Research Projects

Research activities carried out in the school

The following are some of the ongoing research projects by members of staff in the school:

1. Marine and Coastal Science for Management (MASMA)- (USD 94,000) programme grant to organise the training on ecosystem services valuation and quantification to Marine and Coastal Managers in the Western Indian Ocean Region in June 2019 A Sustainable Approach in Livelihoods Improvement (ASALI)
2. Climate Smart Rain Water Harvesting and Conservation Technologies for Improved Food Security in Selected Parts of Kitui County – Funded by the National Research Fund (NRF) – 2016/2017 FY – 2017 to Date
3. Moringa oleifera Germplasm Project – Funded by the National Research Fund (NRF) – 2016/2017 FY – 2017 to Date
4. International Research and Development Cooperation Program on Africa Calotropis gigantean-ECA-HUYU-1149- A collaborative research by ICRAF and SEKU – 2015 to Date
5. Strengthening Community-Based Adaptation to Drought for Smallholder Agriculture in Kitui County (ongoing) in collaboration with Kitui Drought Management Authority and Farm Africa, Kitui. Sponsored by DAAD
6. Youth Empowerment and Capacity Strengthening for Post-Secondary Training in Agriculture, Water and Environment. 2018, National Research Fund (KES 14,957,000).
7. Participatory approach in the production and acclimatization of planting materials and management of postharvest losses of bananas in Kisii, Nyamira and Embu Counties, Kenya. 2018, National Research Fund (KES 6,500,000).
8. Carbon Projects e.g. Kasigau
9. Mikono Pamoja, Chyulu Hills
10. MORTEC Project on Moringa

Research Areas in Computer Science

The Department is actively engaged in cutting-edge research that addresses foundational, emerging, and applied challenges with focus on TWO broad key thematic areas: Machine learning and securing digital systems.

A) Cryptography & Network Security

We focus on securing digital systems through research in:

1. Cryptography: Encryption, digital signatures, post-quantum and homomorphic encryption, and secure protocols.
2. Network Security: Secure communications, intrusion detection, cloud and IoT security, and authentication systems.
3. Emerging Areas: Blockchain, quantum security, privacy-enhancing technologies, and AI for cybersecurity.

Our work blends strong theoretical foundations with practical solutions for real-world security challenges.

B) Machine Learning Research Areas

Our department conducts cutting-edge research in Machine Learning, combining theory, algorithms, and real-world applications. Key areas include:

1. Core ML: Supervised, unsupervised, reinforcement, and deep learning.
2. Applied ML: Natural language processing (African languages), computer vision, time-series analysis.
3. Trustworthy AI: Explainability, fairness, robustness, and adversarial defense.
4. Advanced Topics: Federated learning, meta-learning, and multi-modal learning.
5. Interdisciplinary Applications: AI in healthcare, finance, environment, and more.

We aim to develop intelligent systems that are accurate, ethical, and impactful across industries and society.