Designation:Lecturer
School/Institute: IGGReS
Department: GEGIS
Research unit: Remote Sensing Research Group (RSRG)
Email: kuria.thiongo@dkut.ac.ke
Academic Qualifications
| Qualification | Institution | Year |
| PhD. Natural Sciences | Ruhr University Bochum, Germany | 2018 |
| MSc. Geomatic Engineering | Stuttgart University, Germany | 2011 |
| BSc. Geomatic Engineering | Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT), Kenya | 2008 |
Professional Bodies Membership
| Qualification | Institution | Year |
| Full Member ISK/1751/F/GIS/21 | Institute of Surveyors of Kenya (ISK) | 2021 |
| Project Development and Management course | enya School of Government | 2020 |
Areas of Expertise
- Land surveying and mapping, GIS and Remote Sensing applications
Work Experience
- Feb 2019 – To Date: Lecturer, DeKUT.
- Mar 2012 – Jan 2019: Assistant Lecturer, DeKUT.
- June 2011 – Jan 2012: GIS Consultant, Ingenieurbüro für Luftbildauswertung und Vermessung (ILV), Germany, www.ilv-fernerkundung.de
- 2009 (Feb – May): GIS Specialist, Gath Consulting Engineers, Muthangari drive, Nairobi
- 2008 (Aug – Dec): Kenya Forest Service (KFS), Nairobi, www.kenyaforestservice.org
Other University and National Responsibilities
- 22 Aug 2022 – 2 Sep 2022: Ag. Director, IGGReS DeKUT.
- 4 – 15 Oct 2021: Ag. Director, IGGReS DeKUT.
- 2021 – To Date: Coordinator, Trans-African Hydro-Meteorological Observatory (TAHMO) station, DeKUT.
- April 2021 – To Date: Head, Remote Sensing Research Group (RSRG).
- May 2019 – Oct 2021: Exams Coordinator, IGGReS, DeKUT.
- Nov 2013 – Apriil 2014: Ag. Director, IGGReS DeKUT.
- May 2012 – April 2014: Exams Coordinator, IGGReS, DeKUT.
- 2019 – To Date: Applied Geography and JASETD scientific Journals Reviewer.
Social Responsibilities
- Member, Rotary Club of Ngong Hills.
Publications
- Kuria, B. T. (2018). “Crop mapping using high resolution optical and radar satellite data: case study of maize in Trans Nzoia County, Kenya.” PhD Thesis, Ruhr University Bochum. https://hss-opus.ub.ruhr-uni-bochum.de/opus4/frontdoor/deliver/index/docId/6090/file/diss.pdf
- Wisdom Kipkemboi; Bartholomew Thiongo Kuria; David Ndegwa Kuria; Arthur W. Sichangi; Charles Ndegwa Mundia; Marcus Goebel; Andreas Rienow. Participatory GIS Tool Development for Environmental and Natural Resources Conservation. Environment, Development and Sustainability journal (Under review)
- Simon Wachira Muthee; Bartholomew Thiongo Kuria; Charles Ndegwa Mundia; Arthur W. Sichangi; David Ndegwa Kuria; Marcus Goebel; Andreas Rienow. Using Swat to Model the Response of Evapotranspiration and Runoff to Varying Land Uses and Climatic Conditions in The Muringato Basin, Kenya. Modeling Earth Systems and Environment journal. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40808-022-01579-0.
- Kirui, B. K., Makokha, G. O., & Kuria, B. T. (2022). Calibration and Parameterization of APSIM-Wheat using Earth Observation Data for wheat Simulation in Kenya. Journal of Agricultural Informatics, 13(1). https://doi.org/10.17700/jai.2022.13.1.629
- Evanson Ndung’u Kimani, Bartholomew Thiong’o Kuria and Moses Murimi Ngigi. (2021). Analysis of Spatial Factors Affecting Rental House Prices: A Case Study of Nyeri Town Constituency, Kenya. Journal of Geosciences and Geomatics. 2021; 9(3):110-123. doi: 10.12691/jgg-9-3-2.
- Kuria, T. B., Kirimi, K. F., Gikwa, W. C. and Kuria, N. D. (2020). Maize crop monitoring with sentinel-1 radar satellite- case study of Endebess, Kenya. Journal of Applied Sciences, Engineering and Technology for Development. Volume 4, Issue 1. ISSN 2309-0936. https://jasetd.dkut.ac.ke/publications/Bartholomew-Kuria-2020.pdf.
- Mwobobia, E.G., Sichangi, A.W. & Thiong’o, K.B. (2020) Characterization of wheat production using earth-based observations: a case study of Meru County, Kenya. Model. Earth Syst. Environ. 6, 13–25. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40808-019-00699-4.
- Njore, C. M., Kimari, C. M., and Thiong’o, K. (2019). Initiative aiming to introduce children to maps in Kenya, Proc. Int. Cartogr. Assoc., 2, 93, https://doi.org/10.5194/ica-proc-2-93-2019, 2019.
