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Engineering, Art & Tech

Minister Monica Musenero Unveils Locally-made Diesel Engine

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It was a show of innovations geared towards mechanisation of farming processes as the Minister for Science, Technology and Innovations, Dr. Monica Musenero, launched locally made engines today August 19, 2021.

A team of researchers from the African Centre of Excellence for Material science and nanotechnology (MAPRONANO) partnered with artisans from Kevoton Engineering, to design and assemble a diesel engine, the first of its kind in Uganda.

It is a single cylinder 4 stroke engine  with 13 horse power and consumes 1 litre of fuel per hour. The engine is a water-cooled and therefore does not heat up.

The engines are able to run a generator and a water pump to facilitate irrigation on farms. The generator, is single phase and can therefore be used to power home appliances and small workshops.

According to Mr. Mubiru Rogers of Kevoton Engineering, work on the engines started in 2017, but they were not able to make much progress until 2019 when they partnered with MAPRONANO ACE. The centre of excellence was then able provide training and technical advice, designing and student attachments to the project.

The Minister commended the MAPRONANO team, led by Prof. John Baptist Kirabira, for various innovations that the team in churning out, which included a sanitizer made in Makerere, solar panel slasher, and a mini tractor. 

Dr. Musenero challenged researchers to have a mindset change and also change the pedagogy to reposition theory to practical works. “We need to teach the students knowing that they are going to design and develop an engine or a brake system,” Dr. Musenero emphasised.  She encouraged innovators to ensure their products do not stay on the selves, saying the biggest role of science and innovation is economical.  The Minister said, for this reason, PRESIDE which she chairs focused on equipping laboratories in universities so as ensure that scientists receive the facilitation that they require. “Research is like a river which needs an outflow and the Ministry is here to provide that outflow,” she said.

She advised the university to prioritise certain areas of research when it comes to grants instead of awarding small grants to different projects which only end up being a drop in the ocean. Dr. Musenero thanked the President for his continued support and belief in science and technology.

The minister advised that the prototypes be refined so that they are genderised to allow women to be able to operate the generator and water pump.

The Vice Chancellor, Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe, called on the minister to support the introduction of an innovation park in Makerere University, saying the park would be able to spinoff companies. Giving an example of Instabul University, the Vice Chancellor said the university has been able to produce 300 companies over the last one year, saying Makerere University should be supported to do the same.  

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Engineering, Art & Tech

Collaboration between UETCL-CEDAT: CEDAT hosts the collaboration strategy workshop

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The College of Engineering, Design, Art, and Technology (CEDAT) entered into a partnership with Uganda Electricity Transmission Company Ltd (UETCL) as one of the strategies to step up the Industry-Academia Partnership.

CEDAT hosted a 2-day UETCL-CEDAT collaboration strategy workshop from the 6th to the 7th of March 2024 as one of the initial steps in the actualization of the provisions of the memorandum of understanding signed some time back between the two institutions.

While making opening remarks at the event attended by participants from both CEDAT and UECTL, The Dean, School of Engineering, Assoc. Prof. Dorothy Okello noted that the strategy workshop was one of the first fruits of the journey that started with the signing of the MoU with UECTL.  We have used a different approach in how we action this MOU and it will be a more sustainable way, she said, while explaining that the workshop would clarify not only what was to be done in the short term or activity by activity basis but also how to carry this forward on a long term. Click here for more details

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Engineering, Art & Tech

The CEDAT Open Day Conference, Innovation Challenge and Exhibition, 2024

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The College of Engineering, Design, Art and Technology (CEDAT) held the 2024 Open Day drawing the participation of the students, the academia, and the Industry.

The three-day event ran from 28th February to March 1st, 2024 at the college under the Theme; Green Horizons: Cultivating Sustainable Futures through Green Skills for Green Jobs,” Showcasing projects focused on renewable energy production, energy efficiency, and sustainable transportation. Click here for more details

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Engineering, Art & Tech

TUM SEED Center International Summer School 2024

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A Poster of the TUM SEED Centre Makerere University Living Lab. College of Engineering, Design, Art and Technology (CEDAT), Kampala Uganda, East Africa.

The TUM SEED Center for Sustainable Energies, Entrepreneurship, and Development at the Technical University of Munich (TUM) is part of the long-term DAAD program “Exceed – Excellence Centers for Exchange and Development”, funded by the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development 2020-2024. The TUM SEED Center aims to contribute to sustainable development by offering higher education and conducting research at the intersection of sustainable energies and entrepreneurship in the Global South (https://www.seed.tum.de).

The TUM SEED Center announces up to five scholarships for the International Summer School 2024 “Empowering Tomorrow: Sustainable Energies and Entrepreneurship”, which will take place in Munich from 8 to 19 July 2024. (https://www.mgt.tum.de/programs/international-summer-school). The scholarship covers the program’s total costs, including the participant fee, housing, and mobility costs.

Eligibility criteria:

The candidate must be a master’s student or a young professional (having already achieved a bachelor’s degree) from one of the partner universities of the TUM SEED Center with a strong interest in sustainable energies and entrepreneurship. Makerere University is one of the partner universities, https://cedat.mak.ac.ug/TUMSEED/, and more information about TUM SEED Center @ Makerere may be found below.

How to apply:

In line with DAAD, the TUM SEED Center seeks to enhance gender equality. It highly encourages female candidates to apply for the announced scholarship. Please send your application, including your motivation letter, CV, and Transcript of Records in one PDF file, to Ms. Katharina Eichinger (email: katharina.ke.eichinger@tum.de) by 15 March 2024 (23:59).

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