Growing up, Professor Judi Wakhungu always knew she wanted two things — to be a ‘boss’ and that she loved science. In 2013, she was appointed to one of the most important offices in Kenya, serving as the Cabinet Secretary for Environment, Water, and Natural Resources. Today, she is Kenya’s Ambassador to France.
Before this, she had proven herself more than capable of handling major responsibilities. She was the first female geologist at the Ministry of Energy and Regional Development where her duties entailed exploring for geothermal energy in the Rift Valley. She was also the first female petroleum geologist at the National Oil Corporation of Kenya (NOCK).
As a girl, Wakhungu never understood why all ‘bosses’ seemed to be men. Her grandmother encouraged her to dream big and work towards those dreams because if she wanted to be the boss then all she had to do was find a space that would allow her to be in charge.
Wakhungu never lacked for inspiration or role models. She comes from a family of high achievers, such as her uncles, former Vice President Moody Awori and the late Professor Nelson Awori, a surgeon and Kenya’s first kidney specialist. Her mother was a general manager at Kenya Reinsurance and Consolidated Bank. As a result of these influences, Wakhungu became, from an early age, determined to defy stereotypes and break boundaries to make her mark in the world.
Wakhungu continues to dream big and to visualise a better future for Kenya
It was in high school that Wakhungu developed an interest in petroleum and energy, and decided to study geology. Ever driven and determined, she drew up a 10-year plan that included goals such as studying to PhD level and teaching at a university. She accomplished both.
After high school, she joined St Lawrence University in New York to pursue a Bachelor of Science in Geology. While working at NOCK in 1986, she went to further her studies in Canada. She graduated with a Master of Science in Geology. Wakhungu returned to Kenya and worked as a lecturer at the University of Nairobi. She was the first woman to join the faculty of the geology department.
In 1993, Wakhungu received her PhD in Energy Resources Management from Pennsylvania State University in the US. Her research interests included energy policy and development, science technology and development, and gender issues in science and technology policy. Due to her determination and hard work, Wakhungu has gained a lot of experience in her field during her long career. Before taking up her position as Cabinet Secretary, she was the Executive Director of the African Centre for Technology Studies (ACTS). She also worked as an associate professor of Science, Technology and Society at Pennsylvania State University, and as director of the Women in the Sciences & Engineering (WISE) Institute at the same institution. She also served as the Energy Advisor to the Energy Sector Management Program of World Bank and as an Advisor at the Legatum Centre at Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Wakhungu has served as a member of several boards. She has the distinction of being the designated energy expert for the United Nations Commission of Science and Technology for Development. She was the research director of the Global Energy Policy and Planning Program of the International Federation of Institutes for Advanced Study (IFIAS), based in Toronto, Canada. She was also the project leader of the Renewable Energy Technology Dissemination Project of the Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI).
Wakhungu continues to dream big and to visualise a better future for Kenya. She believes that thinking big is essential to achieving one’s goals. Among her aspirations is the dream of becoming the first Kenyan to head a UN agency.