- Kirimi, F., Thiong’o, K., Gabiri, G., Diekkrüger, B., & Thonfeld, F. (2018). Assessing seasonal land cover dynamics in the tropical Kilombero floodplain of East Africa. Journal of Applied Remote Sensing, 12(2), 026027- https://doi.org/10.1117/1.JRS.12.026027.
- Thiong’o, K., Pasternak, R., Kleusberg, A., Thonfeld, F., & Menz, G. (2015). Separability of Dominant Crop Cultures in Southern Germany Using TerraSAR-X Data. https://www.scirp.org/journal/paperinformation.aspx?paperid=56856
- Kuria, B. T. (2011). “Differentiation of Some Crops in Leingarten and Moessingen, Baden Wuerttemberg, Germany Using TerraSAR-X Data”.MSc Thesis Stuttgart University. http://41.89.227.156:8080/xmlui/handle/123456789/381
- Kuria, B. T. (2008) “Assessment of the Effects of Encroachment on Wildlife Population in Ngong Hills Forest, Kenya”. B.Sc. Project. Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology.
Papers presented in Conferences, Seminars and Workshops
- Eileen N. Mwangi, Martin W. Chege, Esther W. Maina, Kuria B. Thiong’o (2022). Development of A Gender Based Violence Emergency Response System. 13th AARSE International Conference, 24-28 October 2022, Kigali, Rwanda.
- Goebel, Marcus Frederik, Thiong’o Kuria, Rienow, Andreas (2022). Classification Features and Object-based Mapping for Heterogenous Tropical Highlands Using a Synergetic Multi-Sensor Approach Based on Sentinel-1, Sentinel-2, and GEDI Data – A Case Study of the Muringato Sub-catchment, Kenya. 41st EARSeL Symposium, 12-16 September 2022, Paphos, Cyprus.
- Wisdom Kipkemboi, Bartholomew T. Kuria, David N. Kuria (2022). Assessing The Effectiveness of Participatory GIS Tool for Environmental Conservation of the Muringato Catchment Area. 41st EARSeL Symposium, 12-16 September 2022, Paphos, Cyprus.
- Simon Wachira Muthee, Bartholomew Thiong’o Kuria, Charles Ndegwa Mundia (2022). Characterising the Changes in Land Use and Land Cover amid Changing Climatic Conditions using Remote Sensing Techniques in the Muringato Basin, Kenya. 41st EARSeL Symposium, 12-16 September 2022, Paphos, Cyprus.
- Wisdom Kipkemboi, Bartholomew T. Kuria, David N. Kuria (2022). Assessing Participatory GIS Tool for Environmental Conservation of the Muringato Catchment Area. The Living Planet Symposium, 23-27 May 2022, Bonn, Germany.
- Edwin Gitobu Mwobobia, Sichangi A. W. & Kuria B. Thiong’o (2019). Characterization of wheat production using Earth- based observations: A case study of Meru County, Kenya, The 5th DeKUT international conference on science, technology, innovation & entrepreneurship, 13th – 15th November, 2019, Nyeri, Kenya.
- Kirui Benard, Kuria Bartholomew and Makokha Godfrey (2019). Assessing the crop health and growth using multi-temporal vegetation indices derived from sentinel-2 imagery: A case study of wheat production in Narok County, The 5th DeKUT international conference on science, technology, innovation & entrepreneurship, 13th – 15th November, 2019, Nyeri, Kenya.
- Evanson Ndung’u, Kuria Bartholomew and Murimi Ngigi (2019). Analysis of Spatial Factors Affecting Rental House Prices: A Case Study of Nyeri Town Constituency, Nyeri County, The 5th DeKUT international conference on science, technology, innovation & entrepreneurship, 13th – 15th November, 2019, Nyeri, Kenya.
- Kuria B. Thiong’o (2019). In-season and Inter-Season Maize Crop Monitoring with Radar Satellites in Trans Nzoia County, Kenya. The 5th DeKUT international conference on science, technology, innovation & entrepreneurship, 13th – 15th November, 2019, Nyeri, Kenya.
- Bartholomew Kuria, Fridah Kirimi, Carsten Juergens, Kenneth Mubea (2018). In-season Maize Crop Monitoring with Radar Satellites- case study of Endebess, Kenya. RCMRD International Conference (RIC), 15-17 August 2018, Nairobi, Kenya.
- Kuria, T. B., Kirimi, K. F., Gikwa, W. C. and Kuria, N. D. (2018). Maize crop monitoring with sentinel-1 radar satellite- case study of Endebess, Kenya. The DeKUT international conference on science, technology, innovation & entrepreneurship, 7th – 9th November, 2018, Nyeri, Kenya.
- Bartholomew Thiong’o Kuria, Samuel Wanjohi Kibui, David Ndegwa Kuria and Kenneth Mubea (2017). Using Radar Images for Analysis of Small and Large Scale Crop Production in Endebess Sub County. RCMRD International Conference (RIC), 27-29 September 2017, Nairobi, Kenya.
