Dr. Simon Onywere: Advancing Spatial Thinking and GIS Education in Africa
GeoInspirations recognizes professionals whose work has reshaped geography and geospatial science. In this feature, Dr. Joseph Kerski highlights Dr. Simon Onywere, a central figure in embedding GIS and spatial thinking within African higher education. Serving as Director of the Directorate for Research Dissemination and Uptake and Associate Professor of Environmental Planning and Management at Kenyatta University, he has positioned geospatial technologies as strategic assets for universities and society.
Integrating GIS Across Academic Institutions
Dr. Onywere has consistently demonstrated that GIS is not confined to geography departments. By working with administrators, lecturers, and students, he has shown how spatial analysis strengthens institutional planning, research design, and evidence-based decision-making.
A milestone in this effort occurred in September 2013 when he convened the first Esri Eastern Africa Education User Conference in Nairobi. The event illustrated his approach: broaden participation, introduce innovation, and cultivate cross-departmental collaboration. His leadership style blends administrative oversight with technical fluency and active field engagement.
Beyond campus leadership, he participates directly in applied research, including hydrological and environmental assessments such as rising water levels at Lake Baringo, where GIS supports impact evaluation and mitigation planning.
Overcoming Barriers to Remote Sensing
Dr. Onywere’s path into geospatial science began during his master’s studies in geology at the University of Nairobi in 1987. Aerial photograph interpretation sparked his interest in three-dimensional terrain analysis. Advanced coursework in structural geology, hydrogeology, environmental geology, and photogeology deepened his understanding of how earth systems interact with infrastructure and development.
His proposal to apply remote sensing to geological mapping initially faced institutional resistance due to high data costs. Determined to pursue the approach, he collaborated with the Regional Center for Mapping of Resources for Development in Nairobi. Access to Landsat and SPOT imagery—facilitated through FAO and USGS representatives—enabled him to complete pioneering research that marked his entry into remote sensing.
Academic Leadership and International Collaboration
In 1990, he joined Egerton University’s Department of Geography, where remote sensing was still emerging regionally. Teaching responsibilities motivated him to expand his GIS expertise further. During doctoral research, he undertook specialized training in urban information systems and later developed a GIS database and three-dimensional model of Kenya’s Central Rift Valley in collaboration with international scholars.
Subsequent research at the University of Munich involved applications of Landsat TM and airborne imaging spectroscopy for land cover analysis. After leading the geography department at Egerton University, he transitioned to Kenyatta University in 2001, where his influence expanded institution-wide.
His contributions received global recognition when he was invited to the Esri User Conference and honored with a Special Achievement Award in GIS for his innovative educational leadership.
Research, Capacity Building, and Regional Impact
Dr. Onywere’s research addresses watershed sustainability, groundwater resources in the East African Rift, and pollution dynamics in the Lake Victoria basin. These projects have supported numerous doctoral and master’s candidates, embedding GIS methodologies across environmental and geological disciplines.
He has also led regional disaster risk management training under the IGAD REFORM Programme, bringing together participants from Djibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya, Sudan, and Uganda. Through public-facing story maps and GIS Day events—often drawing participation from dozens of institutions—he strengthens spatial literacy and professional networks.
His involvement in the GIS for 100 African Universities Programme has expanded enterprise-level access to ArcGIS tools, reinforcing geospatial capacity at scale. Membership in continental environmental monitoring and disaster risk reduction networks further demonstrates his commitment to collaborative advancement.
Empowering Students Through Spatial Thinking
For Dr. Onywere, student success remains the ultimate measure of impact. By integrating GIS laboratories, applied research, and interdisciplinary coursework, he shifts education from purely theoretical instruction toward practical, market-relevant skills. He emphasizes that spatial analysis transforms how students interpret development, environment, and policy challenges.
His guiding belief is that knowledge achieves influence only when it inspires others to act. Through sustained outreach, institutional leadership, and technical mentorship, he continues to expand the role of GIS in shaping informed, resilient communities across Africa.
