CURRICULUM VITAE
PERSONAL DETAILS
Name : Patts Meshack Akumu Odira
Date of Birth : June 16, 1951
Nationality : Kenyan
Marital Status : Married with 3 children
Years with University of Nairobi : 23 years
Current Position : Associate Professor and Dean, School of Engineering
Courses taught at undergraduate : Water Resources Engineering, Environmental
and postgraduate levels Health Engineering, Fluid Mechanics and Applied Hydraulics
Current Contact : Mobile: +254 722 849 191, +254 733 895 181 Direct Land line: +254 20 245 962
ACADEMIC QUALIFICATIONS
- D. Tech. (Water and Wastewater Engineering and Construction Management), Tampere University of Technology, Finland, 1985.
- MSc. (Hydrology and Environmental Health Engineering), Tampere University of Technology, Finland, 1981.
- B.Sc. (Civil Engineering), University of Nairobi, 1976
AFFILIATION TO PROFESSIONAL SOCIETIES
- Registered Engineer, Engineers’ Registration Board of Kenya
- Corporate Member, Institution of Engineers of Kenya
Key Qualifications:
Prof. Odira is an Associate Professor in the Department of Civil Engineering, University of Nairobi. He has over 30 years experience in Hydrology, Water Resources Planning, Water Supply and Wastewater Management, focusing mainly on infrastructure development for water supply and sanitation, wastewater management and pollution control, and general civil engineering works starting from feasibility studies through design, implementation and post construction monitoring and evaluation. He also has an outstanding experience in civil service where he served for ten years as an Engineer in the Ministry of Transport and Communications and in the private sector where he has served in various capacities.
Prof. Odira has headed many infrastructure studies in Environmental Health Engineering and Environmental Impact focusing on water supply and water resources planning and specifically the drawing up of the Master plan for Water, Sanitation and Drainage for Nairobi, Feasibility studies for Water and Sanitation for a number of towns in Kenya, Drainage studies for various road projects. In the past few years, he has been involved in review and editing of various water sector reform documents especially the catchment management strategies for the various regions; country and regional reports on Efficient Water Use for Agricultural Production (EWUAP) for the Nile Basin Initiative; finalization of the National Water Resources Management Strategy; drawing up of the IWRM and Water Use Plan for Kenya. He is currently undertaking research in wastewater reuse in collaboration with the UNEP-Tongji Institute of Environment and Sustainable Development, Tongji University, China.
Prof. Odira’s major teaching and research areas at under and postgraduate levels are Water Resources Management and Administration, Water Resources Engineering, Hydraulics, Environmental Health Engineering involving Unit Operations for Water and Wastewater Treatment, Solid Waste Management, Industrial Waste Management and Water and Wastewater Engineering Design. He is currently the Kenya Node Coordinator for research in Flood Management under the Nile Basin Capacity Building Network for River Engineering; a network of the Nile Basin Initiative, and an active researcher in the Friend/Nile Ecohydrology Group.
ACADEMIC EXPERIENCE RECORD a) Teaching Career
July 1986-1988 - Lecturer, Department of Civil Engineering, University of Nairobi.
1988 To Date - Senior Lecturer, Department of Civil Engineering, University of Nairobi.
b) Postgraduate Student Supervision PhD Supervision
1. Dr. Ezekiel Nyanchaga Nyangeri
Performance of floc blanket clarifiers; Tampere University of Technology Publications No. 237, 1998
2. Simeon Otieno Dulo
Leachate migration into groundwater (under examination)
3. Joseph Ndereba Gitonga
Fluoride absorption and hydraulic characteristics in packed and expanded granular bone char media with continuous water flow (thesis under preparation)
MSc Supervision 1. Simitu N. Lawrence
Assessment of IWRM practice in Yatta Canal, Machakos District: MSc. Thesis, 2006
2. Bernard Ochieng’
A Study of Performance of Ground Charcoal as the Medium in Dual Medial Filtration of Potable Water: MSc. Thesis, 1999.
