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MTAWA Holds Successful Meeting in Atlanta, GA

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State of the Network 1

Prof. Margaret Gitau (Purdue University and MTAWA) gave an update on the state of the Network. (Network Update)

 MOkomo

Dr. Margaret Okomo-Adhiambo (CDC and MTAWA) led a combined breakout session on early career challenges and opportunities and the importance of mentoring. (Breakout Session 1A, B)
EQuansah

Dr. Elizabeth Quansah (Auburn University) gave an inspiring keynote address, sharing her professional journey and providing insights into the challenges and opportunities for African women in academia. (MTAWA Meeting Keynote Presentation)

 CMuhoro

Prof. Clare Muhoro (Towson University and MTAWA) gave a workshop on negotiation covering key strategies including identifying negotiables and setting your BATNA and ZOPA. (Materials only available to meeting participants.)
ATL Tour 1a

Prof. Margaret Gitau led a group mentoring session focused on challenges and opportunities for African women in academia. (See Meeting Report for Notes.)

 ATL Tour 1a_O

Dr. Maryann Chege (Floyd Medical Center and MTAWA) hosted a tour of Atlanta for interested participants.
Meeting Report: Meeting Report
Resources and links:

https://engineering.purdue.edu/Engr/Academics/Graduate/ProfessionalDevelopment/Student (Purdue University)

https://rackham.umich.edu/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/mentoring.pdf (University of Michigan)

https://www.grad.ubc.ca/current-students/professional-development/graduate-game-plan (University of British Columbia)

https://engineering.purdue.edu/Engr/Academics/Graduate/FacultyResources/Faculty-Mentoring-Packet-(updated%2001-24-2018).pdf (Purdue University, For Mentors).

 

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Meet Our Mentors: Dr. Esther Mosase

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Dr. Esther Mosase

 Dr. Esther Mosase recently obtained her PhD in Civil and Environmental Engineering at South Dakota State University. Her dissertation work focused on modelling water availability, risk and resilience in the Limpopo River Basin, a semi-arid basin in Southern Africa. Esther’s PhD work was supported by the Schlumberger Foundation, Faculty for the Future (FFTF) program which sponsors women in Science and Engineering, the Botswana International University of Science and Technology (BIUST) through the Botswana Department of Tertiary Education Financing (DTEF), and Botswana Embassy in the United States.
  Esther received her Master’s in Agricultural Engineering from Botswana College of Agriculture (Botswana). Thereafter, she worked as a junior lecturer at the BIUST in Botswana before starting her PhD. Esther is currently working part time as a Staff Research Associate (SRA II) at the University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources. Esther is looking forward to continuing contributing to research and science-based information in water resources including water quality improvement and impact of climate change on water resources. As a product of the Schlumberger Foundation FFTF program, Esther looks forward to continuing empowering girls/women to pursue Science and Engineering fields.
   
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Dr. Margaret Okomo-Adhiambo inducted as Fellow of the AAS

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Dr. Margaret Okomo-Adhiambo

 On Dec 11, 2018, Dr. Margaret Okomo-Adhiambo was inducted as Fellow of the African Academy of Sciences, in Pretoria, SA. Fellows are elected based on achievements including their publication record, innovations, leadership roles and contribution to policy and to the development of science on the continent, and globally. Dr. Okomo-Adhiambo says “[I am] very humbled and honored to be part of this prestigious group of scientists.”
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Meet Our Mentees: Pamela Mugisha

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 Mugisha
Pamela Mugisha		 Mrs. Mugisha Pamela recently joined Texas A&M University, Corpus Christi to pursue studies leading to a PHD in Geospatial Computing Sciences. Mrs. Mugisha is passionate about water and hydrology and wishes to use remote sensing to study the effect of direct stormwater discharge to oceans in growing coastal cities.  She holds a bachelor’s degree in Agricultural engineering from Makerere University, Uganda and an Msc. degree in Hydroscience and engineering from Technical University, Dresden, Germany.

 

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Prof. Margaret Gitau Gives Invited Seminar at IIT Bombay

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Presentation 2

Prof. Gitau (at right) receives a token of appreciation from Prof. Jothiprakash of the Indian Institute of Technology Bombay and the Civil Engineering Association.

Margaret Gitau, Associate Professor of Agricultural and Biological Engineering at Purdue University and President of MTAWA, gave an invited seminar at the Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, on October 3, 2018. Prof. Gitau talked about one of the greatest challenges in our world today, this being the impairment of water quality by pollutants from agricultural, rural/urbanizing, and urban lands. She discussed her perspectives, current research, and future directions, and also highlighted opportunities for integrated, multidisciplinary research to develop sustainable solutions to current water quality problems.
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MTAWA-JKUAT Workshop a Great Success!

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Group photo day 1

Workshop Day 1 Participants
Kutima_Introductions
Introductions by Prof. Helen Kutima

Dianga_Opening

Opening Remarks by Prof Stephen Diang’a
Thoruwa_Keynote
Keynote by Prof. Caroline Thoruwa		 Abukutsa_Remarks
Remarks by Prof. Mary Abukutsa
Clare_2
Workshop Session by Prof. Clare Muhoro		 Interactives
Interactive Session Day 1
Michelle_Panel
Panel on Day 1		 Redempter
Contributions by Ms. Redempter Mutinda
Agnes
Insights from Panelist Agnes Limo		 Rose Presentation
Remarks by Dr. Rose Mutiso
Phyllis_Presentation
Presentation by Ms. Phyllis Kalele		 Rosetta
Presentation by Ms. Rosetta Ngugi
Group photo day 2
Workshop Day 2 Participants
Consultations
One-on-One/Speed Mentoring		 Mini Grad Sch Fair
Mini Grad School Fair
Teckla_Recap
Workshop Recap by Dr. Teckla Muhoro		 Margaret_Closing
Closing Remarks by Prof. Margaret Gitau
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Meet Our Mentees: Mercy Ngunjiri

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Mercy_Picture_1

Mercy receives Graduate Teaching and Graduate Instructional Development certificates. (L-to-R): Prof. Bernie Tao; Mercy Ngunjiri; Provost Jay Akridge, Purdue University.

Mercy Ngunjiri recently successfully defended her Ph.D. research work in the Agronomy department and Interdisciplinary Ecological Sciences and Engineering program at Purdue University. Her work was on “Mapping soils of the Uasin Gishu Plateau, Kenya with limited data using a knowledge-based inference mapping approach”. She was born and raised in Kenya and attained her B.S. degree in soil and land use management at Moi University and M.S. degree in soil science at the University of Eldoret. Her area of interest is soil and landscape processes as it pertains to multi-scale environmental and hydro-pedological processes. Mercy hopes to become an international research scientist in her area of study with the aim of enhancing global food security. She also hopes to be part of the practitioners and policy makers in areas of women empowerment especially in Africa. Mercy will graduate with a Ph.D. in soil science and agronomy this August.