Eng. Prof. Ayub N. Gitau

I am an Agricultural Engineer Registered with Engineers Board of Kenya (EBK) as a Consulting Engineer with over 35 years of academic and practical experience in: Agricultural Mechanization, Power and Machinery Engineering and Infrastructure (Water; Irrigation and In- built Environment) Development; Water Harvesting Technologies;

Environment; Renewable Energies and Conservation Agriculture Technologies. Held various positions which include: Lecturer and Head of Department of Science and Technology, Kenya Industrial Training Institute (KITI) – Ministry of Trade and Industry (1997-2001); Lecturer and Ag. Head of Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources – Kenya Methodist University (2001-2002), full time Lecturer – University of Nairobi (2002 to 2008); Senior Lecturer (2008 to 2014); Associate Professor(2015 to Feb 2023) and Professor (March 2023 to date). Acted chairman; Department of Environmental and Biosystems Engineering (EBE); April & September, 2005; April, 2007 and 2010. I served as the Chairman of the Department of Environmental and Biosystems Engineering at the University of Nairobi (UoN) from July 2011 to July 2017 and acted as the Dean of the School of Engineering in February 2017. I served as the substantive Dean of the Faculty of Engineering at UoN from March 2019 to June 2024. Currently, I am the Acting Deputy Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs at UoN since August 2024. Additionally, I acted as the Principal of the College of Architecture & Engineering (CAE) in November 2019 and February 2021. 

I am a member of several Senate committees and served as a Council Member for the Institute of Engineers of Kenya (IEK) from 2019 to 2021. Additionally, I am a Trustee for the Environment Institute of Kenya (EIK) for the period 2021-2026.

I have received training in Corporate Governance, Management, Strategic Planning and leadership under; Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS) 2009-2014 on institutional management systems, the Institute of Engineers of Kenya (IEK) in 2018, as well as in Gender Mainstreaming at the University of Nairobi (UoN) in 2021. Undertook two weeks training in management and leadership coupled with mechanization development in Israel in 2006. I have received numerous awards of excellence and recognition in lecturing and reviewing journal papers from UoN and international journals respectively. As a Dean and now acting DVC – AA, I have led the implementation of ICT solutions in teaching and learning, facilitating a seamless transition to digital platforms through workshops and training sessions. Thus supporting blended learning approaches and significantly improving learning outcomes. Leveraging digital systems, we have successfully conducted webinars, connecting students with the global communities to enrich their educational experiences.

Being a resource person in development of the EBE Curriculum (2000-2003) and lead in the revision and accreditation (by EBK) of  the curriculum (2016) for University of Nairobi (UoN). Resource person with Embu and Kenyatta Universities for Engineering programs development and aligning to Commission for University Education - CUE (2018-2020). Additionally, I worked as a resource person for the former Commission for Higher Education (now CUE), reviewing, evaluating and monitoring project proposals and on-going projects respectively in; Built Environment, mechanization, tillage, energy, power, irrigation, water and environmental conservation.

Have attracted funding and implemented a project on: Agricultural Technologies for conservation tillage in semi-arid Rachuonyo District; funded by Lake Victoria Research Initiative (VICRES)and Inter-University Council of Eastern Africa (IUCEA)(2005-2010). Implemented a project in collaboration with Universities in East Africa and Europe under ERASMUS + and Edulink II on: Energy-Agro food synergies: An educational model for universities from 2012 to 2017. Implemented a project titled: Water Harvesting for Sustainable Food and Nutritional Security (WHENFS) in Semi-Arid Kitui West District, under National Commission for Science, Technology and Innovation (NACOSTI) funded from 2011 to 2014. Currently, I am strategizing the implementation of an Irrigation-Renewable Energy System project in collaboration with Aston University (UK) and UoN under the Africa Agri-tech Knowledge Transfer Partnership (AAKTP) for 2022-2024.  I have been an external Examiner for Makerere University (Uganda), Department of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering from 2011 to date (Postgraduate Thesis); Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT), Department of Biomechanical and Environmental Engineering from 2011 to date (Postgraduate Thesis) and 2015-2019; (BSc programs); Egerton University, Department of Agricultural Engineering for undergraduate and postgraduate   examinations from 2011 to 2018 and University of Zimbabwe, Department of Soil Science and Agricultural Engineering for undergraduate and postgraduate examinations from 2015 to 2019. 

I have published widely and reviewed numerous manuscripts in and for peer refereed journals from 2005 to date including; Agricultural Engineering International CIGR e-journal, Elsevier, Africa journal of science and technology, Taylor and Francis Energy series; Australian journal of Agricultural Engineering; Agricultural Mechanization in Asia, Africa and the Pacific(AMA- editor); Asian Journal of advanced Research among others. Editing scientific publication and text books with East Africa Education Publishers (EAEP) from 2003 to-date. Extensive training, research and consultancy experience and expertise in: mechanization development; process engineering, renewable energies; water harvesting, irrigation systems, equipment design and valuation and conservation agricultural equipment and technologies for small and medium scale farmers in developing Countries. Sourced for research funds regionally and internationally with community service components through University of Nairobi Grants and Enterprises Limited(UNES). Registered lead expert in ESIA/EA with NEMA and a lead Quality Assurance ISO Auditor with Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS) in Quality Management Systems (QMS) for cooperate organization and Institution of higher learning. Conducted international training and consultancies in: Built Environment, Mechanization, post-harvest processes, renewable energies, solar, biogas and wind, conservation tillage and rainwater harvesting. I have been instrumental in outreach and community engagement through hosting World Engineering Days at UoN, student mentorship and motivation in numerous boards and dissemination of research findings to society. Spearheaded the Faculty of Engineering drive (2020 – 2024) towards competent Based Curriculum / Learning (CBCL) to be implemented in the Universities by 2029.