Academics

I work closely with a network of universities, colleges, and academic institutions to engage students across Africa, Asia, and the Americas in teaching, research, and mentorship, including roles such as Visiting Faculty at Carnegie Mellon University. Here is a short list of institutions I work with now or have worked with in the past. To learn more about these programs please reach out through the contact page.

TEACHING

Visiting Faculty, Carnegie Mellon University

COURSE: 18-883-L4 Integrated Energy Systems

DEPARTMENT: Electrical & Computer Engineering

LOCATION: Pittsburgh | Kigali

SEMESTER OFFERED: SPRING

DESCRIPTION: Our energy systems – from electricity, to cooking, to transportation fuels – are at the core of our economies, powering commerce and industry. They are critical to achieving development goals like food security and universal access to quality healthcare. Energy systems are multidimensional and complex, and understanding these linkages is key to designing sustainable, low-carbon futures. I specifically designed this interdisciplinary and introductory course to set the foundation for future energy professionals by exploring how energy systems are integrated into and shape our society, and what this means for technology design and decision-making.

CURRICULUM DESIGN

Curriculum Advisor, Strathmore University

PROGRAM: MSc. Sustainable Energy Transitions

DEPARTMENT: School of Computing and Engineering Sciences

LOCATION: Nairobi, Kenya

DESCRIPTION: I was the chief Curriculum Advisor in designing the MSc. Sustainable Energy Transitions, which Strathmore University began offering in Spring 2022. This is the first multi-disciplinary program energy program in East Africa. It seeks to equip students with technical foundations in energy systems design and implementation, research and data analytics, energy systems auditing, entrepreneurship and innovation, decentralization and digitalization of energy systems, as well as necessary skills in policy, project management, economics, ethics, and communication. This program also provides industry exposure through the internship and capstone project thereby exposing students to practical challenges and solutions existing in the sector.

GUEST LECTURING

Guest Lecturer, Chalmers University of Technology

COURSE: FFR170 Sustainable Energy Futures

Location: Sweden | Remote

SEMESTER OFFERED: Fall

DESCRIPTION: I designed and lectured the course module on rural electrification and energy access. This module covers the energy access landscape in emerging economies, the latest technologies for delivering access, policy and finance innovations, and linkages of energy access to other SDGs.

I also guest lecture regularly for other University departments or programs. These have included:

GRADUATE INSTRUCTION

Graduate Student Instructor, University of California, Berkeley (previous)

I was awarded a Certificate in Teaching and Learning in Higher Education from the University of California, Berkeley. I was a Graduate Student Instructor for:

  • Energy and Society (ER C100/200): an interdisciplinary, quantitative, and applied energy course – one of the most highly subscribed in the Goldman School of Public Policy and College of Natural Resources. I prepared curriculum, taught weekly tutorials, held office hours, designed, and graded problem sets and exams, and mentored graduate students. [2012 – 2015]
  • Energy in the News (ER 98/198): I conceptualized, developed, and co-instructed a new decal course based on applying data and analytical tools to identifying challenges and solutions for practical energy-related stories in current news. [2013]

ADVISORSHIP

I advise a small number of undergraduate, masters, and doctoral students either as thesis advisor, dissertation committee member, thesis reader, capstone project advisor, or mentor. Some of these students include:

Current Dissertation Committees:

  • Azell Francis, Ph.D. candidate, International Affairs, Georgia Tech

Past Students:

  • Phoebe Oriama, B.Sc., Electrical and Electronics Engineering, University of Nairobi
  • Yifei Liu, B.Sc., Environmental Science, University of California, Berkeley
  • Nneomma Sandra Nwosu, B.Sc. Engineering, University of California, Berkeley
  • Hannibal Tesfahunegn, M.Sc. Public Policy, University of California, Berkeley
  • Isa Farrell, M.Sc. Energy and Resources, University of California, Berkeley
  • Joon Hun Seong, M.Sc. Public Policy, University of California, Berkeley

Over my five years leading research at Power for All I also mentored over fifteen data analysts and student researchers, many of whom I continue to support today.