Profile - Dr Geoffrey Odhiambo Ong'ondo

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Dr Geoffrey Odhiambo Ong'ondo

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Staff Information

PERSONAL DETAILS

Designation: LECTURER
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Job Category: Teaching
Division / Faculty: Faculty of Science
Directorate / Dept: Biological Sciences
Section: Zoology
Address: P. O. Box 536 - 20115

SUMMARY

: I have work experience of over 25 years at the Department of Biological Sciences, Egerton University with the last 10 years as Lecturer. I served in the administrative positions of Deputy Director (Ag) and Director, Board of Undergraduate Studies and Field Attachment Programmes (BUGS/FAP), for three years each respectively. In addition, I was a Senator and member of various committees of the Senate for six (6) years. My research interests are in: Aquatic ecology; Taxonomy of ciliated protists; Application of molecular tools especially those based on Next Generation Sequencing techniques to elucidate various aspect of aquatic biodiversity; and Innovative sustainable use and management of aquatic resources.
ORCID: http://0000-0003-4681-5048

ACADEMIC QUALIFICATIONS

2011 – 2014: Ph.D in Biology, Duisburg – Essen University, Germany.

Title of thesis: Molecular microbial eukaryote diversity in five rift valley lakes and description of three ciliates species from Lake Bogoria, Kenya.

2007 – 2009: UNESCO – IHE Institute for Water Education, Netherlands

Title of thesis: The ecology of ciliated protists and intra-specific variation of Frontonia sp. in two saline – alkaline Rift Valley lakes in Kenya.

2003 – 2006: Bachelor of Science (Second Class Honours, upper division), Egerton University, Faculty of Science

Principal subjects: Botany and Zoology

1991 – 1993: Diploma in Applied Biology/Science Laboratory Technology, Mombasa Polytechnic, Kenya

Principal subjects: Botany, Zoology and Laboratory techniques

FIELDS OF SPECIALIZATION

: Invertebrate Zoology, Aquatic Ecology and Protistology

WORK EXPERIENCE

Ag. Director, Board of Undergraduate Studies and Field Attachment Programmes (2020 - 2023)
TAGDev Project Steering Committee
Deputy Director, Board of Undergraduate Studies and Field Attachment Programmes (2017 – 2020).
Programme Academic Leader, Bachelor of Sciences in Applied Aquatic Sciences (since 2017).
Module coordinator, Joint MSc, Limnology and Wetlands Management (LWM) - LIWM 722: Fisheries and Aquaculture Module (since 2016)
Faculty of Science representative at the Board of Undergraduates study (2016 – 2018).
Member of Faculty Committee on Quality Assurance (2015 – 2017).
Team leader, Self-Assessment of the Bachelor of Science in Applied Aquatic Sciences programme (2015).

KEY PROJECTS

Marie Skłodowska–Curie Actions (MSCA) – Research and Innovation Staff Exchange (RISE); European Union Horizon 2020 project

Title: Next Generation Taxonomy (NGTax) of ciliates (Ciliophora, Alveolata) and their symbionts, constituting a holobiontic unit

Role: Local unit coordinator

Duration: 2020 – 2026

Kenya Climate Smart Agriculture Project (KCSAP), Applied Research in Livestock and Aquaculture (World Bank Funded)

Title: Use of local probiotic isolates to reduce off-flavour in intensive tilapia culture system in Busia and Siaya Counties

Role: Principle investigator (PI)

Duration: 2020 – 2022

RESEARCH INTERESTS

Limnology and Aquatic Ecology.
Microbial food web interactions and diversity of ciliated protist in tropical aquatic ecosystems.
Application of morphospecies concept and molecular tools in taxonomy and population ecology studies in aquatic science.

