Associate Professor, Aquatic Sciences Department, Egerton University, Kenya

Prof. M’Erimba received a PhD in Natural Sciences from the University of Vienna, Austria, in 2004. He has been the Director of the Board of Postgraduate Studies since January 27, 2025. Before this role, he was the Director of Linkages and Collaborations, where he fostered key partnerships and collaborations.

As the Coordinator of the Njoro River Rehabilitation Project, Prof. M’Erimba led the successful restoration of 25 acres of forest at the river's source in Entiyani, Narok, and the reclamation of critical sections near Egerton Main Campus. These efforts culminated in the formal handover of the rehabilitated sites to the Narok and Nakuru County Governments on February 23, 2024. He also serves as the Njoro Ward Climate Change Committee chairperson in Nakuru County.

In addition to his leadership roles, Prof. M’Erimba has contributed significantly to the university's growth as the former Director of Institutional Advancement (now the Directorate of Marketing and Resource Mobilization), where he led initiatives to enhance the university's visibility and strengthen funding opportunities. He has coordinated the Stream and River Ecology component for over seven years in the joint master's degree programme, Limnology & Wetlands Ecosystems (LWM), at Egerton University.

A highly regarded expert in riverine ecosystems, Prof. M’Erimba has supervised numerous postgraduate and undergraduate projects and has served as an external examiner for universities, including Addis Ababa University in Ethiopia.

Head of Ichthyology, National Museums of Kenya

Edward Njagi is a leading Research Scientist in the Ichthyology Section of the National Museums of Kenya (NMK). With over 20 years of experience in freshwater and marine fish research, he has extensively explored nearly all hydrographic areas in East Africa, including lakes, rivers, swamps, streams, and floodplains. His work has significantly contributed to fish taxonomy, ecology, and conservation, particularly in understanding how climate change and human activities impact aquatic biodiversity.

Njagi has led several key projects in Kenya, including serving as the Principal Investigator in the development of an aquatic environment monitoring plan using the Biological Condition Gradient (BCG) framework for the Upper Tana Catchment, funded by The Nature Conservancy. He also leads the “Biodiversity of Rivers in the Lake Victoria Basin” project, funded by the JRS Biodiversity Foundation, and has conducted extensive studies on the fishes of the Tana River and Yala Swamps.

Njagi is a member of the IUCN Fish Species Specialist Group and has actively contributed to the assessment and categorization of freshwater fish species in East Africa. His global collaborations span multiple institutions, enhancing research efforts in fish taxonomy, ecology, and biodiversity conservation.

Beyond research, Njagi has served on the boards of the Institute of Culture and Ecology (ICE) and the National Steering Committee of the UNDP-GEF Small Grants Programme in Kenya. He has also shared his expertise as a part-time lecturer at Chuka University and the Kenya Wildlife Training Institute, mentoring the next generation of aquatic scientists.