University of Nairobi appoints Prof Lucy Irungu Deputy Vice-Chancellor

Congratulations are in order to Prof Lucy Irungu who has been appointed Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research, Production and Extension) of the University of Nairobi. Her appointment takes effect from 1 March 2011.

Prof Irungu's new appointment was announced in a press release from the University of Nairobi which appeared on page 21 of The Standard of Friday 21 January 2011.

According to the press release, Prof Irungu's duties as DVC in charge of Research, Production and Extension include: planning, organizing and managing research infrastructure development and appropriate policy planning; coordinating administrative and logistical support for research at all levels; coordinating the sourcing of libraries and archives. Other duties include research branding, quality control and capacity building.

Prof Irungu is the current principal of the College of Biological and Physical Sciences at Chiromo Campus. With her new appointment, she now becomes the second female professor in the history of the University of Nairobi to hold the position of Deputy Vice Chancellor after Prof Florida Karani who was the DVC in charge of Academic Affairs for 10 years.

Check out Prof Irungu's profile here.

Kudos, Prof Irungu! More grease to your elbow!

Lucy Irungu - Principal of UoN's Chiromo Campus

Prof Lucy W Irungu is currently the Principal of the University of Nairobi's College of Biological and Physical Sciences - commonly known as Chiromo Campus. She is also a full Professor of Entomology in the School of Biological Sciences.

Prof Irungu's academic career in the sciences began following her graduation from the University of Nairobi in 1978 with a first class honours Bachelor of Science degree in Entomology (the study of insects).

She immediately joined the Nairobi-based International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology (ICIPE) as a graduate research scholar and was awarded a scholarship by the Commonwealth Fund for Technical Cooperation to pursue a Master of Science degree in Medical Entomology and Applied Parasitology at the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine which she completed in 1979.

Thereafter, she proceeded to Imperial College and the British Museum on internship for six months before returning to ICIPE. In 1981, she was awarded a scholarship by the Association of Commonwealth Universities to pursue a doctorate degree. She completed her PhD at the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine in 1984 and returned to ICIPE for her postdoctoral work.

In 1988, she joined the University of Nairobi's Department of Zoology as a lecturer and rose through the ranks to full Professor. Prof Irungu also served as the Chair of the Department of Zoology from 1999 to 2004. She was then appointed as the Principal of the College of Biological and Physical Sciences, a position she has held to date.

Prof Lucy Irungu has conducted research in the area of vector biology and control with special reference to malaria vectors and other vectors and parasites of Neglected Diseases. In addition, she has supervised over 20 MSc students and four PhD students. She has published extensively in peer-reviewed journals and is a fellow of the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene and a member of several other professional organizations.