Professor Shaukat Abdulrazak assumed office following his appointment as the Principal Secretary (PS) for the newly established State Department for Science, Research, and Innovation under the Ministry of Education.
He took office on Thursday, April 17, after being welcomed by Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Migos Ogamba and Dr. Beatrice Muganda Inyangala, PS for the State Department for Higher Education.
His appointment follows President William Ruto’s decision to create the new State Department as part of a raft of Cabinet changes announced by Head of Public Service Felix Koskei on March 20.
Prof. Shaukat brings over 30 years of experience as a university professor, administrator, and advisor in science, technology, and innovation.
At the time of his nomination, Abdulrazak was the Director for the Division for Africa at the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
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Professor Shaukat Abdulrazak profile
At IAEA, he facilitated technical cooperation across 48 African countries in key areas such as food and agriculture, health and nutrition, industrial applications, radiation technology, water and environment, energy planning and nuclear power, knowledge development and management, and safety.
Prof. Shaukat previously served as Chief Executive Officer of the Kenya National Commission for Science, Technology and Innovation (2008–2014), Vice-Chancellor of Umma University, and Deputy Vice-Chancellor at Egerton University.
The new PS has also held several leadership roles, including Governor of the International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (ICGEB), and Chairperson of the Kenya Marine and Fisheries Research Institute,
He has also served as Chair of the African Technology Policy Studies network, and Commissioner of the African Commission on Nuclear Energy.
Additionally, Abdulrazak has been a board member of the Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI), LAPSSET Corridor Project, and the Kenya National Economic and Social Council.
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He is a Fellow of the World Academy of Sciences, the African Academy of Sciences, and the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science. He has published extensively in international journals and presented at numerous scientific conferences and symposiums.
The PS has also been an Editorial Board member and reviewer of several International refereed journals.
His undergraduate studies were at Egerton University, Kenya. He later enrolled for his MSc and PhD Agricultural Sciences, at the University of Aberdeen, UK and later went for his Post Doctorate from Shimane University, Japan.
Ruto creates new innovation State Department
Shaukat’s nomination to head the newly created State Department at the Ministry of Education came a day after President Ruto revealed about the plan.
Speaking during when he awarded charter to Riara University, the Head of State expressed the government’s commitment to the growth of higher education in the country.
“I am seriously considering a State Department to deal specifically with research, development and innovation as a way of ensuring that we grow that space because of the tremendous opportunity that exists in innovation and research,” he said.
Ruto maintained that the government is keen on designing policies that help to transform universities into hubs of research, innovation and excellence.
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