Wangari Maathai named UN peace messenger

From page 6 of the Daily Nation, Wednesday 16 December 2009

Nobel laureate Wangari Maathai yesterday earned the title of United Nations Messenger of Peace. The honour will be conferred at the UN-sponsored climate talks in Copenhagen by Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon. Messengers of peace are internationally known figures, who work to raise awareness of UN ideals and activities. Prof Maathai will be focusing in this capacity on climate change and environmental conservation.

Congrats to Prof Maathai on yet another honour!

Miriam Kinyua: Plant Breeding Researcher

Prof Miriam Kinyua is a well-known Kenyan plant breeder. She is an associate professor of biotechnology at Moi University, Eldoret. Before her appointment to Moi University she was a Centre Director at the Kenya Agricultural Research Institute (KARI).

Earlier this year, the Standard newspaper ran a story on a research project by a team of Kenyan scientists led by Prof Kinyua that has successfully bred a new variety of wheat – Njoro BW1 – using nuclear technology. The new wheat variety is resistant to drought and disease, and also produces high quality flour. Wheat is Kenya’s second most important crop after maize.

Below, reproduced from the Standard online, is the side bar of the feature article which gives some more insight into Prof Miriam Kinyua’s passion for her work in agricultural research.
All I can say is: More grease to your elbow, Prof Kinyua, and keep up the good work!

Scientist leads effort to green Kenya’s drylands

By Harold Ayodo

Her expertise in plant breeding has won her international accolades in the last 13 years. But never before has Prof Miriam Kinyua’s skills been more relevant than know, in the wake of global food crisis.

Recently, the Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO) invited her to speak on nuclear plant breeding technology to decision makers at an international conference in Rome.

For the last five years, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has engaged her for several assignments and other international organisations have funded 13 of her research projects in 17 years.

"At work, I don’t see myself as a woman but as a competent professional," Kinyua says. To-date, she has published more than 30 papers in peer reviewed journals and presented 40 papers in international conferences.

President Kibaki awarded her with the Order of Grand Warrior for her contribution to national agricultural production through research two years ago.

Encouraging girls to embrace science, the mother of two says the course is not gender-based. With 20 years’ work experience, the biotechnology lecturer at Moi University was interested in science since she was a girl.

"My father encouraged me to follow my heart – science —, and he kept reminding me that I am a child and not a girl," she says.

She topped her class in sciences in high school and joined University of Nairobi for a Bachelor of Science degree course. She holds Master’s and PhD degrees in plant breeding from the same university.

The Alliance Girls High School alumni taught at Egerton University in 1987 before she delved into research. She coordinated wheat research in Kenya between 2000 and 2005 and now teaches postgraduate students.

She has supervised seven PhD and 23 Master of Science students in public universities since 1999. The seasoned scholar has been involved in several international scientific assignments that won her awards.

"The Government of Mozambique invited me last year to assist in formulating a biotechnology strategy for the country," she says.

She won the best project award at the KARI in 1996 and a certificate of excellence for outstanding scientific performance and contribution to agricultural research.

The American Biographic Institute included Prof Kinyua in its International Directory of Distinguished Leadership for her expertise in 1998.

"I aspire to make discoveries that respond to the needs of farmers," Kinyua says.

Credit
Ayodo H. 2009. Breakthrough on wheat. The Standard. Thursday 8 January 2009. http://eastandard.net/agriculture/InsidePage.php?id=1144003489&cid=465&. Accessed 15 July 2009.

Ayodo H. 2009. Scientist leads effort to green Kenya’s drylands. The Standard. Thursday 8 January 2009. http://eastandard.net/agriculture/InsidePage.php?id=1144003487&cid=465& Accessed 15 July 2009.

Patricia Kameri-Mbote: Accomplished Professor of Environmental Law

Patricia Kameri-Mbote is an Associate Professor of Law, an Advocate of the High Court of Kenya and Chair of the Department of Private Law, University of Nairobi.

She has served as Acting Dean, Faculty of Law, University of Nairobi, Acting Executive Director and Director of Research and Policy Outreach, African Centre for Technology Studies, Nairobi. She was also a member of the Committee of Eminent Persons appointed by His Excellency the President of Kenya in February 2006 to advise the government on the way forward for the stalled constitution review process.

She has also been identified by the World Conservation Union (IUCN) as a renowned thinker in the global environment and sustainable development field and served as a Policy scholar at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars.

Prof Kameri-Mbote studied law in Nairobi, Warwick, Zimbabwe and Stanford and currently teaches Biotechnology and the Law, Patents Law, International Environmental Law, Law, Science and Technology and Feminist Jurisprudence at the Faculty of Law, University of Nairobi.

She has also taught international environmental law at the University of Kansas; Trade, Environment and Law at the University of Stellenbosch, Cape Town, South Africa; and Women, Access to Resources and the Law at the Women's Law Centre, University of Zimbabwe. She has been invited to teach a January Term Course on Biotechnology and Law at the University of Ottawa in January. She serves as external examiner to the Faculties of Law at the Universities of London, Makerere and Dar es Salaam.

She is a member of the IUCN Commission on Environmental Law and the Kenya National Academy of Sciences and a board member of the Kenya Copyright Board, the Advocates Coalition for Development and Environment (ACODE-Uganda); Resources Conflict Institute (RECONCILE) and Women and Law in East Africa (WLEA).

She has consulted for many international and national agencies including the UK Department for International Development, the World Bank, the United States Agency for International Development, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (NORAD) and the Government of Kenya.

She has published widely in the areas of international law, environmental law, women's rights and property rights and participated in international, regional, national and local conferences. Patricia also chaired the Kenya Nile Discourse Forum from 2003 to 2005.

Her research interests include environment and natural resources law and policy, human rights, women's rights, land rights, intellectual property rights, biotechnology policy and law and economic law.

Source: http://www.uonbi.ac.ke/faculties/SOL/cvs/Kamerimbote.pdf. Accessed 15 July 2009

Another First For Prof Wangari Maathai

Congratulations are in order to Prof Wangari Maathai on yet another first.

Prof Maathai has made history yet again by being the first ever Kenyan to receive Japan's highest honour, the Grand Cordon of the Order of the Rising Sun.

The Japanese Government has conferred the highest decoration -- The Grand Cordon of the Order of the Rising Sun -- to Nobel Peace Prize Laureate (2004) Wangari Maathai.

A statement from the Japan Embasy in Nairobi said the conferment was in honour of Prof Maathai's significant contribution for raising people's awareness on environmental protection.

"This is the first official decoration ever conferred to a Kenyan citizen by the Government of Japan," read part of the statement.

Maathai's 'Mottainai' campaign, which stressess the concept of reduce, reuse, recycle and repair for environmental protection, has made her popular in Japan.

Source: Page 4 of The Standard, 30 April 2009

Celebrating International Women's Day

As we commemorate International Women's Day today, I'd like to pay special tribute to Kenyan women professors for their noteworthy achievements in the field of academia.

You are an inspiration... hats off to you!

And to my fellow Kenyan women: Let excellence be our constant goal, whatever career paths we may have chosen, and let us always work towards making a positive, lasting impact in our respective spheres of influence in society -- be they great or small.

Wanawake hoyee!