Biography

Alex Awiti is a Principal Scientist and leads the Agroecology team at the Center for International Forest Research – World Agroforestry (CIFOR-ICRAF). He was vice provost and professor at Aga Khan University. He also served as dean of the Graduate School of Media and Communication, and founding director of the East Africa Institute of Aga Khan University. Before joining Aga Khan University, Awitiwas a postdoctoral fellow at the Earth Institute at Columbia University in the City of New York. Hewas also an adjunct assistant professor at Columbia’s School of International and Public Affairs. Awiti began his research, academic and policy career over 25 years ago at World Agroforestry, where he and his colleagues pioneered novel approaches for diagnostic surveillance of land health problems.His research intersects agriculture, ecology, conservation, education, society, population health policy and the economy.As a thought leader, he has written over 750 opinion articles published in leading Kenyan newspapers and international publications, including the International Policy Digest, The Conversation and LinkedIn. He is a regular commentator on public policy issues on major local and international news networks. Awiti is an adjunct professor in the Department of Geography and Environment at the University of the Fraser Valley in BC, Canada. He is a governor of the Board of Governors of the International Development Research Centre (IDRC). He is a member of the Advisory Group on Regenerative School Meals: Research for Influence, which is convened by The Rockefeller Foundation, in partnership with the World Food Programme and the School Meals Coalition. He is also a review editor on the editorialboard of Climate Ecology and People for the Frontiers journal. He holds a PhD in ecosystem ecology.