UNIMA Physics Graduate Joins African Researchers for Space Weather Workshop in Kenya
A recent University of Malawi (UNIMA) Physics graduate, Moses Gausi, is representing the University at a regional capacity-building workshop on space-weather physics being held in Nairobi, Kenya, from 1 to 4 September 2026.
The Capacity Building Workshop in Space-Weather Physics, held under the theme Effects of the Space Environment on Critical Infrastructure over Sub-Saharan Africa, is bringing together early-career researchers, students, lecturers and experts from across Sub-Saharan Africa to strengthen knowledge and research capacity in space-weather physics.
The workshop is co-organised by the Technical University of Kenya (TUK) and the University of Bath, UK, under the Africa-UK Physics Partnership Collaborative Projects supported by the UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) grant.
Gausi, who has recently joined UNIMA’s Department of Physics and Electronics as a Teaching Assistant, is participating in the workshop as an emerging researcher in space physics.
His participation was facilitated by his mentor, Dr Bernard Mmame, a Lecturer and Programme Coordinator for MSc Physics at UNIMA, who shared the opportunity with him and guided him through the application and preparation process.
As part of the programme, Gausi is presenting research on the effects of geomagnetic fields on the upper atmosphere, focusing on observations and their implications for space physics which is being undertaken in collaboration with Dr Mmame.
“Participating in this workshop has been a transformative milestone for my career as an emerging researcher, providing me with critical insights into space weather data analysis and atmospheric modeling” Gausi says
The four-day hybrid workshop combines expert lectures with practical training in areas including solar-terrestrial physics, the ionosphere, geomagnetically induced currents (GICs), ionospheric irregularities, GNSS and ionosonde instrumentation, climatological modelling and satellite-based space-weather data.
Participants are also undertaking practical sessions on GIC modelling, examining how geomagnetic disturbances can generate electrical currents capable of affecting critical infrastructure such as power grids and pipelines.
Another key component of the workshop is the AfriTEC programme, an African-led initiative focused on ionospheric modelling through which participants are receiving hands-on training in the development and application of the modelling tools, alongside opportunities to present their own research and engage with scientists from across the continent.
The workshop has brought together participants from countries including Ghana, Nigeria, Ethiopia, Rwanda and Kenya, providing an opportunity for early-career researchers to exchange knowledge and establish research networks in the growing field of space-weather science.
For UNIMA, Gausi’s participation provides an opportunity to strengthen the University’s engagement in emerging areas of physics research while exposing an early-career academic to regional and international research networks.
His participation also highlights the value of academic mentorship in supporting young researchers as they transition from undergraduate students into research and academic careers.
