Previous Fora / 2003

Speakers

Professor Shem Oyoo Wandiga

University of Nairobi, Kenya

 

Mr. Wandiga's professional education began with a B.Sc. in Chemistry from Howard University in Washington DC, which was received in 1967. He then went on to earn a M.Sc. in Chemistry from the University of Maryland in 1972, and his Ph.D. in Chemistry from Case Western Reserve University later that same year.

From 1969 through 1979, Mr. Wandiga was an assistant professor and professor of Chemistry at various universities, including, the University of Maryland, the Inter-American University of San Juan, Puerto Rico, and the University of Nairobi where from 1977 through 1983 he served as chairman of the Department of Chemistry. During his time as chairman, Mr. Wandiga spent a sabbatical at the National Centre for Atmospheric Research in Boulder, Colorado, USA. Since returning to Kenya, Mr. Wandiga has remained an active researcher and influential professor of Chemistry at the University of Nairobi.

In 1983, he was appointed Chairman of the Natural Sciences Committee of the UNESCO National Commission and became a member of the Kenyan Delegation for UNESCO. That same year, Mr. Wandiga assisted in founding the Kenya National Academy of Sciences and became the Chairman of its Awards Committee. In July 1992, he took the post of Chairman of the Kenya National Academy of Sciences.

In November of 1995, Mr. Wandiga was Elected Kenya's Representative to UNESCO's Executive Board, and then in September of 1996 he was elected a Member of the General Committee of the International Council of Scientific Unions (ICSU). His international career continued, and in November of 1997, he was elected Chairman of the Programme and External Relations Commission of the UNESCO Executive Board.

As part of his professional activities, Mr. Wandiga has served, since 1976, as Coordinator of the Eastern and Southern African Environmental Chemistry Network Workshops as part of the Chemistry Committee of the Association of Faculties of Science of African Universities (AFSAU).

Mr. Wandiga states that his research interests "...lie in the design, synthesis and characterization of metal chalets which have apparent utility as chemotherapeutic agents and as models for metal binding dynamics in biological systems. Second interest is the design, synthesis and characterization of metal chelates with unique structural features, stereochemistry, optical activity and electronic properties...A third interest [of mine] is in Environmental Chemistry. In this project the analysis of trace elements at ppm to ppb by polarography and AAS is being studied. Dissipation and degradation of persistent pesticides in the tropics is also being studied. The biogenic emission sources of trace atmospheric gases research has also been conducted, as well as dissipation of organochlorine pesticides in the tropics" (as cited at
www.uonbi.ac.ke/acad_depts/chemistry/shem.html).

 

Recent Publications include:

Getenga ZM; Jondiko JI; Wandiga SO; Beck E., Department of Chemistry, Maseno University College, Kenya. Dissipation behavior of malathion and dimethoate residues from the soil and their uptake by garden pea (Pisum sativum). Bulletin of environmental contamination and toxicology [Bull Environ Contam Toxicol] 2000 Mar; 64 (3), pp. 359-67.

Lalah JO; Ondieki D; Wandiga SO; Jumba IO, Department of Chemistry, Maseno University, Dissipation, distribution, and uptake of 14C-chlorpyrifos in a

model tropical seawater/sediment/fish ecosystem. Bulletin of environmental contamination and toxicology [Bull Environ Contam Toxicol] 2003 May; 70 (5), pp. 883-90.

Purvis KL; Jumba IO; Wandiga S; Zhang J; Kammen DM, Joint Science Department of the Claremont Colleges, California, USA. Worker exposure and health risks from volatile organic compounds utilized in the paint manufacturing industry of Kenya. Applied occupational and environmental hygiene [Appl Occup Environ Hyg] 2001 Nov; 16 (11), pp. 1035-42.

Wandiga SO; Ongeri DM; Mbuvi L; Lalah JO; Jumba IO. Accumulation, distribution and metabolism of 14C-1,1,1-trichloro-2, 2-, bis-(p chlorophenyl)ethane (p,p'-DDT) residues in a model tropical marine ecosystem. Environmental technology [Environ Technol] 2002 Nov; 23 (11), pp. 1285-92.

Wandiga SO; Yugi PO; Barasa MW; Jumba IO; Lalah JO, Department of Chemistry, College of Biological and Physical Sciences, University of Nairobi. The distribution of organochlorine pesticides in marine samples along the Indian Ocean coast of Kenya. Environmental technology [Environ Technol] 2002 Nov; 23 (11), pp. 1235-46.

 

Books

Capacity Building and Institutional Development in Higher Education in Kenya S.O. Wandiga, (1997) International Institute for Educational Planning (IIEP) UNESCO 1997.

Effects of botanical composition, soil origin and composition on mineral concentrations in dry season pastures in Western Kenya. Jumba I.O., Suttle, N.F, Hunter, E.A. and Wandiga, S.O. (1996). In "Environmental Geochemistry and Health". Eds. J.O. Appleton, R. Fuge and G.J.H. Mc Call. Geological Society special publication No. 113. Geological Society Publishing House, U.K.

 

Public Lectures

S.O. Wandiga (1999). Science for Development. Plenary Lecture, World Conference on Science, Budapest, 26 June 1 July, 1999, Budapest, Hungary.

S.O. Wandiga (1999). Science, ethics and responsibility in a globalized economy. Paper presented at Forum I of the thematic meetings on Science, ethics and responsibility. World Conference on Science, 26 June 1 July, Budapest, Hungary.

State of Science and Technology in Higher Education in Africa. S.O. Wandiga (1999). COREVIP'99, Conference of Rectors Vice-Chancellors and Presidents of African Universities, Revitalising Universities in Africa: Strategy for the 21 st Cenutry, Arusha, Tanzania, 1-4 February. Paper presented at "Workshop on Human Resources Capacity Building in Science and Technology", 4 Feb. 1999.

Undergraduate education in Chemistry: A Survey of Botswana and Kenyan universities. S.O. Wandiga (1999). Presidential Symposium on "Undergraduate Chemistry Education Around the Globe", ACS National Meeting in Anaheim, CA. U.S.A, March 22.

 

Resources on the Web

An audio/visual version of part of his lecture given at the Inaugural Colloquium of EABS:
http://www.recreatesolutions.com/CSR/home1.htm