IEEE Volunteers are dedicated to a variety of engineering outreach initiatives. Specifically, many participate in outreach programs aimed at supporting STEM in pre-university students. Kithinji Muriungi was a 2021 STEM Champion dedicated to STEM outreach for pre-university students. In particular, Muriungi is most proud of his pre-university program IEEE Kenya STEM Camp 2021 (Kenya, Region 8). This youth oriented-STEM program was a 2021 IEEE Pre-University STEM Portal Grant Program award winner and was spotlighted on TryEngineering.org. Muriungi acknowledges that as a student he was the recipient of assistance and motivation from STEM professionals and as such has been motivated to give back. 

“You got to share your invaluable and priceless experience with someone who is in need of them the most,” Muriungi recently shared when asked about the most rewarding aspects of volunteering in STEM outreach. “That is simply called: changing lives!”

The camp was attended by 128 students from 9 schools across Kenya with the aim to bring hands-on experience to STEM in new and fresh ways for the students including a visit to local business Gearbox Kenya. The camp also provided training workshops for the teachers who attended from these schools. 

Kithinji Muriungi is Kithinji is a graduate of BEng (Electrical & Electronics) from Moi University. He is currently a Systems Engineer at Konza Technopolis popularly known as Silicon Savannah or Konza Smart City. He is working with the project consultants in the supporting roles to facilitate the consultancy services for the operationalization of the Konza National Data Centre, Smart City projects, and Knowledge Economy and Innovation Ecosystem. He has founded an innovation-based startup focusing on building end-user solutions and is currently working on a platform called Bestilaya.net. He has been a very active IEEE volunteer over the past six years. He is the pioneer and the founding Chair of IEEE Moi University Student Branch and currently the Corresponding Member, IEEE R8 Action for Industry Sub-Committee, IEEE Photonics Society Global Strategy Rep (Africa) – Globalization & YP Advisory Committee, and Chair, IEEE YP, Kenya Section. Read more about Kithinji Muriungi here. 

Kithinji Muriungi was selected as a 2021 IEEE STEM Champion as part of the IEEE STEM Champion Program.