Research Groups

PROPOSED RESEARCH GROUPS IN CIVIL AND ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT

Sustainable Construction Materials, Structures and Bridges Research Group

1. Dr. Moses Matovu

2. Dr. Allan Okodi

3. Dr. Apollo Buregyeya

4. Dr. Hilary Bakamwesiga

5. Eng. Tony Meri Carlos

6. Mr. Felixson Ngyero

Water Resources Research Group

1. Dr. Seith N. Mugume

2. Dr. Philip Nyenje

3. Dr. Jotham Sempewo

4. Dr. Emmanuel Tumwesigye

5. Dr. Max Kigobe

6. Mr. Martin D. Tumutungire

Environmental and Pollution Management Research Group

1. Dr. Robinah N. Kulabalo

2. Assoc. Prof. Charles B. Niwagaba

3. Dr. Herbert Mpagi Kalibbala

4. Dr. Alex Y. Katukiza

5. Dr. Ronald Musenze

6. Dr. Swaib Semiyaga

7. Dr. Joel R. Kinobe

Highways and Transportation Research Group

1. Assoc. Prof. Umaru Bagampadde

2. Dr. May Namutebi

3. Dr. A. Bwambale

4. Eng. David Kaddu

Geomaterials and Geotechnics Research Group

1. Dr. Gilbert Kasangaki

2. Mr. Michael Atukunda

PROPOSED RESEARCH GROUPS IN ELECTRICAL AND COMPUTER ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT

netLabs!UG

Acronym: netLabs!UG
Group Leader: Dorothy K. Okello (Assoc. Prof), 0772957550, dorothy.okello@mak.ac.ug
Group Members: Assoc. Prof. Dorothy Okello, Dr. Jonathan Serugunda, Dr. Edwin Mugume,Dr. Andrew Katumba, Dr. Roseline N. Akol, Ms. Berna Namulyowa, Mr. Alexander Muhangi, Mr. Simon Masombo, Mr. Wayne Okello, Mr. Abdu-Noor Kalibbala, and Ms. Gorret Namulondo.

Group Description
netLabs!UG is a multi-disciplinary research group established at the College of Engineering, Design, Art and Technology, School of Engineering, Makerere University. Its researchers focus on a range of areas in both basic and applied research. The main areas of research are network technologies, Internet of Things and its applications in various sectors, and Machine Learning and its applications. The group developed out of the original Community Wireless Resource Center (CWRC) as its areas of research expanded from just focusing on rural community wireless networks. However, broadband provision frameworks in rural and underserved settings continue to be a major component of the group’s research and significant contributions have been registered in this particular area.

Research Group Name: Energy and Power System Engineering Solutions

Acronym: EPSES
Group Leader: Emmanuel Wokulira Miyingo, 0782423774, miyingo@yahoo.com
Group Members: Prof. Dorothy Okello, Prof. John Baptist Kirabira, Dr. Emmanuel Wokulira Miyingo, Dr. Emmanuel Menya, Dr. Patrick Ssebugere, Dr. Joseph Ddumba Lwanyaga, and Mr. David Sunday Tusubira
Pending Group Members: five more members accepted to join the group, but have not yet provided their respective details
Group Description
This is a multi-disciplinary research group established at the College of Engineering, Design, Art and Technology, School of Engineering, Makerere University. Its research is geared towards energy and power, environmental sustainability, material science, STEM education, productive use of energy, application of Internet in energy-power and agriculture, agricultural value chain support, to mention a few. It was created by a team of researchers with diverse research experiences and varying backgrounds. The aim of the group is to contribute to sustainable living through innovative solutions by bringing together a number of vibrant researchers with related ambitions. The idea of creating this research group arose out of the need to tackle challenges facing humanity relating to climate change and its associated negative effects by developing appropriate and innovative solutions. The energy, food, and water nexus is very important in its research agenda, and the group appreciates that those three fundamental resources are quite difficult to pursue in isolation.

Integrated Smart Systems Group

Acronym: ISSG
Group Leader: Dr. Jonathan Serugunda, 0776601601, serugthan@gmail.com
Group Members: Dr. Jonathan Serugunda, Dr. Edwin Mugume, Dr. Abubaker Matovu Wasswa, Prof. Dorothy Okello, Dr. Milton Edimu, Dr. Jane Namaganda Kiyimba, Mr. Tonny Ssetumba, Ms. Charlene Nagawa, and Mr. Alvin Mulumba. The group also includes a talented team of undergraduate and master’s students.
Group Description
ISSG is a dynamic research consortium within the College of Engineering, Design, Art, and Technology, Makerere University. Dedicated to fostering interdisciplinary collaboration, ISSG seeks to seamlessly integrate various specializations of engineering, including but not limited to Internet of Things (IoT), power systems, electronics, artificial intelligence, biomedical systems, telecommunication systems, and energy. The primary goal is to establish a cohesive engineering unit that amplifies the intelligence of a system to ensure ease of use, resilience and sustainability.

