H.E. Ms. Judy Wakhungu
Cabinet Secretary for Environment and Natural Resources, Kenya
Judi Wangalwa Wakhungu is Cabinet Secretary (Minister) for Environment, and Natural Resources since 25 April 2013. Prior to joining the Kenya Cabinet in 2013, Prof Judi Wakhungu was the Executive Director of the African Center for Technology Studies (ACTS) in Nairobi, Kenya. She has been an Associate Professor of Science, Technology, and Society at Pennsylvania State University where she also served as the Director of the Women in the Sciences & Engineering (WISE) Institute. She has also served as an Energy Advisor to the Energy Sector Management Program of World Bank and Advisor at the Legatum Centre at MIT.
Prof Wakhungu was the first woman geologist in the Ministry of Energy and Regional Development, where her duties entailed exploring for geothermal energy in Kenya’s Rift Valley. Prof. Wakhungu was also the first female petroleum geologist in the National Oil Corporation of Kenya. She was also the first female faculty member in the Department of Geology at the University of Nairobi.
Prof. Wakhungu received a B.S. in geology from St. Lawrence University in New York, a M.S. degree in petroleum geology from Acadia University in Nova Scotia, Canada, and her Ph.D. in energy resources management from Pennsylvania State University. Her research interests include energy resources management; materials; energy policy and development; science, technology, and development; and gender issues in science and technology policy.
She has served on many boards and committees, both nationally and internationally. She was the Research Director of the Global Energy Policy and Planning Program of the International Federation of Institutes for Advanced Study (IFIAS), which is based in Toronto, Canada. She has served as the Project Leader of the Renewable Energy Technology Dissemination Project of the Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI).
Prof. Wakhungu also has the distinction of being the “designated energy expert” for the United Nations Commission of Science and Technology for Development (Gender Working Group). She has also served as the Executive Director of the African Technology Policy Studies (ATPS) Network.ng
Judi W. Wakhungu is a former Executive Director of the African Technology Studies Network. She then became the Director of the Women in Sciences and Engineering (WISE) Institute at the Pennsylvania State University. She was also an Associate Professor of Science, Technology and Society whose research interests included Energy Policy and Development, Science Technology and Development, and Gender Issues in Science and Technology Policy. She received a B.S. in Geology from St. Lawrence University in New York, an MS degree in Petroleum Geology from Acadia University in Nova Scotia, Canada, and her Ph.D. in Energy Resources Management from Pennsylvania State University. She has held a number of energy sector positions in the civil service industry and higher education in her native country of Kenya. She was the first woman to be hired a9-s a geologist in the Ministry of Energy and Regional Development, where her duties entailed exploring for geothermal energy in Kenya's Rift Valley, the first woman petroleum geologist in the National Oil Corporation of Kenya, as well as the first female faculty member in the Department of Geology at the University of Nairobi. She has served on many national and international boards and committees with the distinction of being the "designated energy expert" for the United Nations Commission of Science and Technology for Development (Gender Working Group). She is currently First Cabinet Secretary, Ministry for Environment, Water and Natural Resources of Kenya.
In 2013, Prof. Wakhungu was among twenty-six eminent scientists, representing natural, social and human sciences and engineering, appointed to a Scientific Advisory Board, announced by the UN Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon.
Prof Wakhungu was the first woman geologist in the Ministry of Energy and Regional Development, where her duties entailed exploring for geothermal energy in Kenya’s Rift Valley. Prof. Wakhungu was also the first female petroleum geologist in the National Oil Corporation of Kenya. She was also the first female faculty member in the Department of Geology at the University of Nairobi.
Prof. Wakhungu received a B.S. in geology from St. Lawrence University in New York, a M.S. degree in petroleum geology from Acadia University in Nova Scotia, Canada, and her Ph.D. in energy resources management from Pennsylvania State University. Her research interests include energy resources management; materials; energy policy and development; science, technology, and development; and gender issues in science and technology policy.
She has served on many boards and committees, both nationally and internationally. She was the Research Director of the Global Energy Policy and Planning Program of the International Federation of Institutes for Advanced Study (IFIAS), which is based in Toronto, Canada. She has served as the Project Leader of the Renewable Energy Technology Dissemination Project of the Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI).
Prof. Wakhungu also has the distinction of being the “designated energy expert” for the United Nations Commission of Science and Technology for Development (Gender Working Group). She has also served as the Executive Director of the African Technology Policy Studies (ATPS) Network.ng
Judi W. Wakhungu is a former Executive Director of the African Technology Studies Network. She then became the Director of the Women in Sciences and Engineering (WISE) Institute at the Pennsylvania State University. She was also an Associate Professor of Science, Technology and Society whose research interests included Energy Policy and Development, Science Technology and Development, and Gender Issues in Science and Technology Policy. She received a B.S. in Geology from St. Lawrence University in New York, an MS degree in Petroleum Geology from Acadia University in Nova Scotia, Canada, and her Ph.D. in Energy Resources Management from Pennsylvania State University. She has held a number of energy sector positions in the civil service industry and higher education in her native country of Kenya. She was the first woman to be hired a9-s a geologist in the Ministry of Energy and Regional Development, where her duties entailed exploring for geothermal energy in Kenya's Rift Valley, the first woman petroleum geologist in the National Oil Corporation of Kenya, as well as the first female faculty member in the Department of Geology at the University of Nairobi. She has served on many national and international boards and committees with the distinction of being the "designated energy expert" for the United Nations Commission of Science and Technology for Development (Gender Working Group). She is currently First Cabinet Secretary, Ministry for Environment, Water and Natural Resources of Kenya.
In 2013, Prof. Wakhungu was among twenty-six eminent scientists, representing natural, social and human sciences and engineering, appointed to a Scientific Advisory Board, announced by the UN Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon.