Geology Department, University of Nairobi
Riverside drive, P.O. BOX 30197 00100, Nairobi
Tel +254 717 555003; Email lydiaolaka@uonbi.ac.ke
Personal information
Date of Birth
26th April 1978
Sex
Female
Nationality:
Kenyan
Education
2007 - 2011
PhD, Potsdam Universitaet, Germany.
Thesis Title: Sensitivity of lakes to Climate Changes on different timescales in the
East African Rift.
2002 - 2005
Master of Science, (Environmental Geology and Management) University of
Nairobi, Thesis title: Influence of Geology and Impacts of Land Use Changes in the
Nyando River Basin, Kenya
1997 - 2001
Bachelor of Science, Geology, University of Nairobi
First Class Honours
Grants
2011
Awarded Volkswagen foundation Fellowship, to research on Groundwater
vulnerability to Climate change in Naivasha.
2010
Brown University Advanced Research Institutes (BIARI) Scholarship to attend
Institute for Climate change and its impacts course. Brown University, RI. USA.
13-26 June
2006
DAAD Scholarship for PhD studies in Germany.
Research activities
2011-2013
Determining Groundwater Vulnerability to climate Change in the Naivasha Region.
2007 -2011
Environmental and Hydro-climatic changes in the Central Kenya Rift.
2006
Research Assistant. Sustainable Management of Water resources in the East
African Rift System (MAWARI) Project.
2005
Land use, land cover changes analysis using GIS and Remote sensing on Nyando
River Basin, Kenya
2002-2004
Graduate Assistant for the Assessment of Impacts and Adaptations to Climate
Change (AICC) Project.
2002
Research Assistant. Sediment Greenhouse gas studies on the Lake Naivasha from
papyrus wetland, Lake Elmenteita and Lake Nakuru.
2001-2002
Student trainee. Sediment gas studies related to Carbon and Nitrogen cycling in
Lakes Nakuru and Bogoria.
Exploration of sediment hosted base metals at the Kenya Coast
Teaching Experience
2011 (July - to date)
Teaching Sedimentology, Geostatistics and Geology courses at Department of
Geology, University of Nairobi
2011 (Sept. – Oct.)
Climate Tectonics and Evolution Summer school, funded by the Volkswagen
foundation. Teaching assistant (MATLAB)
2010 (Sept. – Oct.)
Climate Tectonics and Evolution Summer school, funded by the Volkswagen
foundation. Teaching assistant (Hydrology of annual to millennial scales)
2009 (Sept.)
Climate, Tectonics and Evolution Summer school in East Africa, funded by
the Volkswagen foundation, Teaching Assistant (MATLAB and Hydroclimate of
Kenya rift)
Professional Experience
2011 (July)
Geology Department University of Nairobi, Tutorial Fellow
2006
Regional Centre for Mapping of Resources for Development (RCMRD), Kenya;
Intern, Research Assistant
Project: Groundwater resource and pollution project in the Kenya rift
2005
Spatial analysis Consulting
Projects: Geospatial analysis of Environmental change; Developing GIS databases
for monitoring projects
2001- 2002
Pan African START Secretariat, Nairobi, Intern
Duties: International conference organisation, and administrative duties.
2000
Anglo American Prospecting Services, Intern
Other training
2010
Brown University Advanced Research Institutes (BIARI) Institute for Climate
change and its impacts course. Brown University, RI. USA. 13-26 June
Field work in Suguta, Kenya- Tectonics, lakes and surface processes
2009
Field school In North India titled, Tectonics and climate and surface processes
2008
Swedish Metreological and Hydological Institute training on the hydrolocal
modelling HBV. June
2001
Lake Victoria Training Program (LVTP), Limnology and Climate studies on Lake
Naivasha 06-20 Dec
Publications
2011
Olaka L. A. Junginger A. Malik N Trauth M. H. Bayene E. (submitted) Recent trends in
East African Rainfall variability from Satellite Rainfall Estimates.
2010
Olaka L. A. Kniess U. Olago D. O. Trauth M. H. Odada. E.O. (submitted) Estimating
Holocene Groundwater Depletion of the Central Kenyan Rift Lakes.
Stoof K. R. Junginger A. Olaka L. A. Tiedemann R. Trauth M. H. (in Press) Natural
environmental variability and anthropogenic overprint in the Lake Naivasha Basin
Central Kenya Rift: A diatom record over the last two centuries. Journal of
Paleolimnology. DOI 10.1007/s10933-011-9502-4
Trauth M. H. Maslin M. A. Deino A. Junginger A. Lesoloyia M.Odada E. O. Daniel O.
