I work with Kenya Marine and Fisheries Research Institute since 2010 as a research scientist in Oceanography and Hydrography department. I hold a Bachelor of Science degree in Biochemistry from Kenyatta University (2000 to 2004). I did a Master’s of Science degree in Marine Biotechnology from Wageningen University, The Netherlands (2012 to 2014). I have done various professional courses from various universities which include: Advanced masters’ course on Technologies for Water resource management Jointly Organized by University of Antwerp and Ghent University Belgium; Use of Constructed wetlands for water quality control and wastewater treatment from UNESC-IHE University, The Netherlands; Ocean governance and sustainable fisheries management from Australia National University, Australia, and Environmental/ Pest risk assessment, offered by Africa Center of Excellence, Addis Abba University, Ethiopia. I have also been involved in Oceanography research cruises which Includes: International Indian Ocean Expedition II Cruise South Africa, Tanzania and Comoros waters on board South Africa Agulhas II, 2018, and RV Mtafiti Territorial water cruise, Kenya territorial waters.

Innovations:
Developed mobile application for plastic monitoring in Kenya. Already registered under copyright board of Kenya, and in the process of patenting. It is on google store with name “Macroplastics application”

Funded projects 

• Citizen Science for monitoring macroplastics in Kenya using mobile Technology collaborative project with University of Antwerp Belgium, Funded by Vlir-uos under South-North initiative.2019 o 2021 Ongoing. Amount: 68, 750 Euros. https://www.vliruos.be/en/projects/project/22?pid=4148 
• Second Grant, Mwache Mangrove forest regeneration: Integrated approach to restore mangrove forest, project award by Rufford Small Grant Foundation 5,000 sterling pounds ongoing. Amount 5,000 sterling pounds (July 2019 to July, 2020). https://www.rufford.org/projects/gilbert-nyabochwa-atuga/mwache-mangrove-forest-regeneration-integrated-approach-to-restore-mangrove-habitat-MTU1MTQ/ 
• First Grant, Mwache Mangrove forest regeneration: Integrated approach to restore mangrove forest, project award by Rufford Small Grant Foundation 5,000 sterling pounds July 2017 to July 2018. https://www.rufford.org/projects/gilbert-nyabochwa-atuga/mwache-mangrove-forest-regeneration-integrated-approach-to-restore-mangrove-habitat/

• Atuga G. (2021). Mobile application for plastics monitoring in Kenya. Mobile publication Patent KE/P/2021/3833.
•  Atuga G. (2021): Development of Standard Operation Protocols for Macroplastics Monitoring Using a Mobile App to ensure quality data input, KMFRI, Advancing Development of Kenya’s Blue Economy: Highlights of KMFRI Marine Research and Innovation (2020/2021). (Eds) G. M. Okemwa, J. Uku, S. Wachia and J. Kiguta. Kenya Marine and Fisheries Research Institute, Mombasa, Kenya 55 pp
• Atuga G. (2021): Development of a mobile application for monitoring plastics pollution in Kenya, KMFRI, Advancing Development of Kenya’s Blue Economy: Highlights of KMFRI Marine Research and Innovation (2020/2021). (Eds) G. M. Okemwa, J. Uku, S. Wachia and J. Kiguta. Kenya Marine and Fisheries Research Institute, Mombasa, Kenya 55 pp
•  Atuga, G. et al., (2016). "Enrichment of chlorobenzenes degrading cultures from Zeebrugge harbor river sediments" Proceedings of the 2016 Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology Scientific Technological and Industrialization Conference.  http://41.204.187.99/index.php/jscp/article/view/1346
•  Atuga, G. et al., (2016). “Influence of Temperature on Digested Black Water Nitrification: Suitable Conditions for algae growth” Proceedings of the 2016 Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology Scientific Technological and Industrialization Conference. http://41.204.187.99/index.php/jscp/article/view/1341
•  Diemont, E,    Draugelyte,     E,         Felix, G. F,      Atuga, G,        and      Bos,     R.            (2014). Democratizing knowledge: co-creating the future, insights from the iweek 2013. In paper Book 6th Living knowledge Conference, (pp. 88-97). https://library.wur.nl/WebQuery/wurpubs/fulltext/359092 

Technical reports

• Atuga G., (2021). Assess the extent of Personal Protective Equipment plastic litter along the Kenyan coast to understand the extent of COVID-19 PPE waste pollution. KMFRI technical report series.
• Atuga G., (2021). Mobile application for plastic pollution monitoring in Kenya using citizen science. KMFRI technical report series.
• Atuga G., (2021). Standard Operation Protocols. Monitoring macroplastics in Kenya – Guideline. KMFRI technical series. 

Articles Published in other media

• Atuga, G., Johannes T. (2021). Monitoring Kenya’s Plastic Problem: How Citizen Science can help monitoring macroplastics in Kenya using mobile technology. Environment, Coastal & Offshore, Special issue UN Ocean Decade. http://digital.ecomagazine.com/publication/frame.php?i=707374&p=&pn=&ver=html5&view=articleBrowser&article_id=4031512
• Atuga, G., (2020). COVID-19 pandemic and the Blue Economy: From Plastic pollution perspective. https://www.kmfri.co.ke/index.php/13-news-and-events/196-covid-19-pandemic-and-the-blue-economy-from-plastic-pollution-perspective
• Atuga, G., (2020). Fighting Covid-19 brings new danger: Daily Nation newspaper article on improper disposal of facemasks used for Covid-19 Prevention. https://nation.africa/kenya/blogs-opinion/opinion/fighting-covid-19-brings-new-danger--549214
• Atuga, G., (2020). Improper disposal of COVID-19 face masks likely to hurt ocean health, increase plastic pollution. https://www.kmfri.co.ke/images/pdf/Mtafiti-Monthly-May-issuefinal-1.pdf 

Research dissemination in local television media

• https://www.standardmedia.co.ke/thenairobian/ktn-leo/video/2000210676/kisunzi-cha-barakoa-makala-maalum-kuhusu-athari-ya-barakoa-siku-za-usoni-nchini-kenya
• https://www.standardmedia.co.ke/thenairobian/ktn-prime/video/2000210684/masked-disaster-looming-disaster-as-75-per-cent-of-face-masks-end-up-in-the-environment
• https://www.standardmedia.co.ke/health/amp/health-science/article/2001411239/unmasked-how-poorly-disposed-face-masks-will-end-up-in-your-food