The Secretariat

Nicholas Ozor, B. Agric. (Nig., First Class Honours); MSc (Nig., Distinction) Ph.D. (Reading, UK & Nigeria), is the Executive Director of the African Technology Policy Studies Network (ATPS) Nairobi, Kenya where he is responsible for direction of affairs and transactions of the organisation; the exercise, discharge and performance of its objectives, functions and duties; and the administration and control of employees. Prior to this appointment, he worked as the Senior Research Officer at the ATPS where he provided leadership in Research, Communication, Training and Outreach for the organization. He was formerly a Senior lecturer in the Department of Agricultural Extension, University of Nigeria, Nsukka. He also worked as an Agricultural Extension Agent for many years with the Enugu State Agricultural Development Programme (ADP), Enugu State, Nigeria. Dr Ozor is a Commonwealth Scholar (Split-site Doctoral Programme) and holds the Best PhD Thesis Award in Agriculture in Nigeria, 2006, under the Nigerian Universities Doctoral Theses Award Scheme (NUDTAS) organized by the National Universities Commission. He holds the Wellcome Trust Award for the Best PhD Presenter in 2006 during the Development Studies Association Conference at the University of Reading, United Kingdom. He is also a Teaching Fellow and Mentor, African Climate Change Fellowship Programme (ACCFP), funded by the International global change SysTem for Analysis, Research and Training (START).

Dr Ozor has led and is currently leading many internationally funded research projects bordering on science, technology and innovation (STI) ; natural resource management; innovation systems; climate change; development issues; policy development, analysis and advocacy; technology management and transfer; and private sector engagements. He has good mastery of the computers and its applications to problem solving situations. Dr Ozor is a member of many professional organizations and has published over 75 articles in reputable international journals and as book chapters. He has attended many international conferences/workshops aimed at evolving sustainable best practices for national, regional and international developments. He holds many distinctive prizes and awards for academic excellence and good community leadership. Dr Ozor’s vision is to be at the frontier of learning and in the consequent application of the rich knowledge acquired to make a positive difference to humanity. He is married to Gloria, a literary artiste, and blessed with children.

Dr. Ozor’s Key Skills include:

• Fundraising from multiple donors in areas of STI including agriculture and food systems; environment and climate change; and low carbon energy development; etc.
• Core research, teaching and programme implementation across the STI areas stated above 
• Network building with stakeholders at inpidual and institutional levels aimed at forging effective and efficient partnerships and collaborations to solve complex societal challenges
• Capacity building and training of varied stakeholders in STI including researchers, policymakers, civil society, the private sector and the media among others
• Policy analysis and advocacy across STI issues for empowering policymakers to utilize homegrown research evidence in policymaking processes that enhance development and good governance
• Knowledge valorization across STI issues that aim at bringing technology and innovation to the market place
• Outreach and Communication that aim to increase awareness and understanding of key STI issues among relevant stakeholders for use in development objectives
• Publications: very quick in transforming ideas from research into published outputs to contribute to the knowledge economy
• Leadership and mentorship: providing strategic direction for organizations and teams to achieve their goals as well as grooming the future leaders through informed mentorship and support systems

Engr. Dr. Joel Nwakaire is a postdoctoral research fellow at the African Technology Policy Studies Network (ATPS), Nairobi, Kenya. He is currently the Artificial Intelligence for Agriculture and Food Systems Innovation Research Network program officer. Joel Nwakaire is an Associate Professor in the Agricultural and Bio-resources Engineering department, University of Nigeria, Nsukka. He has worked for 16 years as a lecturer in the Agricultural and Bioresources Engineering Department, University of Nigeria, Nsukka. He obtained his PhD in 2013, and the product of his thesis was nominated as among the fifth most innovative work in Africa during the maiden edition of the Innovation Prize for Africa. Joel Nwakaire won an award as best serving National Youth Service Corps member in 2005 batch A in Nassarawa state, where he developed a low-cost maize sheller for rural dwellers. Joel obtained his Master's degree in Engineering in 2009. Joel's Master's project on design, construction and testing of a 30 litre per hour continuous biodiesel plant won the first prize in an all African-wide Young Professional in Science competition in 2009 organized by CTA, ATPS, AGRA RUFORUM, and FARA. His publications have focused on biofuel, waste utilization, machines for agriculture, and energy management. He is committed to research on saving the planet through renewable energy. He acquired technical training as an auto-technician between the year 1992 and 2002. Joel has four (4) patented creative works. He has a keen interest in clean and renewable energy systems. He is passionate about teaching and knowledge transfer.