3. Shadrack O. Omol
Anaerobic Treatment of Sugarcane Effluent from Muhoroni Sugar Factory: MSc. Thesis 1997
4. Peter K. Ndiba
Performance of Crushed Coconut Shell as Coarse Media in Dual Media Filters: Msc. Thesis, 1992.
5. Khamala Sibilike Makhanu
A Physical Model Study of Catchment Processes: MSc. Thesis 1990
(c) External Examination
1988-1991 Department of Civil Engineering, Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology.
1997-2000 Department of Civil Engineering, Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology.
2000-2006 Department of Civil Engineering, Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology.
From 2008 Faculty of Civil Engineering and the Built Environment, University of Dar es Salaam
d) Visiting Lectureship
1994-1996 Faculty of Engineering, University of Pretoria, South Africa
PUBLICATIONS
Odira P.M.A. – Selection of Drifts or Bridges in Semi-Desert Areas of Flash Floods; M.Sc. Thesis, Tampere University of Technology, Finland, 1981.
Odira P.M.A. – Upflow Filters in Flocculation and Direct Filtration of Waters of High Turbidity; Ph.D. Thesis, Tampere University of Technology, Finland, 1985.
Odira P.M.A., Viitasaari M. and A. Latvala – Upflow Filters in Direct Filtration of High Turbidity Water; Aqua Fennica, Vol 17, No. 1, 1987.
Odira P.M.A. – Human Resources Development for the Water Sector in the Next Decade. Paper presented to 4th African Water Technology Conference, February 1990.
Odira P.M.A. – River Pollution Profile: A Case Study of Thika River. Proceedings of National Seminar of Technological Solutions for Economic Development in Kenya now and in the 21st Century, March 1991.
Odira P.M.A. – Pollution of Thika River. Proceedings of 17th WEDC International Conference on Infrastructure, Environment, Water and People, August 1991.
Odira P.M.A. and Nyangeri E.N. – Water and Sanitation Services in Low Income Areas of Nairobi (in Low Income Area Water Supply and Sanitation in Selected African Cities. Ed. Sandelin S. Institute of Water and Environmental Engineering. Tampere University of Technology, Finland, 1994. University Publication No. B 60).
Odira P.M.A. – Development of Parametric Numbers in Filter-bed Flocculation. Journal of Civil Engineering, JKUAT. Vol. 7, March 2002. pp 105-123
Odira P.M.A. – Computer simulation of orthokinetic flocculation in a filterbed. Journal of Civil Engineering, JKUAT. Vol. 7, March 2002. pp67-82
Nyikuri R.N., Oonge Z.N.I., Klein J. and Odira P.M.A. – Trends in Heavy Metal and Faecal Coliform levels in the of the Nairobi Region and Measures to Reduce this Pollution in Journal of Civil Engineering Research and Practice Vol. 2, No. 2, 2005; pp 61-76.
Ndiba P.K. and Odira P.M.A. - Performance of Crushed Coconut Shell as Coarse Media in Dual Media Filters; Journal of Civil Engineering Research and Practice, Vol. 4 No. 2, October 2007. pp 85-92
Odira P.M.A. and Omol S.O. - Anaerobic Treatment of Sugarcane Mill Wastewater, accepted for publication in Journal of Civil Engineering Research and Practice, Vol. 5 No. 1 April 2008. pp
Simitu N.L. and Odira P.M.A. - Assessment of IWRM practice in Yatta Canal, Machakos District. Tanzanian Journal of Technology, Vol. 2, 2008.
P.M.A. Odira, J.O.D. Odhiambo, M.M. Maimbo and A.R. Odiwuor – Mapping the Potential of Rainwater Harvesting in Kenya. Proceedings of the 2nd International Civil Engineering Conference on Civil Engineering and Sustainable Development; 23 – 25 September 2008, Mombasa, pp 953-956.
