Beryl Akinyi

SHORT BIO

Growing up on the shores of Lake Victoria, I have experienced rapid changes such as; water hyacinth, dead fish, and water pollution resulting in a foul smell from the lake. As a result, I developed a keen interest in water ecosystems and environment. I have a bachelor’s degree in science from the University of Eldoret, Kenya. Additionally, a master’s degree in Limnology and Wetland Management under the Austrian Development Cooperation (ADC) + joint master’s degree program coordinated between (1) the University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Austria, (2) IHE Delft- Institute for Water Education, The Netherlands and (3) Egerton University, Kenya. My graduate thesis focused on habitat characterization and the use of benthic macroinvertebrates to monitor water quality in River Gura, Kenya. The MSc. made me understand environmental science as well as unearth my interest in water quality. Immediately after completing my graduate studies, I joined Kenya Marine and Fisheries Research Institute as an intern where I enhanced my skills on water quality monitoring. Next, I joined Rongo University in Kenya as a part-time teaching assistant on zoology-related courses for undergraduate students. I am excited to join the VLIR-IUC JOOUST programme as a PhD student. I hope to expand my knowledge of water quality monitoring and modeling. My primary research interests are; lakes, rivers, water quality, ecosystem ecology, and climate change.