With a distinguished career spanning industry, research, and academia, Professor Washington Yotto Ochieng has established himself as a leading authority in positioning, navigation, and infrastructure resilience. His work in satellite navigation systems, transport technologies, and critical infrastructure has significantly influenced global research and policy in engineering and digital systems.
Currently, he serves as Head of the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering and Chair Professor in Positioning and Navigation Systems at Imperial College London. He is also the Director of the Centre for Active Resilience and Security (CARS), where he leads research focused on strengthening the resilience of critical infrastructure and digital systems.
Professor Ochieng has held several leadership roles at Imperial College London, including Head of the Centre for Transport Studies and Senior Security Science Fellow. He also served as Director and Co-Director of the Institute for Security Science and Technology, contributing to interdisciplinary research on security, technology, and infrastructure protection.
Beyond academia, he plays an influential role in global scientific and engineering institutions. He is a Member of the Board of Trustees of the Science Museum Group, appointed by the UK Prime Minister, and Chair of the Advisory Board of the Science Museum in London. He is also President of the Royal Institute of Navigation and Chair of the Africa Engineers Steering Committee of the Royal Academy of Engineering.
Professor Ochieng began his professional career in industry at Racal Electronics Limited as a Principal Engineer, where he worked on international projects developing satellite navigation systems. His research contributions later helped shape major global navigation technologies, including Europe’s EGNOS and GALILEO satellite navigation systems, which are used in land, maritime, aviation, and space applications.
His expertise has earned him several honours and professional recognitions. In 2013, he was elected Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering for his exceptional contributions to engineering research. In 2019, he received the Harold Spencer-Jones Gold Medal from the Royal Institute of Navigation for his pioneering work in safety-critical navigation and positioning systems.
Professor Ochieng also advises several government and international bodies on science, technology, and infrastructure policy. He serves as a Scientific Advisor to the UK Department for Transport and is a member of the Science and Technology Council of the UK National Physical Laboratory. He has also contributed to major policy reviews on satellite navigation systems, mobility, and infrastructure resilience for the UK Government and the European Parliament.
In recognition of his global impact, he received one of Kenya’s highest national honours, the Elder of the Order of the Burning Spear, from the President of Kenya in 2023. In June 2024, His Majesty King Charles III of the United Kingdom awarded him the honour of Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) for his services to global positioning and navigation systems.
Professor Ochieng holds a Bachelor of Science in Engineering from the University of Nairobi and Master of Science and PhD degrees in Civil Engineering from the University of Nottingham.
The 2026 Aggrey–Fraser–Guggisberg Memorial Lectures will take place on March 12 and 13, 2026, at 4:30 PM at the Great Hall of the University of Ghana. The lecture series will focus on the theme “Building Sustainable Smart Cities on Resilient Digital Infrastructure.”
On Day 1, Professor Ochieng will deliver a lecture titled “Sustainable Smart Cities – The Need for Digital Tools and Fit-for-Purpose Engineers.” Day 2 will feature “The Crucial Need for Resilient Positioning, Navigation, and Timing for a Nation’s Critical Infrastructure,” followed by a Special Congregation.
All staff, students, alumni, and members of the University community are invited to attend.
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Story by Holy Mavo | univers.ug.edu.gh
Edited by Gabriel Tecco Mensah
