Prof. Walter O. Oyawa is a Professor of Civil Engineering at Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT). He is the immediate former Director General/CEO of the National Commission for Science, Technology & Innovation (NACOSTI), and has also served/is serving as a member of several international and national Governing Boards of institutions/corporations that include; The International Science Council (ISC), the International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (ICGEB) Board, the Joint UK-Kenya Oversight Board, the Kenya National Innovation Agency, and the National Research Fund (NRF), Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organization (KALRO) among others. He is a past Chairman and Governing Board member of the East African Science and Technology Commission (EASTECO) which operates under the East African Community.
Prof. Walter O. Oyawa is a holder of a PhD in Civil Engineering, MSc in Civil Eng., Executive MBA, and BSc in Civil Engineering amongst others. He is a Registered Professional Engineer, and a Lead Expert on Environmental Management-NEMA. Prof. Oyawa has served in various senior leadership and management positions including having been the Director General/CEO of Kenya’s National Commission for Science, Technology & Innovation (NACOSTI), the first substantive Principal/CEO of Multimedia University College-Kenya thereafter being appointed the Ag. Vice Chancellor of the then newly chartered Multimedia University, Deputy Commission Secretary/CEO (Administration & Finance) at the Commission for University Education, the first Ag. Principal of the pioneering College of Engineering & Technology (COETEC) at JKUAT, the first Director of SMARTEC-JKUAT (a Research & Technology Centre for Sustainable Construction Materials), the Chairman of Management Board of SMARTEC-JKUAT, and the Chairman of Civil, Construction & Environmental Engineering Dept.-JKUAT, among others. Prof. Oyawa is a holder of several other Certificates that include; Strategic Leadership Development Program, Corporate Governance for Directors, Project Management, and Financial Management.
He has vast experience in research/scholarly work, as evidenced by extensive publications in peer reviewed journals, presentations in conferences, and Keynote Lectures/presentations. He has supervised a large number of PhD and Master’s degree students, and also undertaken significant resource mobilization. His core area of research embraces Sustainable Construction Materials and Technologies, Research Security and Research Ethics, and Frontier/Emerging Technologies.
The page was updated in June 2025.