LIST OF PUBLICATIONS

Nkhoswe, J., Bader, S., Nyauchi, E., Lemma, Y., Ong’ondo, G. & Geremew, A. (2024). Sustainability of the Sub-Saharan African Aquaculture Value Chain: A Review. World Aquaculture Magazine, March 2024 pg 38 - 45. https://www.was.org/Magazine/2024/01/42/

Nkhoswe, J., Bader, S., Nyauchi, E., Lemma, Y., Ong’ondo, G. & Geremew, A. (2023). Sustainability of the Sub-Saharan African Capture Fisheries and Aquaculture Value Chains: A Review of the Roles and Challenges of Youths and Women in Ethiopia, Kenya, Malawi and Zambia. International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science. ISSN No. 2454 – 6186. DOI: 10.47772/IJRISS

Kimisto, A. K., Muia, A. W., Ong'ondo, G. O. & Kimani, C. N. (2023). Molecular characterization of microorganisms with industrial potential for methane production in sludge from Kangemi sewage treatment plant, Nyeri County – Kenya. Heliyon 9(9):e15715. DOI:10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e15715

Kimisto, A. K., Ong'ondo, G. O. & Muia, W. A. (2022). The physico-chemical properties of sewage sludge processed for agricultural use from the Nyeri-Kangemi wastewater treatment plant, Nyeri County, Kenya. Journal of Environmental Sciences and Technology (JEST). DOI: 10.51317/jest.v1i1.251

Adamba, S. W. K., Otachi, E. O. & Ong’ondo, G. O. (2020). Parasite Communities of Oreochromis niloticus baringoensis (Trewavas1983) in Relation to Selected Water Quality Parameters in the Springs of Lorwai Swamp and Lake Baringo, Kenya. Acta Parasitologica 65:441 – 451. https://doi.org/10.2478/s11686-020-00178-2

Adamba, S. W. K., Otachi, E. O. & Ong’ondo, G. O. (2019). Some Aspects of Oreochromis niloticus baringoensis (Trewavas, 1983) Fishery Assessment and Influence of Selected Water Quality Parameters in the Hot Springs of Lorwai Swamp, Baringo, Kenya. Egerton J. Sci. & Technol. 17: 65 – 82. https://eujournal.egerton.ac.ke/index.php/EJ/article/view/44

Warren, A. et al. (2017). Beyond the "Code": A Guide to the Description and Documentation of Biodiversity in Ciliated Protists (Alveolata, Ciliophora). Journal of Eukaryotic Microbiology 64: 539 – 554. https://doi.org/10.1111/jeu.12391

Ceríaco, L. M. P., Gutiérrez, E. E., Dubois, A. et al. (2016). Photography-based taxonomy is inadequate, unnecessary, and potentially harmful for biological sciences. Zootaxa 4196 (3): 435 – 445. http://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.4196.3.9

Dunthorn, M. et al. (2015). Ciliates – Protists with complex morphologies and ambiguous early fossil record. Marine Micropaleontology 119: 1 - 6 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marmicro.2015.05.004

Ong’ondo, G. et al. (2013). Ecology and community structure of ciliated protists in two alkaline – saline Rift Valley lakes in Kenya with special emphasis on Frontonia. Journal of Plankton Research 35(4): 759 – 771. https://doi.org/10.1093/plankt/fbt044

CONFERENCES & INVITED PRESENTATIONS

2023 (3^rd July): Mid-term Meeting; Marie Sklodowska-Curie Actions and Support to Experts. MSCA Staff Exchange Programme; Next Generation Taxonomy (NGTax) of Ciliates Project. Pisa, Italy.

2022 (1^st – 3^rd June): Training on Finance for Non-Finance Managers. Epashikino Resort, Gilgil. Egerton University and National Treasury.

2021 (9^th – 11^th March): The AgriENGAGE Project Country Inception Workshop. Reef Hotel, Mombasa.

2020 (14^th July): Virtual Workshop to validate the Credit Accumulation and Transfer (CAT) system in Kenya. Kenya National Qualification Authority (KNQA)

2018 (19^th – 25^th June): ISO 9001: 2015 Quality Management System Training – Implementation Traininf for Process Owners. CMRT Games Room. Kenya Bureau of Standards.

2017 (26^th – 27^th January): Innovative Post-Graduate Studies Supervision Workshop. Milele Resort, Nakuru.

2014 (1^st – 3^rd September): Workshop on Integrating the 3 dimensions of biodiversity: New standards for documenting biodiversity of ciliates and strategies for accessing and sharing data, Royal Holloway University of London, Egham, UK.

2013 (4^th – 7^th December): Soda lakes workshop: saving the last great species and place on earth for humanity, Kenya Wildlife Service Training Institute – Naivasha.