Scholarly Profile found @

www.linkedin.com/in/joel-nwakaire.

https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Joel-Nwakaire.

https://scholar.google.com/citations?hl=en&user=q-UWzvgAAAAJ.

Ernest Nti Acheampong is a research officer at ATPS. He is responsible for undertaking research, coordinating research capacity building programs, and fundraising activities. He was previously working for the International Water Management Institute, Accra, Ghana, as a research officer.

Ernest holds a bachelor’s degree in Natural Resource Management from the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology in Kumasi, Ghana. He also holds a double master degree in International Land and Water Management, and Agricultural Systems Research and Development from the Wageningen University and Research Center and Montpellier SupAgro in the Netherlands and France respectively. 

 Ernest has worked with both national and international Non-Governmental Research Organizations who are engaged in multi-disciplinary research. He has engaged in several research projects including the Community Integrated Conservation Project, Climate Steward Programs, Basin Focal Project and Agricultural Water Management Solutions Project.

 Ernest has also gained additional knowledge and experiences through participation in research training and development programs in tropical ecology and biodiversity conservation organized by the Tropical Biology Association in Madagascar, and the Earthwatch Institute in Kenya, and Capacity Building in Agricultural Water Management Strategies using AquaCrop model, jointly organized by Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO), UN-Water Decade Programme on Capacity Development (UNW-DPC) and Soil and Water Environmental Research Institute (SWERI), Cairo, Egypt.

Mr. Nyambane holds Master’s degree in Environmental Science (Agro-forestry and Rural Development) and a Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Sciences. He is knowledgeable and experienced in community development, agriculture, forestry and climate change adaptation and mitigation projects. He has skills in data collection, compilation and analysis and has also crop modelling experience using Decision Support System for Agro-technology Transfer (DSSAT). He has taught part-time in several universities in Kenya. He worked as a Research Assistant at CIAT in the Soybean Project.  Mr. Nyambane has also done a lot of work on solid waste management, drainage and sanitation as an Assistant Project Officer and as a consultant. He has done consultancy assignments with Kenya Agriculture and Livestock Research Organization (KARLO), Kenya Institute for Public Policy Research and Analysis (KIPPRA), ActionAid International, Pamoja Trust, Lake Victoria Environment Management Project II (LVEMP II), Lake Victoria Basin Commission, among others. He is a registered Lead Expert with NEMA.

A result driven, self-motivated and resourceful professional with 4 years’ work experience in Accounting with a demonstrated history of working in the logistics and supply chain industry. Skilled in Microsoft Excel, Corporate Finance, Microsoft Word, Accounting, and Research. A graduate of Kenyatta University and Royal Business School.

Ian Njuguna brings in vast wealth of knowledge with over 10years of experience in the IT industry. He brings in expertise in IT department management, Web design and development, Information Systems Security, IT infrastructure management, and maintenance among many more skills. A graduate of Africa Nazarene University

Wentland Muhatiah joined the ATPS on 7^th June 2021 as a Research Officer in the Research and training department. He previously worked at National Environmental Management Authority (NEMA) and AGFOR Limited as an associate environmental sustainability consultant. He holds a Masters’ degree in Climate Change and Adaptation from the Institute of Climate change and Adaptation, University of Nairobi, and a Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Management from Makerere University.

Patrick Ng’ang’a joined the ATPS on 10^th May 2021 as a Logistician and Driver. His main duties include managing the Executive Director’s transportation and other office transportation tasks. He also works as the office messenger, coordinates receipt and dispatch of letters, facilitates document processing with various Government agencies and is in-charge of settling the office utility bills. Patrick hold as a Diploma in Theology Education by Extension from Presbyterian University and he is a certified member of St. John Ambulance Kenya.