James K. Musyoka is an applied statistician and educator with a strong interest in advancing statistical education and climate resilience in Africa. He currently serves as a Postdoctoral Impact Activation Fellow at IDEMS International where he applies his expertise in climate data analysis to support climate-related projects aimed at enhancing agricultural decision making.
James holds a Ph.D. in Applied Statistics from Maseno University where he also earned his MSc and BSc degrees in the same field. His doctoral research focused on climate applications including rescuing, analysing and modelling historical climate data from over 50 stations in Western Kenya.
He is currently on leave of absence from his position as a lecturer in the department of Statistics and Actuarial Science at Maseno University, where he contributed passionately to modernizing statistics teaching. James co-founded African Maths Initiative to advance this commitment, launching initiatives such as the African Data Initiative which led to the development of R-Instat. He is widely recognised in the International statistics education community having shared his work and engaged in numerous conferences. He is a member of International Association of Statistics Education (IASE) where he served as past Vice President .
In addition to his academic work at Maseno University, James was also actively involved in managing climate-related projects, collaborating with local and international research partners to enhance climate information services for agriculture. This experience laid a foundation for his current work at IDEMS International where he uses data science to support climate resilience and contribute to training and capacity building.
What’s a recent professional success you’re especially proud of (can be at IDEMS or something you did independently)?
I am pleased that over that last year, I have grown into a role that involves building strong relationships with meteorological services in Africa. These collaborations have been central to the success of our climate-related work at IDEMS. One of the major challenges we have faced is restrictive data policies which often limit access to critical climate information. Through partnerships we have been able to make real progress in opening up access and improve usability of climate data particularly for agricultural decision making.
What’s most surprising, unexpected or rewarding about working in transdisciplinary collaborations?
What has been most surprising for me in transdisciplinary collaborations is realising that I do not need to know everything to make meaningful contribution. I used to think that I had know a lot to be valuable in an organisation. But I have come to see that even small contributions I make from my area of expertise can be important in achieving the bigger goals. It is rewarding to see how different disciplines come together and how each individuals input adds value to the collective effort
Why did/do you choose to work at IDEMS?
I joined IDEMS because I was looking for a challenging working environment that would push me to grow and continue learning. IDEMS has provided an environment where I can apply my expertise while constantly expanding it. I also really like the flexibility in working arrangements.
Where is home?
I am originally from Kenya, which will always be home for me, but am currently based in Finland. Moving to Finland was a big change especially the weather which was quite an adjustment but I have come to enjoy it. When am not indoors working, I like to spend time outdoors running or jogging which has been a great way to explore my surroundings and adapt to the seasons here.
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