EDUCATION

University of Pennsylvania

Ph.D. in Materials Science and Engineering (2013)

Masters in Materials Science and Engineering (2010)

Honors and Awards: Geoffrey Belton Graduate Fellowship Award for significant contributions to field of Ph.D. study (2012)

Dartmouth College

Bachelor of Arts in Engineering Sciences (2008)

Bachelor of Engineering concentrating in Materials Science (2008)

Honors and Awards: The George A. Colligan Memorial Prize for outstanding performance in Materials Science (2008);  The Class of 1962 Award for Excellence in Peer Tutoring (2008); Samuel E. Aronowitz 1911 Prize for Social Change for distinguished service as a Tucker Foundation Fellow (2008);  Carson 1934 Scholarship (2005-2008); Albert Schweitzer Fellowship (2006-2007); Tucker Foundation Fellowship (2005);  James O. Freedman Presidential Scholar (2006-2007);  Tau Beta Pi Engineering Honor Society

SELECTED WORK EXPERIENCE

2018-: Research Director, The Energy for Growth Hub, Nairobi + London

2017-2021: Co-founder and CEO, Mawazo Institute, Nairobi

2014-2017: Senior Fellow, US Dept of Energy Office of International Climate and Clean Energy, Washington D.C.

2013-2014: Energy and Innovation Policy Fellow, US Senate Office of Sen Chris Coons, Washington D.C.

2008-2013: Doctoral Researcher, Winey Research Group at UPenn, Philadelphia

SELECTED professional awards & recognition

• McGuire Family Prize for Societal Impact (2023)

• Kenya’s Best Communicator (research) (2021)

• Apolitical’s 100 Most Influential People in Gender Policy (2021)

• Pritzker Emerging Environmental Genius Award (Shortlisted, 2020)

• Next Einstein Forum Ambassador - Kenya (2017)

• American Institute of Physics Congressional Science Fellow (2013)

SELECTED Boards & Committees

• Advisory Board Member, Schmidt Sciences Decarbonization and Energy Program (2024 - )

• Advisory Board Member, Dartmouth Irving Institute for Energy and Society (2021 - )

• Board Member, CLASP Board of Directors (2018 - )

• Expert Panelist, Earthshot Prize Expert Advisory Panel (2024)

• Steering Committee Member, Royal Academy of Engineering GCRF Africa Catalyst (2019-2021)

• Multidisciplinary Assessment Committee Member, Canada Foundation for Innovation’s 2020 Innovation Fund (2020)

• Task Force Member,  Montreal Protocol Technology and Economic Assessment Panel (TEAP) Decision XXXI/7 Task Force on Energy Efficiency and Low-Global-Warming-Potential Technologies (2020)

• Steering Committee Member, Government of Kenya’s 8th National Science Week (2019)

REFEREED SCIENTIFIC & TECHNICAL PUBLICATIONS

1.     Thurber, M. C., Murefu, B., Mutiso, R. M., Ajwang, B., “Wind and Solar in Africa Need Grids to Match.” Electricity Journal, 2021,34, 106976

2. Baring-Gould, E., Singh, M., Mutiso, R., McGregor, C., Burman, K., and Easterly, S., Quality Assurance Framework for Mini-Grids. NREL/TP-5000-67374, November 2016.

3.     Mutiso, R. M., Sherrott, M. C., Rathmell, A. R., Wiley, B. J., and Winey, K. I., “Integrating Simulations and Experiments to Predict Sheet Resistance and Optical Transmittance in Nanowire Films for Transparent Conductors.” ACS Nano, 2013, 7, 7654 – 7663

4.     Mutiso, R. M., Kikkawa, J. M., and Winey, K. I., “Resistive Switching in Silver/Polystyrene/Silver Nano-Gap Devices.” Applied Physics Letters, 2013, 103, 223302

5.     Mutiso, R. M. and Winey, K. I., “Electrical Percolation in Quasi-Two-Dimensional Metal Nanowire Networks for Transparent Conductors.” Physical Review E., 2013, 88, 032134

6.     Mutiso, R. M., Sherrott, M. C., Li, Ju, and Winey, K. I., “Simulations and Generalized Model of the Effect of Filler Size Dispersity on Electrical Percolation in Rod Networks.” Physical Review B., 2012, 86, 214306

7.     Mutiso, R. M. and Winey, K. I., “Electrical Conductivity of Polymer Nanocomposites.” In: Matyjaszewski K and Möller M (eds.) Polymer Science: A Comprehensive Reference, 2012, vol. 7, pp. 327 – 342.

8.     White, S. I., Mutiso, R. M., Jahnke, D., Hsu, S., Li, J., Kikkawa, J. M., Vora, P.M., and Winey, K. I., “Electrical Percolation Behavior in Silver Nanowire-Polystyrene Composites: Simulation and Experiment.” Advanced Functional Materials, 2010, 20, 2709-2716.

9.     Mutiso, R. M. and Winey, K.I., “Electrical Properties of Polymer Nanocomposites Containing Rod-like Nanofillers.” Progress In Polymer Science, 2015, 40, 63-84. (by invitation)

10.     H.-R. Müller, G.P. Zank, P. Faurot-Pigeon, V. Jiwariyavej, R. Mutiso, and F. Shafi, “Effects of variable interstellar environments on the heliosphere.” In: IGPP-UCR Conference on The physics of the Inner Heliosheath, J. Heerikhuisen et al. (Eds.), AIP Conference Proceedings, 2006, 858, 33-38.