GEOG Assistant Professor Recognized in Ceremony at Kuwait's Royal Palace

Catherine Nakalembe was recently presented with the 2022 Al-Sumait Prize for African Development in the first ceremony hosted at Kuwait's Royal Palace in a decade

In early December, Catherine Nakalembe—an assistant professor in the Department of Geographical Sciences (GEOG)—traveled to Kuwait with her family to be officially presented with the 2022 Al-Sumait Prize for African Development, a prestigious honor established by the Kuwait Foundation for the Advancement of Sciences (KFAS) that she was made aware of in late 2023.

Nakalembe was selected to share the $1 million award with the African Agricultural Technology Foundation (AATF), an African-led technology-transfer organization that supports farmers in Sub-Saharan Africa. As the program director of NASA Harvest’s Africa Initiative—a multidisciplinary program commissioned by NASA and led by the University of Maryland that works with national ministries and development partners in Africa to enhance the use of satellite data in decision-making related to food security and agriculture—Nakalembe was named a recipient of the award in recognition of her extensive research leveraging Earth observation data and machine learning to improve food security and agricultural livelihoods across Africa.

Nakalembe, the AATF, the Campaign for Female Education (the 2023 Education Prize winner), and several Kuwait Prize winners were presented with their respective awards on Wednesday, December 11, 2024 by His Highness Shaikh Mishaal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, the Amir of the State of Kuwait.

“The hospitality and courtesy extended to my family and me were exceptional, reflecting the high regard in which KFAS and Kuwait hold international scientific collaboration, partnerships, and commitment to scientific advancement,” Nakalembe said. “This was indeed the most incredible week of my life, made even more special by sharing it with my family, including my parents and sister.”

Also in attendance were several distinguished leaders with whom Nakalembe was able to speak, including the Kuwait Minister of Foreign Affairs, His Excellency Abdullah Ali Al-Yahya; the Chair of the Al-Sumait Prize committee, who co-chairs with Bill Gates; Dr. Ameenah Rajab Farhan, the head of the KFAS; and Kuwait University faculty.

“I'm deeply proud to have conducted this work within our department with colleagues and collaborators around the world,” Nakalembe said. 

This article was written by Rachael Grahame and originally published on the website of the College of Behavioral and Social Sciences.

Published on Wed, 12/18/2024 - 12:56