Prof. Gikungu is the Director General of the National Museums of Kenya. As the CEO of NMK, a State Corporation, Prof Gikungu is charged with the responsibility of coordinating the management of Kenya’s Cultural and Natural Heritage includes over 300 Sites and Monuments and a multidisciplinary research portfolio. The Director General also chairs and supervises the Directors Management Board of NMK.
Prof. Gikungu was born on 28th November 1965. She holds a PhD in Natural
Science and Mathematics (University of Bonn, Germany), M.Sc. in Conservation Biology (University of Nairobi) and B.Sc. in Botany and Zoology (University of Nairobi). She has published over 55 papers in peer-reviewed journals. She is a renowned Bee Specialist and a Conservation Biologist with wide experience and research focus in ecosystem services, climate change, environmental health and food security.
She was a Lead Author in the Intergovernmental Platform on Biodiversity and
Ecosystem Services (IPBES), a member of the Platform for Agricultural Research (PAR) under FAO and a Mentor in African Women in Agricultural Research and Development (AWARD). In addition, she has been a Council Member of Kibabii University.
