaching KSL, HIV and AIDS awareness creation among the Deaf, production of KSL educational materials, Research in KSL. Additionally, Dr. Mweri has also published numerous articles in reputable journals on KSL interpretation, sociolinguistic and grammatical issues on KSL and health issues affecting people who are Deaf. Dr. Mweri’s PhD thesis is entitled: Register Variation: A Comparative Study of Planned and Unplanned Discourse in Kenyan Sign Language (KSL). At the UON, Dr. Jefwa teaches Linguistics in Kiswahili in the fields of Syntax, Research Methodology, psycholinguistics, communication.

I believe in being a solution giver than just identifying problems. I am passionate about environmental governance and management and more specifically the important role Sustanable Development Goals play in restoring the earth. I enjoy networking and learning from other people through which I improve myself. I love simplicity!

Hamimah Kadzo is an Administrative Assistant in the International Office and Directorate of University Advancement at the University of Nairobi. Kadzo boosts a broad experience in Public Relations and is also an International Relations graduate from the United States International University, who uses her skills and expertise to perform at her highest level.