KAB in a partnership with the ALBORADA Research Fund to conduct a study on freshwater lakes in the Kigezi Sub-Region

Kabale University is hosting a distinguished professor of Zoology in its Faculty of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences who is here to implement a project supported by the Cambridge-Africa ALBORADA Research Fund.

Prof. David C. Aldridge, a professor of Zoology from St. Catherine’s College in Cambridge will be at KAB for a Research and training stay for a period of two weeks.  Prof. Aldridge will be working with a team from Kabale University led by Dr. Alex Saturday on a project titled ‘A Macroinvertable Biotic Index for the Ecological Assessment of the Little-Known Freshwater Lakes in Kigezi Sub-Region, Uganda’.

According to Dr. Saturday, the distinguished Professor from Cambridge is here to execute the planned research training and conduct preliminary research surveys to inform the research protocols. “Prof. Aldridge will be responsible for providing training and guidance to our research team on the planned methodologies and protocols, as well as designing and implementing surveys to gather preliminary data. The activities will lay the foundation for the main research study and ensure that the protocols are well-informed and structured”, he added.

The project, headed by Prof. David C. Aldridge from Cambridge and Dr. Alex Saturday from Kabale University aims at developing a biotic index using macroinvertebrates for evaluating the ecological health of lesser-known freshwater lakes in the Kigezi sub-region of Uganda. The team’s research and training stay at Kabale University is anticipated to be a fruitful and rewarding experience.

The Deputy Vice Chancellor of Finance and Administration, who represented the Vice Chancellor welcomed Prof. Aldridge and noted that the university is eager to establish a strong and lasting relationship with Cambridge. She further emphasized the university’s commitment to ensuring transparency, proper accountability, and responsible use of the funds allocated for the project.

The University Secretary, Can. Johnson Munono commended Prof. David C. Aldridge for the equipment that has been donated to the university. The donated equipment, which is valued at over 20 million includes a Fluorometer, a pocket conductivity pH and TDS meter, a Lutron dissolved oxygen meter, a three-piece professional hand net, a GXCAM HI-Chrome Microscope camera an ultra-zoom stereo microscope and ultra-zoom camera adapter.

The Cambridge-Africa ALBORADA Research Fund is known for its support in fostering partnerships and collaboration between researchers from the University of Cambridge and African institutions. The collaboration will open exciting opportunities for students and faculty members at Kabale University to engage in cutting-edge research, knowledge exchange, and capacity building.