Four Kenyans Wins UNESCO Scholarships
Four (4) Kenyans are recipients of two respective UNESCO scholarships and awards –UNESCO/Poland Co-Sponsored Fellowship Programme in Engineering and the UNESCO MAB Young Scientists Award. Chepkurui Janet and Muthiani Perpetua Ndumi are recipients of the UNESCO/Poland Co-Sponsored Fellowship Programme in Engineering. The two are two of the 30 global recipients drawn from 22 countries. Six Kenyans were beneficiaries of the same fellowship in 2023.
The UNESCO/Poland Co-Sponsored Fellowship Programme offered by UNESCO, the Polish National Commission for UNESCO and the UNESCO Chair for Science, Technology, and Engineering at the AGH University of Science and Technology in Krakow (Poland) will run for six (6) months, commencing in October 2024. During the fellowship, Janet Chepkurui will focus on artificial intelligence during which she will design robotic systems capable of managing data flows functioning through the interaction of physical, network and computational components to enable smart applications and real-time operation. Perpetua Muthiani will be working on assessment of geoinventory and valuation of geological elements and geodiversity at selected sites in Kenya.
Nevil Sigana and Faith Obwoyere are recipients of the UNESCO MAB Young Scientists Award. This award targets young researchers carrying out interdisciplinary research in line with UNESCO’s Man and the Biosphere (MAB) Programme and priority is given to projects carried out in biosphere reserves on ecosystems, natural resources and biodiversity. Nevil research will focus on documentation of local and indigenous knowledge systems in the conservation of Malindi-Watamu-Sokoke Biosphere Reserve while Faith focus on land use practices-seasonal climatic variations-human-wildlife conflicts nexus in Mount Elgon Biosphere Reserve with implications for conflict management and peace building.
To increase uptake of UNESCO fellowships, prizes, awards and grants, Kenyans are encouraged to apply for these opportunities when the next call is made in 2025.
