The Energy for Growth Hub’s research network is focused on critical issues for building a high-energy future — including grid technology, utility-scale renewables, gas-to-power, energy nance, and utilizing big data for smart least-cost energy planning.

Mawazo (“Ideas”) Institute is a non-profit research institute based in Nairobi, Kenya. Our mission is to support the next generation of female scholars and thought leaders in East Africa and to get policymakers and the general public engaged with their work. Our programmes equip women scientists to conduct high quality research on issues affecting the African continent. We also provide training and platforms to spark important conversations and influence decision making in the public sphere. We envision a world in which the voices and ideas of African women are amplified to shape the future of the continent. www.mawazoinstitute.org

Co-lead for US DOE’s energy access portfolio, which includes managing programs under the Clean Energy Ministerial’s Global Lighting and Energy Access Partnership (Global LEAP) initiative, Power Africa’s Beyond the Grid initiative, and the U.S.-India’s Promoting Energy Access through Clean Energy (PEACE) initiative. Oversaw programs funded by U.S. and non-U.S. sources, partnerships with over 15 organizations, and managed a team of core implementers and a network of collaborators across two national labs, academia, and other government agencies. Conceptualized and led the formation of the Efficiency for Access (E4A) Initiative launched at COP21 in Paris and resulting in over $11 million in commitments announced at COP22 as part of E4A’s Year of Action, as well as over £18 million in follow-on commitments.

Responsible for a broad legislative portfolio that included domestic energy, environment, and innovation policy, as well as the intersection of these issue areas with Africa policy. Authored several pieces of legislation in these issue areas that went on to be signed into law by President Barack Obama. My fellowship was sponsored by the American Association for the Advancement of Science and the American Institute of Physics.

My PhD research integrated experimental, theoretical and computational approaches to create and characterize novel metal-nanowire-polymer hybrid materials for conducting plastics, transparent electrodes, and digital memory devices relevant to energy, electronics, and automobile industries. This work is published in high-impact, peer-reviewed journals and presented at several national and international scientific conferences.Technical skills: Proficient in electrochemical metal nanowire synthesis, nanocomposite fabrication, electrical characterization, SEM, Dual beam FIB/SEM, nanoscale device fabrication using electron beam- and photo-lithography, multi-angle X-ray scattering, and nanomanipulation. Experience with C, LabVIEW and MATLAB programming languages, as well as Adobe Illustrator and Rhinoceros 3D.