FEATURED RESEARCHER – February 2025
Prof. Jones Fairfax AGWATA, PhD is a career Environmental Scientist and Policy Expert with over thirty years’ experience as University Lecturer, Lead Facilitator and Trainer, Researcher and Consultant. He currently serves as Associate Professor in the Department of Environmental Sciences in the School of Agriculture, Environment and Health Sciences at Machakos University and also as Director for Research, Innovation and Technology Transfer in the Division of Research, Innovation and Linkages at the University.
Prior to joining Machakos University, Prof. Agwata was Senior Lecturer at the University of Nairobi’s Centre for Advanced Studies in Environmental Law and Policy (CASELAP), Lecturer and Tutorial Fellow, respectively,in the Department of Environmental Science at Kenyatta University.
Prof. Agwata has a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Nairobi, Masters and Doctor of Philosophy degrees in Environmental Science from Moi and Kenyatta Universities, respectively. His broad academic and professional interests include environmental science and policy, climate change, disaster management, environmental assessment, water resources management, environmental resources use conflicts, conflict management, project management and waste management.
Prof. Agwata serves as a consultant with the World Bank and as a Lead consultant facilitator and trainer in Environmental Management with the Eastern and Southern Africa Management Institute (ESAMI) and the Kenya School of Government, among other Institutions and Organizations. He also serves as an external examiner in the Faculty of Science at the University of Malawi’s Chancellor College, the University of Nairobi, University of Eldoret, South Eastern Kenya University and Jaramogi Oginga Odinga University of Science and Technology.
He has previously been external examiner at Maasai Mara University, Maseno University, Chuka University, Technical University of Kenya and Egerton University. Prof. Agwata holds a Research Fellowship at the American Biographical Institute, USA and a Fellowship atthe African Scientific Institute. He is a Life Member of the Kenya Meteorological Society besides being a member of the Kenya National Academy of Sciences, Scientists of Kenya Association, International Society for Development and Sustainability, Japan; International Association of Hydrological Sciences, UK; Kenya DAAD Scholars Association; Environment Institute of Kenya and the Kenya Bureau of Standard’s Disaster Management, Environmental Management and Higher Education Services Technical Committees. Prof. Agwata serves as Chair of the Board of Management at State House Girls High School, Nairobi. He has attended several courses and presented several papers at conferences and workshops nationally and internationally.
Prof Agwata has participated in various research projects and won research grants focusing on green hydrogen, drought management, water resources management, wildlife management policy, renewable energy policy, indigenous knowledge systems and environmental conservation, among others. Besides several Book chapters and Journal Articles to his credit, Prof. Agwata is a Lead Expert with the National Environment Management Authority, Kenya besides being a Quality Management Systems Auditor. He is widely travelled to various countries including South Sudan, United Arab Emirates, China, Uganda, Tanzania, Ethiopia, Zambia, Malawi, Zimbabwe, Namibia, Germany and Switzerland for various professional engagements.