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Prof Ngila: Why dad called me Mr Catherine in his letters
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Prof Ngila: Why dad called me Mr Catherine in his letters
If you are ever interested in finding out more about the water you drink, then Prof Catherine Ngila, a distinguished scholar in analytical and environmental chemistry can be of help.
The 60-year-old recently won the 23rd International Prize for Women in Science for “introducing, developing and applying nanotechnology-based analytical methods to monitor water pollutants.”
She was among the five eminent women scientists in the fields of astrophysics, mathematics, chemistry and informatics to earn the award.
The prize that includes a monetary award of €100,000(Sh13 million) was awarded by Fondation L’Oréal and United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (Unesco).
Her innovation is recognised to be indispensable in developing water resource management systems that are environmentally sustainable.
Prof. Ngila is the acting executive director of the African Academy of Sciences, a pan-African think tank organisation on Science, Technology and Innovation.
As a professor of analytical and environmental chemistry, she deals with analysing the ‘health’ of water, soil and air. In water, for instance, she will establish the concentration of heavy metals like lead as well as pesticides.