Visiting lecturers/Post Doc

Name: Daniel Kitaw Azene

Office Address: Addis Ababa University King George Street P.O.Box 385 Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Email: danielkitaw@yahoo.com
daniel.kitaw@aau.edu.et daniel.kitaw@aait.edu.et danielkitawazene@gmail.com

Present Unit and Job Position: School of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering Specialization: Professor of Industrial Engineering

Biography:
Daniel Kitaw is Professor of Industrial Engineering (IE) at Addis Ababa University (AAU), an affiliate professor at New Mexico State University, USA, visiting professor at Ilorin University, Nigeria and lectures at Polytechnic of Turin, Italy and at Nuremberg University, Germany. He obtained his BSc in Mechanical Engineering with distinction from Addis Ababa University in 1980, MSc and PhD in IE from Polytechnic of Turin – Italy in 1984 and 1999, respectively. Professor Daniel has participated and organized numerous seminars and workshops in many countries in Africa, Asia, Europe and North America. He has authored and coauthored many scholarly articles both in national and international peer reviewed journals. He has served as editor-in-chief of Zede, Journal of Engineers and Architects. He is a pioneer and a key player in the development of MSc and PhD programs in IE at AAU. He has advised over one hundred MSc Theses and twenty-four PhD dissertations so far, and currently he is supervising ten PhD candidates. Professor Daniel has been an advocate of University-Industry linkage programs since 1985, and the concept of triple helix is close to his heart. He served as the first Director for University-Industry Partnership at AAU, an associate dean for research and graduate program of the Faculty of Technology, and member of graduate council of AAU. He has also been consulting both public and private organizations in his field. Professor Daniel was the founding member and a key player of Ethiopian Quality Award. He has also been instrumental in fostering change management and paradigm shift at AAU and in the society at national level. To this effect, he published a book entitled “እነሆ መንገድ ለኢትዮጵያ” that deals with quality, productivity and innovation for the Ethiopian youth. He has been serving African network of researchers in Learning, Innovation and Competence building Systems (AfricaLics) in quality of Scientific Board member since 2018. Currently he is the president of AfricaLics, Vice Chair of National Council of Ethiopian Standards and Vice Chair of the board of Adama Science and Technology University. He has served as board Chairman of Ethio–Engineering Group (Former METEC) and board member of Ethiopian Sugar Corporation. He is also a founding fellow of the Ethiopian Academy of Sciences (EAS).

Links: LinkedIn, Scopus, ORCID, Google Scholar, ResearchGate, Academia, Publications

Prof. Dr. R. Krishnamurthy

Dr. R. Krishnamurthy is a Visiting Lecturer at University of Ilorin.  Currently a Professor, Research Director, Uka Tarsadia University,  Director Kishorbhai Institute of Agriculture Sciences and Research Centre & Dean of Faculty of Science at Uka Tarsadia University (UTU), Bardoli, Gujarat, India. He was conferred Man of Excellence by Indian Achievers’ Forum in 2022 and Fellow status award by Chartered Institute of Environmental and Public Health Management of Nigeria (CIEPHM) in April 2017 at Lagos. He is a great visionary, research mentor and a very meticulous administrator. He impeccably executes multidimensional responsibilities viz. teaching, research and associated administrative activities with enthusiasm. He is a Visiting Professor to University of Ilorin (Unilorin), Nigeria and an Associate Research Mentor for Nigerian students in their academic research work since March 2013. He has facilitated over 18 Academic staff of Unilorin from various department to visit Uka Tarsadia University with granted research fellowships, including N G Patel Research Fellowships (from Lagos), and collaborated as mentor to complete their project. Currently (2023-2024) 3 academic faculties from Unilorin are conducting research and academic activities under the mentorship of Prof. Krishnamurthy. Prof. Krishnamurthy has published over 35 research articles along with Unilorin academic staff and published 8 book chapters published by leading international publisher. He has also guided a Unilorin staff to receive PhD from UTU and  other 4 staffs to complete their PhD work at UTU and submitted their thesis to Unilorin. In addition to these, Prof. Krishnamurthy has facilitated and arranged inter universities faculty lecture earlier where Vice Chancellor of Unilorin and various departments Professors and HODs including former CREDIT and CIE directors had lectured in the event. He has completed his Master degree in Botany from University of Madras and Ph.D. (Botany), M.S. University, Baroda. He is a recipient of several Research Fellowships Awards and grants. He served as member of academic bodies in Universities in India. He has a vast research experience on medicinal plants for decade with Industry as Director of Research and over 18 Years with Academic Institutions. He has technologically helped Indian and Overseas Industries and Universities including Unilorin, to set-up commercial scale Plant Tissue Culture Laboratories for quality planting materials of Plants.  Dr. Krishnamurthy helped unilorin to cultivate and develop upland rice farming at Unilorin  campus and same project is still in progress. He has organized (as Chairman) several National and International Seminars/Conference on Medicinal Plants and Food Security Plants. He has to his credit an European Patent, written and edited several book chapters on Medicinal Plants and more than 140 research publications and review articles in the areas of Medicinal and Food Plants. He is a reviewer of many international journals and member of scientific societies. He collaborates with overseas Universities for research work. Expanding his horizon & not keeping himself limited to the Academia, he ventures in helping farmers in cultivating medicinal plants

Name – PROF INNOCENT EWEAN DAVIDSON .

