Roy Akumu is an M.S. student in the Civil & Environmental Engineering department at UC Davis and a 2023-24 Alumnus of the Mandela Washington Fellowship, a flagship program of the Young African Leaders Initiative. Roy was one of twenty-five scholars from fifteen Sub-Saharan African countries participating in the Mandela Washington Fellowship at UC Davis. Sponsored by the U.S. Department of State, he participated in UC Davis’ six-week Leadership in Public Management Institute, which, in addition to establishing enduring partnerships between the United States and Africa, also aligned well with his goal of building technical and leadership capacity in public engagement, resource management, financial management and the intersection of government with business and civil society. The track added great value to his interest in the formulation and implementation of transportation policy. As a graduate student, Roy currently works with UC Davis’ Transit Lab at the Institute of Transportation Studies to research global public transit solutions as part of his master’s education.

Roy’s Path to UC Davis

Roy graduated from the University of Nairobi, Kenya, in 2017 with a Bachelor's degree in Civil Engineering. Before arriving in the U.S., he worked as an engineer in the public and private sectors, notably for the Kenyan Urban Roads Authority. Contributing to technical quality and management of projects in East Africa, such as the expansion and renovation of the Aden-Abdulle International Airport in Somalia, Roy first heard about the Mandela Washington Fellowship through a colleague he knew as an undergraduate in Kenya. He immediately felt convinced this was his once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to explore his career opportunities at a global scale.

Roy not only shares a birthday with the late Nelson Mandela but remains deeply inspired by the former South African president's paragon of humility, compassion, and vision as he hopes to find common ground across boundaries in addressing human challenges through the lens of a transport engineer. During his fellowship, he was privileged to learn from various experts in energy and transportation policy, civic leaders, and multiple state agency representatives, both in California and Washington DC. Yet one of the most life-changing moments was being professionally coached by UC Davis Professor Susan Handy and connecting with Professor Kari Watkins, who both helped him consider returning to UC Davis as a graduate student to further enhance his skillset.  

Advancing Global Goals

UC Davis strives to nurture collaboration and innovation through all facets of its work, both locally and globally. One way the university has worked towards advancing key local and global challenges has been through steps taken to advance the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, often referred to as SDGs. This set of seventeen goals is aimed at crafting solutions to curb issues like hunger, infrastructure challenges in the face of climate change, and access to education, through an economic and culturally equitable lens.

While a Mandela Washington Fellow, Roy chose to focus on five SDGs centered around educational partnerships, infrastructure improvements, and sustainable economic growth. In 2024, he wrote a proposal alongside his current mentor, Dr. Watkins, enabling them to pursue these goals further through the Reciprocal Exchange program, a component of the Mandela Washington Fellowship. With this, they successfully secured a grant funded through the U.S. Department of State to build even stronger relationships between American professionals and Mandela Washington Fellowship alumni. They used the funds to collaborate and hold workshops in three cities with Kenya Urban Roads Authority, Nairobi Metropolitan Area Transport Authority, International Transport Development Policy, and private transit agencies in Kenya to discuss and lay out plans for improving public transportation.

While participating in the Mandela Washington Fellowship at UC Davis, Roy gained valuable insights into the cultural differences between American and Kenyan perspectives on infrastructure and transit systems. He especially enjoyed the Public Management Institute because it advanced his knowledge and experience in professional growth, focusing on leadership and networking. Before becoming a Fellow, Roy did not feel confident in pitching ideas, but through the program, he improved his ability to find opportunities and enhance his speaking skills.

“The Global Affairs program is designed to offer extensive opportunities for professional development, life-long soft skills, and meaningful engagement—especially through its strong emphasis on networking.”

A Research Vision with Real-World Impact

Roy has traveled to other African countries and connected with alumni as both an advocate for UC Davis and to gain further knowledge surrounding his research interests. His research centers around "exploring what makes transit systems effective in developing nations, to enhance them by integrating elements from the American system—such as improved safety features, greater convenience, reliable scheduling, and similar components—into the global south transit projects.”

Roy’s work at UC Davis is no mistake, as his teaching experience and multi-national research interests go hand in hand with his hands-on experience, including working on road projects in Kenya and in World Food Program-funded medical warehouses in Somalia and, most recently, installing a biodigester and pasteurizer as part of a water and sanitation initiative in Uganda. Through his work, Roy has improved the livelihoods of people in his home country and experimented with solutions for more sustainable public infrastructure that can be applied in the U.S. and worldwide.     

Beyond the Fellowship

Beyond the fellowship, Roy has been able to stay in touch with members of his cohort through alumni engagements and program exchanges. Roy has also visited several other countries, both in East Africa and beyond, furthering his knowledge of transportation systems across the globe. UC Davis affiliates are also learning more about Kenya and Africa by engaging with Roy. Sharing his Kenyan culture with his colleagues, as well as immersing himself in the small-town culture of Davis, have been highlights of his time in America. He often volunteers for events at International House amid his busy schedule. Daily, Roy reflects on how grateful he is for the profound impact of the Mandela Washington Fellowship, Global Affairs, and UC Davis as a whole on his personal and global worldview.         

Roy's Plans for the Future

Roy plans to stay in Davis in the near future to help welcome the next cohort of Mandela Fellows at UC Davis, all while finishing his own master’s degree. Every quarter, he has an opportunity to interact with undergraduate students through Teaching Assistantship, sharing his insights with the Transportation Infrastructure and Senior Design classes in his department. Roy’s work within these programs has benefited local and global communities. Whether through his master’s research on improving public transit efficiency or his work to improve civic engagement, Roy has been able to use his educational and global experience to help improve livelihoods.

Roy states, “I look forward to organizing alumni re-engagement initiatives, which includes inviting some alumni to Africa in the future—for a closer cohesion and collaboration.” Once his time in America has come to a close, Roy plans to use his skillsets to continue exchanging ideas and research relating to transportation policy and planning between America and Africa to ultimately improve transportation around the globe, fueled by his time at UC Davis.