The University of Nairobi has won 2 Kenya Space Agency (KSA) Research grants for the FY 2020-2021 towards Nanosatellite Development and Small Scale Crop Mapping using Machine Learning/Artificial Intelligence. The University of Nairobi is part of a consortium of 4 public Universities comprising of Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology, Kenyatta University (JKUAT) and Technical University of Kenya that was awarded a research grant worth three million shillings towards the development of a 3U Nanosatellite. The University of Nairobi was also awarded an additional KES 500,000 towards research in small-scale crop mapping using Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning.

The University of Nairobi received these grants at an event organized by The Kenya Space Agency (KSA) on Tuesday 16th November 2021. The Dean, Faculty of Engineering Prof. Ayub Gitau and Prof. Mwangi Mbuthia received the grants on behalf of the University of Nairobi. Prof. Mwangi Mbuthia, will serve as the Principal Investigator for the Nano-Satellite Platform for the University of Nairobi, he will work with a team of tutorial Fellows and students from the Department of Electrical and Information Engineering. Mr. Gerald Cheruiyot a PHD student from the Department of Environment and Biosystems Engineering will serve as the Lead Investigator for the Small Scale Crop Mapping using Machine Learning Artificial Intelligence project and will work with a team of students and tutorial  fellows.

The Kenya Space Agency Research Grants Programme aims to catalyze and promote research in Space Science and Technology at Kenya’s local universities, as well as build the technical capacity in these disciplines. The programme also intends to contribute towards Kenya’s socio-economic development by building linkages between academia and the industry. Read more