Marconi Research and Innovations Lab

Group Leader: Dr. Andrew Katumba,
Group Members: Dr. Andrew Katumba, Dr. Cosmas Mwikirize, Dr. Jonathan Serugunda, Dr. Edwin Mugume, Prof. Dorothy Okello, Dr. sc. Jan Mikelson, Winfred Jenifer Namuyanja
Group Description
The Marconi Lab is a Research and Innovation Laboratory based at the College of Engineering, Design, Art & Technology, Makerere University. We are pioneering a data-driven future through research and solutions developed with technologies including; Artificial Intelligence, IoT, Space Technology, Software Engineering, Cloud Computing, and Blockchain.

iLabs@MAK

Acronym: iLabs@MAK
Group Leader: Assoc Prof Peter Lating
Group Description
iLabs@MAK comprises student developers (both Graduate and Undergraduate) and members of staff from the Faculty of Technology. The student developers carry out research in development of new labs to support curricula of the Bsc. Electrical, Telecommunications and Computer Engineering Programmes. To date, laboratories have been developed supporting experimentation in the fields of Digital circuit analysis, Amplitude/Frequency Modulation, Pulse Code Modulation and Digital Data Transmission. These experiments are used in the courses of Introduction to Digital Electronics (1st year), Applied Digital Electronics, Basic Telephony and Communication Theory I (3rd year). The ongoing research seeks to develop laboratories supporting the fields of Digital Signal Processing, Embedded Systems, Fiber Optic Systems, and Control Systems Engineering.

PROPOSED RESEARCH GROUPS IN MECHANICAL ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT

VALue-addition Of waste and mineral Resources for an Innovative Zero-Wa ste Economy (VALORIZE).

Research Interests: Material Characterizations, Experimental designs and optimization, Iron and steel, zeolites, geopolymer cements, Porcelains, Bio-active carbons, Industrial and agricultural waste valorization for energy, water treatment, and air quality management

Group Leader: Peter W. Olupot
Group Members: Emmanuel Menya, Joseph Jjagwe ,Joel Wakatuntu ,Medard Turyasingura, Tumutungire Mwebembezi ,Godfrey Ssajja-Ssali ,Edmond Mpagi ,Tadeo Mibulo ,Godfrey Wangi

Current research projects

Metallization of Ugandan Iron Ores. Funding: Science, Technology and Innovation (STI), Office of the President of Uganda.
Development of Iron Oxide Nanoparticles from steel waste for Applications in Drinking Water Treatment. Funding: Science, Technology and Innovation (STI), Office of the President of Uganda.
Iron oxide-based nanocomposite bio-adsorbents for water treatment. Funding: EPFL- /EXAF-Switzerland.
Development of zeolite-based nano-composite filters for drinking water treatment in Uganda. Funding: MAPRONANO/MakRIF
Technology for application of activated carbons from rice husks in water treatment. Funding: Volkswagen Foundation & MakRIF
Renewable Energies for Africa: Effective Valorisation of Agri-Food Wastes (REFFECT-AFRICA). Funding: European Commission Horizon 2020
Optimisation of Recirculating Water Treatment Process for a Smart Communal Hand Washing System. Funding: Volkswagen Foundation

Completed research projects

Development of a recyclable-water hand-washing facility (ECO-WASH). MakRIF COVID-19 Call. 2019-2020. UGX. 60,000,000 2.
Technological Application of Rice Husks in the Production of Activated Carbon for Industrial Applications in Uganda. Funding: Volkswagen Foundation 2015-2019. Eur. 166,000 3.
Characterization of rice husks for production of particle boards. Funding: Faculty

Bioproducts from Bio-composites, Bio-plastics, and Bio-fuels for sustainable development (Sustainable Bioproducts Group – BioSus)

Acronym: BioSus

Research Interests: Bio-composite plastics, Bio-plastics, Bio-fuels, Bio-char, Composite briquettes, Carbon-based thin films, Surface Engineering, Energy modelling, Product development and process optimization.