W.O. Oyawa, J. Kiibiy and P.M.A. Odira – Emerging realms and frontiers in Civil Engineering Education and Training. Proceedings of the 1st International Symposium on Re-orienting Civil Engineering Education and Training, 25 – 26 September 2008, Mombasa, pp 73-81.
Owitti B.M. and Odira P. M.A. - Modelling of Anaerobic Accumulation System for Domestic Wastewater Treatment using AQUASIM, paper submitted to Kenya Academy of Sciences Journal of Science and Technology, 20008 (under review).
TECHNICAL REPORTS AND MANUALS
Technical Data Manual for Design of Bridges and Similar Drainage Structures in Kenya. 1st Stage Study sponsored by JICA. (Co-authored with Ngirane G.K. and Oloo S.Y.). Ministry of Public Works, 1990.
Sanitation Study Report: Nairobi Master Plan Study for Sewerage, Sanitation and Drainage; Nairobi City Council, 1998.
First Stage Programme Report: Nairobi Master Plan Study for Sewerage, Sanitation and Drainage; Nairobi City Council, 1998
Reports on Evaluation of Water Supply, Wastewater Disposal and Environmental Sanitation Situation for Commission for Higher Education on all the Private Universities in Kenya:
RESEARCH INTERESTS
Environmental Sanitation
Wastewater Recycling and Re-use Water Resources Modelling Pollution Control in Water Bodies Flood Management
Disaster Risk Management
Direct Filtration in Water Treatment
COMMUNITY SERVICE AND RESPONSIBILITIES
Convenor/Chairman, Faculty Postgraduate Studies Committee, 1991 – 1993 Departmental Representative, Faculty of Engineering Library Committee
Board Member and University Representative, International Training Network for Water and Sanitation (currently NETWAS), 1988 - 1993
Consultant and Resource Person for Technical Committee, Commission for Higher Education, in-charge of Inspection and Evaluation of Public Health and Environmental Sanitation facilities for private Universities in Kenya since 1987.
Appointed by the Vice Chancellor to represent the University of Nairobi on the Nile Basin Development Forum of the Nile Basin Initiative, from April, 2007.
Board Member and Chairman of Development Committee, Karura Adventist School, Gachie, Nairobi from 2006
Secretary, National Committee for Applied Training Programme of the Nile Basin Initiative from 2006
Chairman, Department of Civil and Construction Engineering from September 2002 to date.
Country Coordinator, Nile Basin Capacity Building Network on River Engineering (NBCBN-RE), a research affiliate of the Nile Basin Initiative, from 2002 to date.
PROFESSIONAL ENGINEERING EXPERIENCE
Sept. 2008 – ongoing - Consultant Hydrologist and Drainage Engineer for Hola - Garsen Road construction project.
May – October 2008 - Consultant, Preparation of Assessment Report on Water Sector Education and Aquatic Resources Management Research in Kenya, for Austrian Development Cooperation (ADC), Vienna
Nov. - Dec. 2007 - Consultant, Compilation of Training Needs Assessment Report on Project Planning and Management in Kenya for Nile Basin Initiative, Water Resources Planning and Management Project, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
April 2007 – Ongoing - Consultant Water Resources Engineer, Rwanda Cranes Creek Integrated Development Project in Bugesera and Ngoma Districts of Eastern Province, Republic of Rwanda.
Feb. 2007 – July 2007 - Consultant, Compilation of Report on Situation Analysis in Water Supply, Sanitation and IWRM Practices in Kenya for IUCN – The World Conservation Union, Nairobi Office.
