Visiting Kenyan scholar shares global environmental perspective with area high school students
Fulbright Scholar-in-Residence Helida Oyieke, Ph.D., a Kenyan environmental studies and marine biology scholar, has been sharing her global perspective with students from Bonny Eagle and Biddeford high schools.
The program is made possible through UNE's five-year National Science Foundation SPARTACUS GK12 project, which engages Maine K-12 students and teachers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM)-related disciplines.
The SPARTACUS project places UNE graduate students in marine sciences and biology into six school districts in southern Maine as science resources for teachers.
The UNE SPARTACUS fellows are pleased to bring Dr. Oyieke into area high schools to share her knowledge, experiences and career path as scientist in Kenya.
Dr. Oyieke is director of Research and Scientific Affairs at the National Museums of Kenya, and also teaches part-time at the University of Nairobi. She holds a PhD. in aquatic botany, a MSc. in plant physiology and biochemistry, and a BEd. in zoology and botany, all from the University of Nairobi.
Dr. Oyieke's move from marine botanist to museum administrator enables her to focus on her passion for environmental conservation and education. She says, "In Kenya, pollution and development along coastal areas are key concerns. In addition, the Kenyan population reflects a diversity of cultures and traditions, with 42 ethnic communities represented in our country. Museums help to teach the public and protect that heritage."
She adds, “Some programs at the museum address environmental conservation problems, such as aloes. The aloes of Kenya are in danger due to unrestricted harvesting. We are teaching communities how they can be grown and protected while also being harvested for medicinal purposes.”
Her research and professional career encompasses a wide variety of activities in both her areas of specialization, as well as with numerous international and governmental organizations involved in biodiversity conservation and global environmental policy.
She has vast experience in directing research programs within Kenya, and has consulted for numerous environmental and community-based NGOs, both within Kenya and abroad.
She holds membership in a wide variety of professional organizations, and is a founding member of the Kenya Professional Association of Women in Agriculture and Environment. She has published extensively in academic journals, edited volumes, conference proceedings, and institutional reports.
During her residency at UNE, Dr. Oyieke is teaching courses in environmental studies and marine botany for the 2010-2011 academic year. She is also serving as advisor to the UNE Center for International Education, helping develop a new minor in African Studies, and giving several public lectures.
In addition, she is conducting research in collaboration with scientists at UNE, the Wells National Estuarine Research Reserve, and the Gulf of Maine Research Institute.