Dr Emmanuel Opolot is a lecturer at the Department of Agricultural Production, College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, Makerere University, a Future Leader African Independent Research (FLAIR) Fellow (2020-20230 and an Affiliate Member of the African Academy of Sciences Cohort 6 (2021-2025). He holds a PhD degree in soil science from Ghent University (Belgium) and has so far (co) authored 16 publications in peer reviewed journals and book chapters, with over 200 citations and h-index of 8.
Emmanuel is an accomplished soil scientist with strong analytical, creative and leadership skills. He has won already four research grants in the last four years: with the International Foundation for Science (IFS), the Makerere Research and Innovation Fund (MAK-RIF), the prestigious postdoctoral fellowship with the Future Leaders African Independent Research (FLAIR) and an innovation grant with the Ministry of Science Technology and Innovation, Uganda. Emmanuel’s research has so far focused on integrated soil, water and nutrient management.
His master thesis research evaluated efficiency of local soil water conservation practices and the results were used to improve the design of water conservation technologies in response to climate change. His PhD research integrated biogeochemical processes with climate and land use changes in a model to answer topical questions on how soils will respond to human disturbance and climate change. His current research as a FLAIR fellow is on digital soil mapping for improved soil, water and nutrient management in selected irrigation schemes in Uganda. He is also the internship coordinator of the School of Agricultural Sciences.