Wandera Ogana
Born: May 1946
place: Mukhobola, Busia, Kenya
B.Sc (1970) mathematics; M.S (1973) mathematic Stanford Universit
Ph.D (1975) in Applied Mechanics. Stanford University
thesis: Computation of steady two-dimensional transonic flows by an integral equation method; John R. SpreiterAreas of Research Interest: Computational Fluid Dynamics; Mathematical Modelling
Professor of Applied Mathematics, Department of Mathematics, University of Nairobi, Kenya
personal or universal URL:
email: wogana@uonbi.ac.ke OR wogana@yahoo.comWandera Ogana started his education in Kenya at Miwani Primary School (1952-56), then went to Awasi Intermediate School (1957-60), Nyang'ori Secondary School (1960-64) and Kakamega High School (1965-66). He joined the University of East Africa, University College of Nairobi campus, in April 1967 to pursue a degree in Surveying and Photogrammetry in the Faculty of Engineering. After attending one term of the programme and a field course, he decided that mathematics was his main interest and so he transferred from the Faculty of Engineering to the Faculty of Science in September of that year. He graduated with a B.Sc (Honours) degree in mathematics in 1970, with specialisation in Applied Mathematics.
After teaching mathematics for one year at Maseno Secondary School, he proceeded to Stanford University, California, USA, where he obtained an M.S (1973) and a Ph.D (1975) in Applied Mechanics. In January 1976, he joined NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, California, as a Postdoctoral Research Associate, and undertook research there till July 1977. Thereafter, he returned to Kenya and was employed as a Lecturer in the Department of Mathematics at the University of Nairobi. He was subsequently promoted to Senior Lecturer (1980), Associate Professor (1987) and Professor (1991), in the same department. In addition to his teaching and research duties, he served as Chairman of the Department of Mathematics (1983-92) and as Dean of the Faculty of Science (1995-2000).
Research Interests
Dr. Wandera Ogana's Ph.D thesis entitled, "Computation of steady two-dimensional transonic flows by an integral equation method", under the advice of Professor John R. Spreiter, dealt with the development of new numerical schemes for solving the transonic integral equation. At that time there existed two slightly different formulations of the transonic integral equation. Researchers were puzzled that the two formulations, when subjected to numerical treatment, yielded similar systems of nonlinear algebraic equations. Dr. Ogana showed that the difference between the two formulations could be attributed to the difference in the shapes of the cavities used to enclose the singularities, on derivation of the integral equations by use of Green's theorem. He showed further that similar numerical formulations, and hence equivalent solutions, would be obtained if the same cavity used in derivation of the integral equation was maintained during the numerical reduction to the system of nonlinear algebraic equations. At NASA Ames Research Center, he extended his numerical schemes to yield the first solutions of the transonic integro-differential equation. Later he was one of the pioneers in solving the transonic integral and integro-differential equations using techniques from the then evolving field of boundary elements.
In more recent years, Dr. Ogana has diversified his research interests to the application of mathematical models, particularly to problems in wind energy assessment, global change and ecology. He conducted research during a one-year sabbatical at the International Centre for Insect Physiology and Ecology (ICIPE), in Nairobi, Kenya, and developed a mathematical model for describing the vertical distribution of insects in free flight, at rest and when responding to trapping. He has participated as a lead author in Working Group 1 for the recently released Third Assessment Report (TAR) of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). In January 1999 he was appointed by the International Council for Science (ICSU) to become a member of the Scientific Committee of the International Geosphere Biosphere Programme (IGBP). In January 2001, he was appointed by IGBP to become a member of the Global Analysis Integration and Modelling (GAIM), a task force of the IGBP that is dedicated to the innovation and enhancement of mathematical models in global change phenomena.
Besides his scientific activities, Dr. Ogana is a creative writer who has authored a novel, Hand of Chance (1980) and a collection of short stories, Days of Glamour (1984). He is a member of the Executive Committee, African Mathematical Union (1995 2000). An Honorary Secretary and Fellow, Kenya National Academy of Sciences; from 1994. He is Chairman of the Kenya Mathematical Society; from 1988.
Selected Scientific Publications:
32. McAvaney, B.J., C. Covey, S. Joussaume, V. Kattsov, A. Kitoh, W. Ogana, A.J. Pitman, A.J. Weaver, R.A. Wood, and Z.-C. Zhao, (2001). Model evaluation. In: Climate Change 2001: The Scientific Basis. Contribution of Working Group I to the Third Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Houghton, J.T., Y. Ding, D.J. Griggs, M. Noguer, P.J. van der Linden, X. Dai, K. Maskell, and C.A. Johnson, Eds., Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, England, pp. 471-523. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, England.
31. Ogana, W., Oyieke, H. and Ntiba, M. J., (1998). Aquatic Resources Sector, in F.M. Mutua and F. K. Karanja (eds), Climate Change Impacts, Vulnerability and Adaptation in Kenya, UNDP/GEF Project, RAF/93/G31: Building Capacity in Sub-Sahara Africa to respond to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCC).
30. Ogana, W., (1998). Modelling the vertical distribution of tsetse flies (Diptera: Glossinidae) from Trap Catches: Mpanga Ranch, Rwanda, in L. Duchateau and H. G. Mwambi (eds), Proceedings of the Fifth scientific conference of the East, Central & Southern Africa Network of the International Biometric Society, Nairobi, Kenya, pp. 89-93.