2011 (25^th – 29^th July): The VI European Congress of Protistology, Berlin, Germany. Posters presentation: ‘Ciliated protist assemblages in two shallow saline-alkaline lakes in Kenya’ and ‘Intra-specific variation of Frontonia in two shallow saline-alkaline lakes in Kenya’.

2010 (20^th – 22^nd December): Facitator - Technical workshop on equipment maintenance

Theme: Laboratory equipment for enhanced teaching & research, Department of Biological Sciences, Egerton University, Kenya.

2009 (14^th – 16^th December): Workshop on ‘Resource mobilization for Eastern Africa Water Association (EAWA),’ Mombasa, Kenya.

2009 (6^th – 19^th September): 3^rd Field IT course for East Africa: The development of virtual courses for Kenyan and Tanzania universities through field/training camps, Naivasha, Kenya.

2009 (7^th – 12^th June): Workshop on ‘Curriculum Development for MSc. in Environmental Science – Limnology and Wetlands Ecosystems’ Machakos, Kenya.

2006 (4^th – 8^th December): Workshop on ‘Bridging Research, Technology and Development: Sustainable Water Resource Management in Eastern Africa’ Tiwi Beach Resort, Mombasa, Kenya.

HONORS, PRIZE AND AWARDS

2020: Kenya Climate Smart Agriculture Project Grant – Use of locally isolated probiotics to reduce off-flavour in intensive tilapia culture systems. (Grant Agreement No: AR02/4/6)

2017 (June – August): Ernst Mach-Nachbetreuungsstipendium (EZA), scholarship from by the Federal Ministry of Science, Research and Economy (BMWFW), Austria.

2014. International Research Coordination Network for Biodiversity of Ciliates (IRCN-BC), fellowship to attend conferences (Naivasha, Kenya and Egham, England).

2012 – 2014: German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD), PhD scholarship.

2011: Austrian Partnership Programme in Higher Education and Research for Development (APPEAR), PhD scholarship, Austrian Development Cooperation (ADC), Austria.

2007 – 2009: Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP), MSc scholarship.

TEACHING AREAS

Zoology: Lower Invertebrate Zoology; Research Methods, Research Projects, Seminars

Aquatic Sciences: Fundamentals of Hydrobiology, Water Chemistry, Lake Ecology, Aquatic Protozoology, Marine Ecology, Principles of Water Quality, Research Methods, Research Projects, Seminars.

POSTGRADUATE SUPERVISION

MASTERS LEVEL :

(a) Graduated:
1. Adamba Stephanie Wangare Kamau – Parasite Communities of Oreochromis Niloticus Baringoensis (Trewavas, 1983) in Relation to Selected Water Quality Parameters in the Springs of Lorwai Swamp and Lake Baringo, Kenya. MSc in Limnology (2020).
2. Allan Kiptanui Kimisto – Molecular Characterization of Microorganisms with Industrial Potential in Wastewater Sludge from Kangemi Sewage Treatment Plant, Nyeri – Kenya. MSc in Limnology (2023).
3. Okomo Harriet - Effects of Land Use on Selected Water Quality Parameters as Indicated by Macroinvertebrates in River Rupingazi, Kenya. Joint Masters in Limnology and Wetlands Management (2022).

(b) On-going
1. John Odhiambo Erick – Assessment of the Efficiency of a Stand-Alone Recirculating Aquaculture System for Increasing Fish Productivity.
2. Elizabeth A. Nyauchi – Characterization of Populations of Oreochromis Species in Lake Jipe Using Molecular and Morphometric Tools.

PhD. LEVEL :

On – going:

Owuor Maxwell Juti – Molecular Characterisation of Ciliates and their Endosymbionts, and Bioassay of Potential Anti-microbial Metabolites from Ciliates in Freshwater Ecosystems in Kenya.

OTHER SOCIETIES

Eastern Africa Water Association (EAWA)
DAAD Alumni, Egerton University Chapter
Egerton Aquatic Youth club – Patron
Associate Member, International Research Coordination Network for Biodiversity of Ciliates (IRCN-BC).

Dr Geoffrey Odhiambo Ong'ondo

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