Olago D. E. Olaka L. Manfred R. Strecker M. R. Tiedemann R. Human evolution in a
variable environment: The amplifier lakes of Eastern Africa Quaternary Science
Reviews. 29. 2981-3348.
Olaka L. A. Odada E. O. Trauth M. H. Olago. D.O. The Sensitivity of East African rift
lakes to climate fluctuations Journal of Paleolimnology 44: 629-644
2007
Olago D. Marshall M. Wandiga S. O. Opondo M. Yanda P. Z. Kangalawe R. Githeko A.
Downs T. Opere A. Kabumbuli R. Kirumira E. Ogallo L. Mugambi P. Apindi E. Githui
F. Kathuri J. Olaka L. Sigalla R. Nanyunja R. Baguma T. and Achola P. (2007)
Climatic Socio-economic and Health Factors Affecting Human Vulnerability to
Cholera in the Lake Victoria Basin East Africa AMBIO: A Journal of the Human
Environment. 36 350–358.
2006
Wandiga S. O. Opondo M. Kathuri J. Olago D. Apindi E. Olaka L. Githeko A. Githui F.
Opere A. Ogallo L. Marshall M. Downs T. Yanda P. Z. Kangalawe R. Sigalla R.
Kabumbuli R. Kiramura E. Mugambi P. Nanyunja R. Baguma T. Achola P. Climate
Change Induced Vulnerability to Malaria and Cholera in the Lake Victoria Region.
Final Report of the AIACC Project No. AF91 The International START Secretariat
Washington DC.
Conference Presentations
2010
Olaka L. Oswald S. Odada E. Kebede S. Vulnerability of Groundwater to Climate
variability in Naivasha region Kenya. BIARI Climate change and its impacts 13-26
June 2010. Providence USA
2009
Olaka L. Trauth M. H. Sensitivity of East African lakes to climate change: Modeling
results. PAGES YSM and OSM. Retrospective views on our planet’s future. Corvallis
U.S.A. 6-11 July 2009Poster
Olaka L. Trauth M. 2009 Sensitivity of the East African rift lakes to climate variability.
EGU General Assembly Vienna 2009. Talk
2008
Olaka L. Odada E. Trauth M. The sensitivity of East African Rift lakes to Climate
Change. International Workshop on East African Geodynamics Climate Lakes and
Evolution. October 16-17 2008. Potsdam Talk
Olaka L. Trauth M. Roessner S. Zehe E. Climate variability over the Central Kenyan
Rift: Data quality assessment and use. EGU General Assembly Vienna 2008. Poster
2006
Olaka L. and Chikuta, S., (2006) Emerging Issues in Science and Technology for Food
Security in Africa – Perspectives from the African Youth. African Regional Congress
on women in science for food and Nutritional Security in Africa. 3-7 July 2006
Entebbe, Uganda (Talk)
2006
Olaka L. and Chikuta, S., (2006) Emerging Issues in Science and Technology for Food
Security in Africa. 2nd African Regional Youth Congress on Science and Technology
26– 29 June; Accra, Ghana (Talk)
Other Competencies
! Statistical analysis and hydroclimate modeling using MATLAB,
! Knowledge in GIS-spatial analysis using ARCmap,
! Rivertools Remote sensing analysis using ENVI and ERDAS,
Memberships
! Geological Society of Kenya (GSK)
! International Association of Hydrogeologists (IAH);
! American Geophysics Union (AGU);
! European Geosciences union (EGU);
! African Youth forum of Science and Technology on Agriculture (AYFST);
(13) Dr. John M. Nderitu
Lecturer: School of Mathematics.
University of Nairobi. (UON).
Room: Preb.1, Chiromo Campus.
CBPS
Box 30197 Nairobi 00100. Kenya.
Tel: +154725234747.
E-mail: jndiritu@uonbi.ac.ke
Guiding Principles: I seek to apply truth, justice, fairness, righteousness and
faithfulness in every good thing that I do. Being self-motivated I enjoy
pursuing my job obligations with integrity together with others as a team
player.
Employment
• 2001 Graduate Assistant, Dept of Mathematics, University of Nairobi
• 2002 Tutorial Fellow, Dept of Mathematics, University of Nairobi,
• 2004 Lecturer, School of Mathematics, University of Nairobi, Kenya.