29. Schimel, D. S., Grubb, M., Joos, F., Kaufmann, R. K., Moss, R., Ogana, W., Richels, R. and Wigley, T. M. L. (1997). Stabilization of atmospheric greenhouse gases: Physical, biological and socio-economic implications. IPCC Technical Paper 3, J. T. Houghton, L. G. Meira Filho, D. J. Griggs and K. Maskell (eds), IPCC, Geneva, Switzerland, 52 pp
28. Ogana, W., (1997). Transonic integro-differential equation method for steady flows, in H. Schmitt (ed.), Advances in Fluid Mechanics, Volume 11: Flows at Large Reynolds Numbers, Computational Mechanics Publications, Southampton-Boston, pp. 89-123.
27. Ogana, W., (1996). Modelling the vertical distribution of insects, Ecological Modelling, 89, 225-230.
26. Ogana, W., (1993). Reduction of domain to boundary intergrals in the transonic integro-differential equation, Engineering Analysis with Boundary Elements, 12, 137-142 .
25. Ogana, W., (1991). Boundary element methods in fluid flow, Afrika Matematika, Vol. 3, Series 2, pp. 53-63.
24. Ogana, W., (1990). High subsonic flow past a steady two-dimensional lifting airfoil, in M. Tanaka, C.A. Brebbia and T. Honma (eds.), Boundary Elements XII - Vol. 2: Applications in Fluid Mechanics and Field Problems, Computational Mechanics Publications and Springer-Verlag, Southampton-Berlin - New York; pp 15-23.
23. Ogana, W., (1990). Analysis of transonic integral equations: Part II - Boundary element methods, AIAA Journal, Vol. 28, No. 3, pp. 556-558.
22. Ogana, W., (1990). Analysis of transonic integral equations: Part I - Artificial viscosity, AIAA Journal, Vol. 28, No. 2, pp. 362-364.
21. Ogana, W., (1990). Solution of the transonic integro-differential equation using a decay function, Appl. Math. Modelling, Vol. 14, No.1, pp. 30-35.
20. Ogana, W., (1989). Boundary element solution of the transonic integro-differential equation, Engineering Analysis with Boundary Elements, Vol. 6, No. 4, pp. 170-179.
19. Ogana, W., (1989). Transonic integro-differential and integral equations with artificial viscosity, Engineering Analysis with Boundary Elements, Vol. 6, No. 3, pp. 129-135.
18. Ogana, W., (1989). Boundary element methods in three-dimensional transonic flows, in C.A. Brebbia and J.J. Connor (eds.), Advances in Boundary Elements - Vol. 2: Field and Fluid Flow Solutions, Computational Mechanics Publications and Springer-Verlag, Southampton -Berlin - New York, pp. 473-484.
17. Ogana, W., (1988). Boundary element solution of the transonic integro-differential equation involving a decay function, Kenya Journal of Sciences, Series A, Vol. 9, Nos. 1 & 2, pp.23-38.
16. Ogana, W., (1988). Choosing the decay function in the transonic integral equation, Kenya Journal of Sciences, Series A, Vol. 9, Nos 1 & 2, pp. 11-21.
15. Ogana, W., (1988). Boundary element solution of the transonic integral equation, Afrika Matematika, Series 2, pp. 5-28.
14. Ogana, W., (1987). Boundary element methods in two-dimensional transonic flows, in C.A. Brebbia, W.L. Wendland and G. Kuhn (eds.), Boundary Elements IX - Vol.3: Fluid Flow and Potential Applications, Computational Mechanics Publications and Springer-Verlag, Southampton - Berlin - New York, pp. 567-582.
13. Ogana, W., (1987). Boundary element solution of the transonic integro-differential equation involving a decay function, ICTP Internal Report, No. IC/87/84/, Trieste.
12. Ogana, W., (1987). Boundary element solution of the transonic integral equation, ICTP Internal Report, No. IC/87/85, Trieste.
11. Ogana, W., (1987). Boundary element solution of the transonic integro-differential equation, ICTP Internal Report, No. IC/87/86, Trieste.
10. Ogana, W., (1987). Transonic integro-differential and integral equations with artificial viscosity, ICTP Internal Report, No. IC/87/87, Trieste.
9. Ogana, W., (1987). Wind energy development in Kenya - A Review, Solar and Wind Technology, Vol. 5, No. 3, pp. 291-303.
8. Ogana, W., (1985). An alternative approach to the transonic flow problem, in S.O. Fatunla (ed), Computational Mathematics I, Boole Press Limited, Dublin, pp. 63-76.
7. Ogana, W., (1983). Choosing the decay function in the transonic integral equation, ICTP Internal Report, No. IC/83/21.
6. Ogana, W., (1983). Calculation of flows past lifting airfoils, ICTP Internal Report, No. IC/83/20, Trieste.
5. Ogana, W., (1979). Derivation of an integral equation for three-dimensional transonic flows, AIAA Journal, Vol. 17, No. 3, pp. 305-307.
4. Ogana, W., (1978). Solution of transonic flows by an integro-differential equation method, NASA TM 78490.
3. Ogana, W., (1977). Numerical solution for subcritical flows by a transonic integral equation method, AIAA Journal, Vol 15, No. 3, pp. 444-446.
2. Ogana, W., and Spreiter, J.R., (1977). Derivation of an integral equation for transonic flows, AIAA Journal, Vol. 15, No. 2, pp. 281-282.
1. Ogana, W., (1969). Palindromes of identical digits, Bulletin of the Kenya Mathematical Society, Vol. 6, No. 1, pp. 25-29.
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