Group Leader: Michael Lubwama

Group Members: Michael Lubwama ,Vianney Andrew Yiga ,Victor Alirach,Herman Mbabali,Ismail Kimuli

Current research projects

Bioplastics development from agricultural residues.
Bio-char reinforced plastic composites for thermal stability
Composite briquettes from waste materials with uncommon binding agents
Developing of sustainable packaging material

Completed research projects

Upcycling plastic wastes by incorporating agricultural residues
Thermal stability of rice husk fiber reinforced PLA
Development of sustainable packaging material from banana stems and bagasse
Development of briquettes for domestic cooking applications

Some Recent Publications from Sustainable Bioproducts Group – Dr. Michael Lubwama

Yiga VA, Nuwamanya A, Birungi A, Lubwama M, Lubwama HN (2023) Development of carbonized rice husks briquettes: Synergy between emissions, combustion, kinetics and thermodynamic characteristics. Energy Reports 9: 5977-5991. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.egyr.2023.05.066
Lubwama M, Yiga VA, Lubwama HN, Ssempijja I, Kihedu I (2023) Emissions and emission factors for Dichrostacys cinerea, Morus Lactea, Pilostigma thonningii, Combretum mole, and Albizia grandibracteata firewood species and their charcoals. Biomass Conversion and Biorefinery.https://doi.org/10.1007/s13399-023-04005-2
Mbabali H, Lubwama M, Yiga VA, Were E, Kasedde H (2023) Development of Rice Husk and Sawdust Mycelium-Based Bio-composites:Optimization of Mechanical, Physical and Thermal Properties. J. Inst. Eng. India Ser. D. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40033-023-00458-x
Kimuli I, Lubwama M, Kirabira JB, Sebbit A (2023) Development of a sustainable low-carbon footprint for Greater Kampala Metropolitant Area: The efficacy of a TIMES/CGE hybrid framework. Energy Reports 9: 19 – 36. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.egyr.2022.11.144
Yiga VA, Lubwama M. Olupot PW (2023) Thermal stability of NaOH modified rice husk fiber-reinforced polylactic acid composites: Effect of rice husks and clay loading. Results in Materials 18:100398. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rinma.2023.100398
Yiga VA, Lubwama M, Opio J, Menya E, Nono D, Lubwama HN (2023) Production and characterization of paper from banana stem fiber: Optimization using box-behnken design (BBD). Journal of Natural Fibers 20 (1): 2192019. https://doi.org/10.1080/15440478.2023.2192019

Some Recent Publications from the Valorize Group – Dr. Peter W. Olupot

Jjagwe, P. W. Olupot, S. Carrara, Iron oxide nanoparticles/nanocomposites derived from steel and iron wastes for water treatment: A review,Journal of Environmental Management, Volume 343, 2023, 118236, ISSN 0301-4797, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvman.2023.118236.
T. Tibesigwa, P. W. Olupot & J.B. Kirabira (2023) Assessment of the techno-economic viability of B10 synthesis from second-generation biodiesel feedstocks in Uganda. International Journal of Sustainable Energy, 42:1, 351-373, DOI: 10.1080/14786451.2023.2191144.
Tibesigwa, T., Iezzi, B., Lim, T.H., Kirabira, J.B., Olupot, P.W., Life cycle assessment of biodiesel production from selected second-generation feedstocks, Cleaner Engineering and Technology (2023), https://doi.org/10.1016/j.clet.2023.100614.
E. Menya, J. Jjagwe, H. M. Kalibbala, H. Storz, P. W. Olupot, Progress in Deployment of Biomass-Based Activated Carbon in Point-of-Use Filters for Removal of Emerging Contaminants from Water: A Review. Chemical Engineering Research and Design (2023). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cherd.2023.02.045
Lutaaya, S.M., Olupot, P.W., Wakatuntu J., Kasedde H. Effects of waste paper on fuel and mechanical properties of biogas digestate-derived briquettes. Biomass Conversion and Biorefinery (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13399-023-03929-z
J. Wakatuntu, P. W. Olupot, J. Jjagwe, E. Menya, M. Okure. Optimization of pyrolysis conditions for production of rice husk-based bio-oil as an energy carrier. Results in Engineering (2023). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rineng.2023.100947.
H.M. Kalibbala, P.W. Olupot, O.M. Ambani. Synthesis and efficacy of cactus-banana peels composite as a natural coagulant for water treatment, Results in Engineering (2023), doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rineng.2023.100945.
M. Turyasingura, J. Wakatuntu, M. Lubwama, J. Jjagwe, O. Hensel, P.W. Olupot, Optimisation of eggshell-zeolite composite as a potential surfactant adsorbent for hand-washing wastewater, Case Studies in Chemical and Environmental Engineering 7 (2023), 100284. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cscee.2022.100284.