Lecturing Courses Specialty
• Statistical Methods and Multivariate Methods: Both theoretical and
applied approach. Applications and example in R and SPSS statistical
softwares. All at graduate students level.
• Time Series Models and Linear Models: ARIMA, State space models with
application in R. Linear models, Generalized Linear Models, and Generalized Mixed Models. Applications and example in R, MATLAB and SPSS statistical softwares. All at graduate students level.
• Calculus: Including basic mathematics, Calculus and advanced calculus
with application in diverse area.
• Computing and Computer Programming: Simulation, Data structures,
Structured programming and object oriented programming using C, C++,
Visual basic and R. Others languages include internet applications: PHP,
HTML, XTML.
• System Analysis and Design: Information System analysis and practical
approaches to system development.
Research Interests
Research Interests Areas
• Climate change: there are diverse areas that we can consider: developing
systems to record, map and predict events, studying the impact of climate
change, the relation of climate change to animal population, estimating
cost of adapting to Climate Change.
• Ecological modeling and forecasting: this includes spatial models,
Bayesian models, simulations, analytical approach to differential models,
and numerical approach to model building and analysis.
• Population & Epidemiological models: this includes infectious disease
modeling and prediction using mathematical, statistical and spatial
models. Specifically interested in structured population models and
epidemiology.
• Bayesian approach to modeling: including Bayesian models in
geostatistics. Bayesian Kriging. Time series models and state space models
with application in finance.
• Computation and Information systems and their applications
Supervision of Students
Postgraduate students Supervised:
• Barasa D.O. (2011), Application of GARCH to Model the KES/US$ Foreign
Exchange Rates Returns. School of Mathematics. UON.
• Osiemo P.Q. (2011), Application of ARIMA and GARCH Models inForecasting Pump Oil Prices in Kenya. School of Mathematics. UON.
• Gatacha J. (2011), Stochastic Population Forecast For Kenya: ARIMA
Model Approach. School of Mathematics. UON.
• Gathacha MN (2009), Multivariate Methods for Asset Returns. School of
Mathematics. UON.
Undergraduate Topics Supervised:
• 2007: Mean variance approach to portfolio analysis: NSE,
• 2010: Insight into Islamic banking in Kenya,
• 2010: Variability of exchange options in the Kenyan Market.
Workshops and Conferences
• 2011: Research and Grant Proposal Writing. Professional course.
University of Nairobi Enterprises and Services Limited (UNES). August
2011.
• 2009: Advanced Research Methodologies Workshop. Nairobi, Organized by
Center for HIV Prevention and Research (UON) and University of
Washington (USA) 3rd to 14th August 2009:
o Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and
o Geographic Information Analysis (GIA) using ESRI's ArcGIS Desktop
software.
• 2009: Volkswagen Foundation/DAAD Summer-school on
o “Fieldcourse. The Cradle of Humankind” in the Rift Valley,
September 15-20, 2009, 3 ECTS.
o “MATLAB Recipes for Earth Science” at the University of Nairobi,
September 21-25, 2009, 3 ECTS
• 2007: Training in pedagogy. University of Nairobi. Nairobi. 1st to 4th2007.
• 2007: Pure Mathematics training and conference. Mombasa Kenya
Conference
• 2006: 5th symposium on training and research on PAMO (PAMOSTR).
Nairobi, Kenya Institute of Education, 10-14 April 2006.
• 2004: Workshop on Science and Technology Policy for Sustainable
Development in Kenya. 11th -12th November 2004. Organized by DAAD
scholars.
• 2002: In House Training Seminar and Curiculum Development. 5th-9th
March 2002. St. Annes Guest House. Kisumu. Organized by the
Department of Mathematics, University of Nairobi.
Academic Qualifications
2010: Currently pursuing a PhD Mathematical Statistics: School of
Mathematics. UON. Thesis: Mathematical and Statistical Population
Modeling: Elephant Population Modeling.
2010: MSc. Information Systems. University of Nairobi, Project/Thesis:
Technical Trading Support Systems (TTSS): A Stock Market Analyst’s,
Support System.
1998: MSc. Statistics. University of Nairobi. Project/Thesis: Compartmental
Modeling with Application to Population Dynamics.
1995: BSc (Statistics Option). Second class Honors (Upper division),
University of Nairobi.
Prof Shem O. Wandiga
