Innovating through Technology- Dr Kamau Gachigi
Dr. Kamau Gachigi heads the University of Nairobi Science & Technology Park, at which over 15 technology businesses are currently incubated. He has been a lecturer in the Department of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering since 1999, where he teaches Materials Science. His current areas of research include producing activated carbon from waste, value addition of ores and digital fabrication. He also established the Fab Lab at UoN which he heads, and is part of the international Fab Lab network started at MIT. He holds a U.S. patent, has published 10 scientific papers, 17 papers on technology and innovation, including a book chapter published by the University of Texas. He spent 2.5 years in Japan as a researcher at TDK, and is a partner in Genziko Inc., a Kenya-US start-up in road power generation. His doctorate is in Solid State Science (Penn State University) and is a lay Christian preacher. (Courtesy of http://tedxnairobi.com/2012/09/21/scaling-up-technical-education-kamau-gachigi-at-tedxnairobi/ )
Dr. Kamau Gachigi runs the nascent Science and Technology Park at the University of Nairobi (UoNSTP), where he also lectures and conducts research in materials science in the Department of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering. UoN-STP incubates companies which fall under at least one of five thematic areas – biotechnology, energy, ICT, minerals/materials and automation/control. There are currently 15 companies at various stages of development, four of which are to receive seed funding from a fund he has been instrumental in setting up at UoN. He recently won a grant from the Government of Kenya to establish a Fab Lab at the University of Nairobi (the Fab Labs are a rapid prototyping unit started at MIT), which serves as the locus of activity at the Science and Technology Park. His current areas of research include activated carbon from agricultural wastes for use in affordable potable-water filtration, and investigation into value addition of titanium and iron bearing ores. He has published 7 scientific papers in peer-reviewed journals, and 5 more at conferences. and was awarded a U.S. patent during his doctoral studies in electrical energy storage devices. Dr. Kamau obtained his PhD (1996) in Solid State Science at the Pennsylvania State University, USA where he specialized in electronic ceramics for capacitor applications. After his doctoral studies he spent 2.5 years in Japan as a researcher for the electronic, and component manufacturer TDK. He is also a lay Christian preacher, with a particular interest in the linkages between science and spirituality. Prior to becoming a Christian he spent 10 years as a practicing Hindu, during which time he performed a pilgrimage to India. (Courtesy of http://www.24hrstechnology.com/Presenter/Dr-Kamau-Gachigi )
