KESSA Keynote Speakers 2020
Dr. Sherine O. Obare
Dr. Phylis Jepkemoi Bartoo
Marko Cheseto
Keynote Speakers
Dr. Sherine O. Obare
Dr. Sherine Obare is the Dean of the Joint School of Nanoscience and Nanoengineering at the North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University and the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. She is also a Full Professor of Nanoscience at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. She received a B.S. in Chemistry from West Virginia State University, obtained a Ph.D. in Chemistry from the University of South Carolina, and was a Camille and Henry Dreyfus Postdoctoral fellow at the Johns Hopkins University before beginning her academic career. Obare was an Assistant, Associate and Full professor of Chemistry at Western Michigan University (WMU) from 2004-2014. In 2015 she became the Associate Dean for Research in the College of Arts and Sciences at WMU. In 2016-2018, she served as WMU’s Associate Vice President for Research.
Obare is an Environmental Chemist whose research focuses on the detection and remediation of environmental contaminants as well as understanding the fate, transport and toxicity of anthropogenic nanomaterials. Her research program has been funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF), the Department of Defense, the National Institutes of Health and the Department of Education, among others. She serves as the Program Chair for the American Chemical Society’s Division of Environmental Chemistry and is also Chair-Elect for the Division (2020-2022). She has published over 100 articles. She is the co-editor of two new books titled “Green Technologies for the Environment” and the “Power and promise of Early Research”. She has trained over 100 students in her laboratory and is the recipient of the 2009 IUPAC Young Observer Award, the NSF CAREER award, and the NSF Division of Materials Research American Competitiveness and Innovation (ACI) Fellowship. In 2013, Obare was named as one of the top 25 Women Professors in Michigan. In 2019, she was elected as Fellow of the American Chemical Society. The Triad Business Journal recognized Obare as a Triad Power Player in 2019, and as an Outstanding Women in Business in 2020.
Dr. Phylis Jepkemoi Bartoo
Dr. Phylis Jepkemoi Bartoo is the Dean Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences Egerton University, Kenya. She received her B.EdArts Degree at Kenyatta University and MA Degree in Language and Linguistics from Egerton University Kenya. She earned her Ph.D. in Linguistics from University of Witwatersrand, South Africa. She is the serving Dean Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences Egerton University from 2017 to date and a member of the University Senate. Dr. Bartoo is a Senior Lecturer of Linguistics and has previously served as a Chair of Department of Literature, Language and Linguistics (2012- 2017). She has taught at Egerton University for the last fifteen years and during this time she has authored and co-authored several publications in refereed Journals and supervised a number of postgraduate students. She is also a member of the following Boards: Institute of Women and Gender, Egerton University Radio and Nakuru Town Campus, and additionally a member of CODESRIA.
Marko Cheseto
Who is Marko?
“ Marko Cheseto is currently fastest known marathon time by a double amputee 2:37:23. Born in Kapenguria, West Pokot Kenya, Cheseto came to US in 2008 on athletics scholarships to the University of Alaska Anchorage. He was a decorated student athlete both in the classroom and in the field. In 2011, he suffered a major depression after he lost his cousin to suicide. In November 2011, he suffered severe frostbite which resulted to amputation of both his feet below knee after being stuck in the ice for more than fifty six hours after drug overdose. Cheseto holds masters degree in Science Management and and undergraduate in Nutrition. He is currently a Florida resident together with his wife and their three daughters. According to Cheseto, he believes, “our limitations is not based on how we look but the limits we have set to ourselves.”
He is a Champion of Students and Mental Health issues
