Dr. KAYIWA Ronald is an Assistant lecturer in the Department of Mechanical Engineering, College of Engineering, Design, Art and Technology. He was conferred a Degree of Doctor of Philosophy during the 73rd Makerere University Graduation Ceremony held on Friday 17th February 2023.
Dr. KAYIWA Ronald’s PhD research study caught the attention of the Chancellor Makerere University Prof. Ezra Suruma who promised to work with him further. Pof. Ezra Suruma said this during 73rd Makerere University Graduation Ceremony while delivering his speech.
His PhD research was focused on “Activated carbon from cassava peels for removal of active pharmaceutical ingredients from waste water”
KAYIWA Ronald studied the potential of yielding activated carbon from cassava peels that can remove pharmaceuticals from water systems. Carbamazepine, Trimethoprim, and Clarithromycin were the targeted pharmaceuticals. He modified the process of synthesizing activated carbon from the peels which yielded activated carbon with the highest ever reported surface area and pore volumes for cassava peel-based activated carbon at 1684 m2/g and 0.756 cm3/g respectively. The study proved for the first time ever that cassava peel-activated carbon could adsorb pharmaceutical residues to about 95% removal for a 2.0 g/L dosage and capacity of 25.907, 84.034, and 1.487 mgg-1 for Carbamazepine, Trimethoprim, and Clarithromycin respectively. The Kayiwa Equation was also developed from the techno-economic analysis of the precursor-activated carbon value chain in this study. This study was funded by the Africa Centre of Excellence in Materials, Product Development & Nanotechnology and supervised by Dr. Hillary Kasedde and Dr. Michael Lubwama
Prior to his PhD Study, he was one of the students behind the KIIRA EV innovation. He has also carried out a research study on KIIRA EV titled “Optimization model of the proposed KIIRA EV assembly lineprstn”. This study focused on structuring the Kiira EV assembly line efficiently both logistically and operationally. This included identification of all assembly operations and using lean assembly fundamentals to develop a model of the line. Balancing tools were used at the various iterative performance checks to alleviate bottlenecks. The cores in this work were; operations sequencing, layout planning, operator planning and line balancing
DR. KYOSIMIRE DOREEN
Dr. KYOSIMIRE Doreen is an academic staff at the College of Engineering, Design, Art and Technology, in the Department of Architecture and Physical Planning
Her PhD research title was “Self-Help Housing Breeds no Contempt: Architecture, Women’s Agency and the transformation of Masese Women’s Self-help Housing Project in Jinja-Uganda”
She explored discourse on gender, architecture and women’s agency in low-cost housing. The study employed an inter disciplinary research design with methods drawn from historical, and architectural approaches. The study linked history, theory and practice to improve the methodology for architectural practice. It placed the question power of women and agency in a comprehensive historical framework and approached it from Hélène Frichot’s proposition that “feminist work crafts a different kind of architecture”. A traditional proverb which posits that self-help housing breeds no contempt, was leaned on to find an appropriate position for the study. The study demonstrates that self-help housing is an effort made by household members concerning the planning, financing and construction of their housing context in which widowhood and prostitution have gained new meanings such as land lordship. This study was funded by SIDA and supervised by Prof Barnabas Nawangwe, Dr. Assumpta Nnagenda-Musana and Dr. Henry Manyire.
Dr. YIGA Andrew Vianney
Dr. YIGA Andrew Vianney is assistant lecturer at the College of Engineering, Design Art and Technology who graduated with a PhD during the 73rd Makerere University Graduation Ceremony held on 17th February 2023
His PhD study Title was “Thermal Stability of Fiberreinforced polylactic acid composites for flame retardant applications”
Dr. YIGA Andrew Vianney sought to develop alkali modified rice husks fiber-reinforced polylactic acid (PLA) composites with clay fillers using compression molding technique. Rice husks were treated with Magnesium hydroxide and Sodium hydroxide alkali solutions at 1-4wt.% concentrations, in 5:1 and 15:1 liquor ratios to modify their surface. Box Behnken Design optimization technique using Design Expert software was used to set up experiments from 5 factors namely. PLA Composites had enhanced mechanical properties with incorporation of clay and rice husks material. TGA showed that incorporation of filler/fiber delayed weight loss and increased char residues, hence higher thermal stability and enhanced flame retardancy. PLA composites with low energy barrier favoured formation of an activated complex, due to low difference between activation energy and enthalpy. The current study revealed that rice husks fiber-reinforced PLA composites have good prospects for utilization in applications where thermal safety, health and security are desired. The study was funded by Volkswagen Foundation and supervised by Dr. Michael Lubwama and Dr. Peter Wilberforce Olupot.