July 2006 – June 2007 - Consultant and Team Leader, Support for Finalization of the Integrated Water Resources Management and Water Efficiency Plan for Kenya and establishment the Kenya Water Partnership sponsored by Global Water Partnership
April 2006 – Oct. 2006 - Consultant, Naivasha Pilot Project Feasibility Study for Water and Sanitation for the Urban Poor (WSUP)
March 2006 – Oct. 2006 - Consultant, University of Nairobi Enterprises and Services (UNES): Disaster Risk Reduction Strategy Study for Office of the President
Nov. 2005 – ongoing - Consultant, University of Nairobi Enterprises and Services (UNES): Northern Corridor Transport Improvement Project for Ministry of Roads and Public Works
Dec. 2005 – July 2006 - Consultant for SIWI, Sweden; Preparation of a report mapping out programmes, initiatives and organizations working with environment issues, water resources and water supply and
sanitation in the Lake Victoria Region of Kenya and Tanzania for SIDA
Oct. 2005 – Mar. 2006 - Consultant and Team Leader, JICA Preliminary Study on Meru Sewerage System for Ministry of Water and Irrigation, Kenya
Feb. – June 2005 - Consultant, Preparation of the Country MDG Needs
Assessment Costing Report, for Ministry of Planning and National Development, Kenya.
Nov. – Dec. 2004 - Consultant, Preparation of the Country MDG Needs Assessment Report on Water and Sanitation, for Ministry of Planning and National Development, Kenya.
October 2004 - Consultant, Identification Mission for The Royal Netherlands Embassy on Environment and Water Programme in Kenya
Sept. – Oct. 2003 - Project Team Leader and Environmental Health Engineering Expert, JICA Preparatory Study on Water Supply and Sewerage for Naivasha Town
Jan. – Mar. 2003 - Project Team Leader and Environmental Health Engineering Expert, JICA Preliminary Study on Sewerage and Drainage Rehabilitation for Naivasha Town.
2000-2001 - Project Manager and Environmental Engineering Expert, JICA Study of Water Supply and Sanitation Rehabilitation in Ten Towns of Kenya.
2000-2001 - Consultant Hydrologist and Drainage Engineer for several road rehabilitation projects under the El Nino Infrastructure Rehabilitation Programme.
1999-2001 - Consultant Engineer, Community Training for Groundwater Project for Rural Districts in Kenya.
1999-2001 - Consultant Hydrologist and Drainage Engineer for Mau Summit-Awasi Road proposed rehabilitation project.
1994-1998 - Team Leader and Sanitation Expert, Nairobi Master Plan for Sewer, Sanitation and Stormwater Drainage Study.
1992-1993 - Consultant, Design of Civil Works, Siwaka Estate Nairobi.
1991-1993 - Consultant, Design of Civil Works for Nairobi Central S.D.A. Church.
1988-1994 - Consultant, Operation and Billing Training Programme for Water and Sewerage Department, Nairobi City Council.
1988-1989 - Consultant and member of team responsible for Environmental Impact Assessment, Greater Nakuru Water Supply Project.
1988-1989 - Consultant, Feasibility Studies and Preliminary design for Malalani Rural Water Supply Scheme in Kitui District.
1989-1990 - Consultant Engineering Hydrologist responsible for compilation of Technical Data Manual for Design of Bridges and Similar Drainage structures (Ministry of Public Works).
1988-1989 - Project Engineer, Design of Civil Works for Proposed Staff Residential Village, Egerton University, Njoro.
1986 (Jan-Jun) - Consultant, Presidential Commission on Soil Conservation, dealing with soil erosion arising from road construction in Kenya.
1982 (Jan-Jun) - Project Engineer with Ministry of Transport and Communications responsible for preparation of Tender Documents for Machakos Turnoff-Ulu Road.
1982 (Jan-Oct) - Design Engineer with Ministry of Transport and Communications, Embu By-Pass Road project.
1980-1981 - Design Engineer, West Kano Rice Irrigation Scheme with Alexander Gibb & Partners (Africa)
1977-1978 - Resident Engineer with Ministry of Transport and Communications, Siaya-Luambwa Road.
1976-1977 - Assistant Engineer with Ministry of Transport and
Communications attached to Firoze Construction Company on Airport/Mombasa Road construction.
