Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT) students pursuing Mining and Mineral Processing Engineering, have once again showcased their academic excellence on the global stage after emerging the best in an international video lecture competition conducted online and organized by Saint Petersburg Mining University in Russia.
Among the teams from Africa that participated in the competition that run in April, 2026, culminating in the announcement of winners on May, 20, 2026, the JKUAT team from Kenya, consisting of Ian Ngumbau Wambua, Shaneal Mumbi Nixon and Ruth Igunza, bagged the first position in the “Impulse of Knowledge” contest with their innovative presentation on “Waterless Mineral Processing.”
According to the students, “The innovation uses sensor-based sorting and air classification during the beneficiation process. This climate-resilient solution is suitable for both Kenyan mines, that addresses the issues of water shortages, and Russian Arctic operations, which face the problem of slurry freezing.”
The winning streak did not stop there: a second JKUAT team, comprising of Fredrick Okeyo and Rocky Onunga, achieved a highly commendable third-place finish at the international event.
Reflecting on the milestone achievement, Ruth Igunza said, the competition provided a vital platform to demonstrate that African youth were prepared to develop sustainable, technological solutions for the global mining sector.
She added that engaging with world-class technical standards had offered the teams profound validation, proving that despite the geographical distance between Kenya and Russia, they shared a universal engineering language.
In his reaction to the JKUAT teams’ performance in Russia, the Chairman of the Department of Mining, Materials, and Petroleum Engineering (MMPE), Dr. David Mwangi, said JKUAT’s presence at the international competition reinforces institutional growing influence in global research and innovation spaces.
“Our students’ performance reflects not only their individual brilliance but also the university’s strategic commitment to excellence and the department’s emphasis on sustainable mining practises,” said, Dr. Mwangi.
Dr. Mwangi, further encouraged students in the department to take advantage of opportunities beyond the classroom stating that “such competitions build confidence, sharpen communication skills, and expose students to global perspectives.”
He advised Mining and Mineral Processing Engineering students thus, “Don’t wait until you feel fully ready, start where you are and grow through the experience.”