UNU-GTP in Iceland starts 28th annual session

The 28th annual session of the UNU-GTP opened in Reykjavik on 2nd May. Twenty one UNU Fellows from twelve countries participate in the six month specialized courses this year. They come from   Azerbajan 1, China 2, Costa Rica 2, Indonesia 3, Iran 2, Kenya 2, Mongolia 2, Nicaragua 1, Philippines 2, Tanzania 1, Turkey 1, and Uganda 2. They will be trained in: Geological Exploration 1, Borehole Geology 1, Geophysical Exploration 1, Reservoir Engineering 3, Chemistry of Thermal Fluids 6, Environmental Studies 3, and Geothermal Utilization 6.

During 1979-2005, 338 scientists and engineers from 39 countries have completed the six month courses. A lady scientist from Azerbajan in this year’s class brings the number of countries to 40. In many countries in Africa, Asia, Central America and Central and Eastern Europe, UNU-GTP graduates are among the leading specialists in geothermal research and development. They have been very successful, and have contributed significantly to energy development in their parts of the world.

Three former UNU Fellows have been working this year on their MSc projects under the cooperation agreement between the UNU-GTP and the University of Iceland. Mr. Kizito Opondo (geochemist from Kenya) started his MSc studies in February 2005 and plans to defend his thesis in the late summer 2006. Mr. Joshua O’Were (environmentalist from Kenya) and mr. Iderbat Lkhagvadorj (mechanical engineer from Mongolia) started their MSc studies in September 2005. Six former UNU Fellows (from China, Djibouti, Iran, Kenya, and the Philippines) have been accepted for MSc studies at the University of Iceland commencing in September 2006. They will all receive Fellowships from the UNU-GTP. Eight former UNU Fellows have graduated since the MSc programme was started in cooperation with the University of Iceland in 2000.

 

The UNU Fellows of the Class of 2006 of the UNU Geothermal Training Programme.
From left:  Yang Quanhe (China), Nyambayar Tsend-Ayush (Mongolia), Joseph Patrick Odong Okedi (Uganda), Evanson Munene Nyagah (Kenya), Jorge Isaac Cisne Altamirano (Nicaragua), Alejandro Rodriguez Badilla (Costa Rica), Manuel Antonio Barrantes Viquez (Costa Rica), Irada Ibragimova Shamar (Azerbaijan), Ali Ahmadi Nassirabad (Iran), Wang Wei (China), Ali Rakhshani Moghaddam (Iran), Özge Can Atas (Turkey), Dan Mainza (Uganda), Sukhgerel Javzan (Mongolia), Johnson W. Ndege (Kenya), Ronaldo R. Pendon (Philippines), Ahmad Yani (Indonesia), Jacob Manoni Mayalla (Tanzania), Tesha (Indonesia), Roy Bandoro Swandaru (Indonesia), and Erlindo Angcoy (Philippines).