- Kuria B. Thiong’o, Alfred Kleusberg, Renee` Pasternak, Gunter Menz (2014). Differentiation of Dominant Crop Cultures in Southern Germany Using TerraSAR-X Data. The DeKUT international conference on science, technology, innovation & entrepreneurship, 13th – 15th November, 2014, Nyeri, Kenya.
Awards, Scholarships and Recognitions
- Masters Scholarship award from the Katholisher Akademischer Auslaender-Dienst (KAAD), Germany, 2009.
- Ingenieur/Gesellschaft für Interfaces mbH (IGI) academic award at the University of Stuttgart, 2010.
- Doctoral scholarship award from the Katholisher Akademischer Auslaender-Dienst (KAAD), Germany, 2014.
- Best poster awards, third position at the international conference of the African Association of Remote Sensing of the Environment (AARSE) conference, Uganda, 2016.
- Recognition certificate for reviewing articles for the journal of Applied Geography in the year 2019.
Research
a) Research funding: (Indicate the Source, Amount & Year)
| Project Name | Status | Partner | Amount |
| Equipment grant | Complete 2020 | Centre for International Migration and Development (CIM), Germany | 10,000 EUR. |
| CITGI4Muringato Project- “Participatory Approach to Environmental Conservation of the Muringato Catchment Area for Sustainable Management and Enhanced Ecosystem Health”- grant no. 01DG20022 | Ongoing (November 2020-October 2023). |
Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) Germany – funder.
Ruhr University Bochum, Germany- collaborating university. |
250,000 EUR. |
| Small Scale Crop Mapping using Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning | Complete (December 2021-May 2022) | Kenya Space Agency (KSA) | KES 500,000 |
| Muringato basin abstraction survey consultancy with DeKUTES | Complete (November 2021-April 2022). | Water Sector Transfer Fund (WSTF)- funder.
Muringato Water Resources Users Association (WRUA)- client. |
KES 400,000 |
Postgraduate Thesis Supervision and Examination (Start with the most current, completed and then ongoing)
i) Doctorate
| Name Doctorate Student(s) | Year | Thesis Title | Responsibility |
| Dancan Kimwatu | Completed 2021 | Developing an Aridity Monitoring Index Based on Sensitivities of Environmental Droughts in a Dry Basin Ecosystem | Internal examiner and correction supervisor |
| Johanna Wanjala | Ongoing | Modelling Streamflow Depletion Rate as a Result of Global Change From Surface and Subsurface Hydrological Interaction of Muringato Basin | Thesis supervisor |
| Everton Namasake | Ongoing | Developing Sugarcane Index using Remote Assessment Biophysical Characteristics | Thesis supervisor |
| Marion Warau Mwaniki | Ongoing | Developing a geospatial business intelligence system for the optimization of product distribution strategy and the performance of business analytics: A Case Study of Kiambu County. | Thesis supervisor |
ii) Masters
| Name Masters Student(s) | Year | Thesis Title | Responsibility |
| Grace Rebecca Aduvukha | Completed 2021 | Spatial Modeling of Avocado Pests and Pollinators using Cropping Patterns and Environmental Variables for Integrated Pest and Pollinator Management | Internal examiner and correction supervisor |
| Johanna Anyesi Wanjala | Completed 2019 | Spatial Modelling of Yala Swamp Dry Season Inundation Variation in Response To River Yala Basin Changing Environment | Internal examiner and correction supervisor |
| Edwin Gitobu Mwobobia | Completed 2021 | Characterization of Wheat Production Using Earth-Based Observations :A Case Study of Timau, Meru County, Kenya-2021 | Thesis supervisor |
| Benard Kipkoech Kirui |
Ongoing
planned completion 2022 | Wheat Yield Simulation Approach Combining Earth Observation Techniques and Crop Models | Thesis supervisor |
| Evanson Ndung’u Kimani |
Ongoing
planned completion 2023 | Modelling Of Rental House Prices Using GIS and Remote Sensing: A Case Study of Nyeri Town Constituency, Nyeri County, Kenya | Thesis supervisor |
| Simon Wachira Muthee |
Ongoing
planned completion 2023 | Spatial Modelling of Hydrological Impacts due to Land Use and Land Cover Change at the Muringato Sub- Basin Area | Thesis supervisor |
| Wisdom Kipkemboi |
Ongoing
planned completion 2023 | Participatory GIS Tools For Environmental Conservation: A Case Study of Muringato Catchment Area, Nyeri, Kenya | Thesis supervisor |
| Francis Ngari Maina | Ongoing | Spatial Modeling of Water Requirement for Paddy Rice- A Case Study of Mwea Irrigation Scheme, Kirinyaga County, Kenya | Thesis supervisor |
| Serah Nyambura Ngugi | Ongoing | Assessing Primary Education Equity in Kenya using Geospatial Information System Techniques: A Case Study Of Githunguri Sub County | Thesis supervisor |
| Faith Jepkurui Kandie | Ongoing | Exploring Spatial Temporal Patterns of Rain-Fed and Irrigated Agricultural Land Using Pixel and Object Based Image Analysis in Baringo County | Thesis supervisor |
Research Interests
- GIS and Remote Sensing