Assoc. Prof. Okumu Charles Nelson

Okumu joined Gulu University in 2010-13 as Senior Lecture and 2014 to present as Associate Professor of Literary and Cultural Studies. When he joined Gulu University, in October 2010, he was appointed Dean, Faculty of Education and Humanities, a position he served in for eight years. In addition to lecturing and Faculty administration, he became the Chair (Deputy PI) of Building Stronger Universities (BSU) a Danida funded Project in 2011 and successfully steered the Project from BSU I-III and also BSU IV which starts in October 2023 for four years.BSU has become one of the flagship Projects in Gulu University with many PhD graduates who have benefited from grants for their studies at individual levels while supporting ICT infrastructure and Administration. Prof Okumu has been an active member of University teams in writing and winning grants including another major grant, Unlocking the Potential of Green Charcoal Innovations to Mitigate Climate Change in Northern Uganda (UPCHAIN), supporting efforts in mitigating climate change through alternative cooking fuel made from farm wastes (briquettes). The Project is located in Faculty of Agriculture, Forestry and Bio-Systems Engineering but draws participants from all Faculties. It is research Project with Masters and PhD students. Besides teaching, research and community outreach through Action Research, Prof Okumu is a member of UPCHAIN Work package Two which is working with the community members in Gulu City, Amuru and Adjumani districts piloting the use of the use of green charcoal (briquettes). The community members who participate in the project and change from cooking using black charcoal to green charcoal, will become change agents in changing attitudes of those in the Project area to use briquettes instead of black charcoal and firewood mitigating against climate change. Currently Prof Okumu heads a Team researching on ‘speaking, reading and writing in Acoli language’, a sub-project from ‘Doro Paco’ which is looking at reviving the Acoli Culture as a whole.