Five JKUAT scholars have been honoured with Vice Chancellor’s Research Merit Award. The recognition, rolled out for the first time in the history of JKUAT, is one of the pathways through which the university aims to hone research impact excellence among the university’s faculty. The inaugural winners in the different categories of the award, were unveiled on Thursday March 20, 2025.
Dr. Paul Kinoti Ng’ang’a, from the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources emerged as the researcher with the most visible impact on improved community livelihood. Another don, Dr.-Ing. Wamai Mwangi from the College of Engineering and Technology was crowned the researcher with the most notable contribution to the field of study.
Dr. John Kagira, from the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources was feted in the most demonstrable potential for commercialization category; while Prof. Willis Owino, also from the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources bagged the best resource mobilizer award.
The Junior Faculty Research Award was won by Dr. Eunice Njeri, from the College of Pure and Applied Sciences; exemplifying the resolve of the awards to recognize emerging researchers who demonstrates exceptional acumen and enterprise.
The Vice Chancellor’s Research Merit Award is a performance based award scheme, designed to recognize and honour outstanding researchers at JKUAT. The scheme is anchored on three pillars: enhancement of research culture; reward outstanding talents; and promote development of high quality research proposals.
Speaking during the awards ceremony, Vice Chancellor, Prof. Victoria Wambui Ngumi congratulated the winners, noting that their remarkable contribution to the research enterprise at JKUAT was an inspiration to the entire university community.
“We are proud of the ground-breaking research undertakings that continue to define JKUAT as a research and innovations hub for Kenya and the region,” Prof. Ngumi said.
Chairman of Council, Dr. Micah Onsando said that JKUAT had every ingredient to ensure research findings are translated into commercially viable assets that can attract investors – a direction, he added, that the Council and university management had embraced.
The awards were made public during the opening session of the 19th Scientific, Technological and Industrialization Conference. The two-day event will see researchers and innovators demonstrate and pitch their research concepts and products to industry and other stakeholders.