Director, French-South African Institute of Technology (F’SATI) / African Space Innovation Centre (ASIC)

(ASIC) at Cape Peninsula University of Technology. He was formerly the Chair, Department of Electrical Power Engineering, Director, DUT-DSI Space Science and CNS (Communications, Navigation, and Surveillance) Program, Research Leader, Centre of Excellence in Smart Grid. He is a Fellow, Institute of Engineering and Technology, United Kingdom; Fellow, South African Institute of Electrical Engineers; Chartered Engineer, United Kingdom; Senior Member, Institute of Electrical & Electronic Engineering, USA; registered Professional Engineer with Engineering Council of South Africa. He received the Bachelor of Engineering with Honours and Master of Engineering degrees in Electrical Engineering, University of Ilorin, 1984 and 1987; Doctor of Philosophy, PhD in Electrical Engineering, University of Cape Town, 1998; Post-graduate Diploma in Business Management, Graduate School of Business, University of KwaZulu-Natal, 2004; Associate Certificate, Sustainable Energy Management, British Columbia Institute of Technology, BC, Canada, 2011; and Course Certificate in Artificial Intelligence, from the University of California at Berkeley, USA, 2020. He has several years of experience in engineering and technology, research and implementation, academic leadership, university teaching, industry, and consulting. Prof Davidson joined Cape Peninsula University of Technology in April 2023. While at Durban University of Technology, from 2016 – 2022, he rose to the position of Head of the Department. Under his dynamic and inspirational leadership, all academic programs in the Department received full accreditation by the Engineering Council of South Africa in September 2018. His international exposure in both teaching and research made a valuable contribution to the faculty, in terms of curriculum renewal with particular emphasis on research initiatives, collaboration and community engagement. Prof Davidson established the Smart Grid research centre in the Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment, as an initiative that will grow into a Centre of Excellence. His international and local engagement with industry and professional collaborations have been very instrumental in moving that Department forward, and foremost in terms of realizing the faculty’s vision of excellence in producing relevant professionals who use engineering, technology and design for societal development in South Africa. From being the only PhD holder in EPE in 2016, and 10th ranked in the faculty, the Department has grown and attained the status as foremost productive and leading Department in the Faculty in 2022. From 1987-1992, he was a Lecturer at the University of Ilorin and Federal University of Technology, Akure. He was Engineering Inspector and Project Manager, Rainbow Energy Project at EASIGAS (Pty) Ltd, Cape Town (1994-1995). During the period 1994-2006, he served as a Sessional Lecturer, University of Cape Town; Lecturer, Cape Peninsula University of Technology and Vaal University of Technology; Senior Lecturer, University of Pretoria and Natal University (UKZN). He was Visiting Professor from 2005-2006 at Powertech Labs Inc. (Research Division of Canada’s BC Hydro), Surrey BC, Canada, a world leading consortium in clean energy technologies, independent testing services, power system solutions and smart utility services. He was an Energy Consultant in Surrey, BC, Canada, 2007-2012, implementing energy efficiency (electricity/gas) measures under the British Columbia provincial government’s mandate on Climate Change. He was Associate Professor of Electrical Engineering and Research Coordinator, Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology, University of Namibia from 2012-2014; and Project Engineer for the Benguela Community-UNAM Wind-Power Project, Luderitz, Namibia, a project funded by the European Union. From 2014 to 2016, he was Director, Eskom Centre of Excellence in High Voltage DC Engineering, University of KwaZulu-Natal and Coordinator, Eskom Power Plant Engineering Institute (EPPEI) program. His current research interests are in Space Science and Technology, CNS Technology Innovation, Grid integration of renewable energy, and AI applications. Prof Davidson was the Chairperson, DSI-DUT Space Research Program Management Committee; Chair, Faculty of Engineering Research Committee (2018-2019), and recipient of several local and international research grants, including the Royal Academy of Engineering Grant, UK. Since 1994, he has consulted with industry: including Contract Research Grant #11003799 (“Spatial Modelling of a Photovoltaic Generator for Localised Load Management”) funded by ESKOM and THRIP; Royal Academy of Engineering, UK Award for the project: “Quality Engineering Education through University-Industry Partnerships in Eastern & Southern Africa”, in collaboration with Cambridge University UK, University of Namibia, University of Nairobi, and Addis Ababa University. He has managed over R50million in research funds; and has developed and presented invited industry-focussed courses to the South Africa’s Electricity Industry. Prof Davidson’s demonstrated achievements and practical accomplishments of his strategic research has won numerous accolades, such as the Best Student Paper Award for the technical paper: `L. Moodliar and I. E. Davidson, “Do the Dam Project – Evaluating floating solar photovoltaic and energy storage at Inanda Dam within eThekwini Municipality, South Africa, at the 3rd International Conference on Power and Electrical Engineering, (ICEPEE), 29 – 31 December 2022, Singapore; the Best Paper Award at the Clemson University Power Systems Conference, Clemson, SC, USA; 10-13 Mar 2020 for the paper titled: “Modelling and Assessment of the Fault Ride-Through Capabilities of Grid Supporting Inverter- Based Microgrids.”; the Best Student Paper Award for the technical paper: `S. Sewchurran and I. E. Davidson, “Intelligent Disbursement and Impact Analysis of DG on Distribution Networks to Mitigate SA Energy Shortages”, at the Clemson University Power Systems Conference, 8-11 March 2016, Clemson, SC, USA; the Best Paper Award at the International Conference on Renewable and Energy Research and Applications Conference, Birmingham, UK, 20-22 Nov 2016 for the paper titled: “Harmonic Distortion of LCC-HVDC and VSC-HVDC Link in Eskom’s Cahora-Bassa HVDC Scheme.” He was a co- recipient of the Best Paper Award for the technical paper: `O. Ojo and I. E. Davidson, “PWM-VSI Inverter Assisted Stand-alone Dual Stator Winding Induction Generator,” IEEE Transactions on Industry Applications, Vol. 36, No 6, pages 1604-1611, Nov/Dec. 2000. He has been a Guest Writer for IEEE Power and Energy as an internationally recognized expert on Africa’s Electric Power System: “Energizing Africa’s Emerging Economy”, IEEE Power and Energy, Vol. 3, No 4, July/August 2005. At DUT’s Annual Research and Innovation Awards, Prof IE Davidson was the recipient of the “Faculty Supervisor of the Year Award (Platinum Category), Nov 2022”; “Top Faculty Researcher of the Year Award (Gold Category)”, Nov 2022. Prof IE Davidson was the recipient of the “Top Impact Author Award,” Nov 2020; “Top Faculty Researcher of the Year Award (Platinum Category)”, Nov 2019; and “Faculty Researcher of the Year”, Nov 2018. He has been ranked a Top Researcher at DUT on the normalized index from 2020-2022, and #1 in the Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment from 2018-2022, averaging 35 to 42 engineering publications each year. In 2022, he achieved publishing 20 DHET accredited journal articles, and 25 books chapters and peer-reviewed conference proceedings, beside postgraduate graduations and attracting external grants. Prof Davidson is an internationally recognized and respected leader in his field. He was elected IET Fellow due to his creativity and personal responsibility for significant technological innovation and achievement in engineering. It affirms his superior responsibility, leadership and contributions to engineering and human development. Prof. Davidson has supervised six postdoctoral research fellows and graduated 67 Ph.D./ Masters’ students and over 1200 engineers, technologists, and technicians. He is the author/co-author of over 400 accredited journal articles, peer-reviewed conference proceedings, book chapters and technical reports. He has served as an invited speaker at several International Conferences; thesis examiner for local and international universities; reviewer for SA Universities, NRF, CHE, and DHET Doctoral Degree Programs in South African Universities. He has produced a Videography outreach to High School Students: “Raising the Next Generation of 4IR industry relevant professionals and leaders”. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=biEhgF-zZgk. He is the Chair/Host: 1st and 2nd pace Science and CNS Symposium, (https://www.dut.ac.za/2nd-space-science-and-cns-symposium/); Guest Speaker: Science Forum of South Africa, Peoples Rep. of China / South Africa Summit 2022; Guest Speaker: International Conference on Sustainable Development 2022; Guest Editor, Energies Special Issue on “Modern Electric Power Delivery Systems”: https://www.mdpi.com/journal/energies/special_issues/MEPDS; General Chair, 30th Southern Africa Universities Power Engineering Conference (https://www.saiee.org.za/displaycustomlink.aspx?name=SAUPEC2022); Editor-in-Chief and Publisher: Power Digest; https://www.dut.ac.za/publications/. He serves as Editorial Board Member: International Journal of Renewable Energy Research, (IJRER); International Journal of Smart Grid, (ijSmartGrid); Editor. Journal of Advances in Science and Engineering (JASE); Editorial Board Member: ABUAD Journal of Engineering (http://ajerd.abuad.edu.ng); Member, Technical Committee, Clemson University Power Systems Conference (PSC), Clemson, SC, USA; Member, Technical Committee, 7th Intl. Conference on Power and Energy Systems Engineering (CPESE 2020), Fukuoka Institute of Technology, Fukuoka, Japan, Sept 26-29, 2020; and reviewer of several international journals. He established a Technical Cooperation and Human Development program between DUT (South Africa) and Tokyokaiyo University, Japan); also known as Tokyo University of Marine Science & Technology (TUMSAT); a collaboration to build capacity at DUT by training and developing young South African academic staff to obtain Ph.D. qualifications in Japan with full Japanese government scholarship. He is a member of the Western Canada Group of Chartered Engineers (WCGCE); the Institute of Engineering and Technology (IET Canada) British Columbia Chapter; IEEE Collabratec Communities on Smart Cities and IEEE (South Africa Chapter).