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Dr P.W.O. NYAWERE, PhD

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Staff Information
PERSONAL DETAILS
Designation
Senior Lecturer, Physics
Department
Physical and Biological Sciences
Section
Physics
Address
Private Bag 20157 Kabarak
SUMMARY

Dr. Phillip Wilfsen Otieno NYAWERE is a PhD holder in Computational Materials Physics of University of Eldoret, Kenya and trained at International Centre for Theoretical Physics – Trieste, Italy. His interests include Perovskite Materials for Superconductivity, Solar Materials and Energy related Materials. He has trained and graduated many undergraduates in Education, Physics and BSc. He has supervised several MSc and PhD Physics students. He has also published in several peer reviewed scientific journals.

Google Scholar
https://scholar.google.com/scholar?hl=en&as_sdt=0%2C5&q=nyawere&oq=nya
ResearchGate
https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4143-1432
PROFESSIONAL QUALIFICATIONS
  • Ph.D. (Computational Materials) at University of Eldoret/ICTP Trieste Italy (2010 to 2013).
  • Moi University, Eldoret Kenya (2002-2007) M.Phil (Theoretical Physics).
  • Kenyatta University, Nairobi Kenya (1993 – 1997) BSc (Physics & Mathematics)
  • Research Fellow at The Abdus Salam International Center for Theoretical Physics, Trieste Italy June 2009 to December 2011 (Six months each year)
FIELDS OF SPECIALIZATION
  • Computational Simulations using Quantum Espresso Code
  • Applications of Simulations to solar materials for energy harvesting
WORK EXPERIENCE
  • September - December 2024, Ag. Director of Research, Innovation and Outreach, Kabarak University
  • April 2024, Coordinator, Editorial and Publications, Directorate of Research, Innovation and Outreach, Kabarak University
  • May 2023 to date Head of Department - Physical and Biological Sciences Department, Kabarak University
  • September 2019 to date: Senior Lecturer (Physics), Kabarak University, Nakuru, Kenya
  • March 2015 – September 2019: Lecturer (Physics), Rongo University, Rongo, Migori, Kenya
  • May 2013 – March 2015: Lecturer (Physics), Kabarak University, Nakuru, Kenya
  • April 2010 – April 2013: Assistant Lecturer, Kabarak University, Nakuru, Kenya
  • February 2006 – March 2010: Senior Technician – Physics, Kabarak University, Nakuru, Kenya
RESEARCH INTERESTS
  • Superconducting Materials
  • Solar energy materials and
  • Water Splitting for energy source
LIST OF PUBLICATIONS
  • Nyawere P.W.O and Khanna K.M. “Specific heat Jump and Transition temperature for La2-xBaxCuO4, Bi2Can-1SrnCunO2n+3 and Tl2Can-1Ba2CunO2n+3(2n+4) superconductors” Indian journal of Pure and Applied Physics, Vol. 49, September 2011. http://nopr.niscpr.res.in/handle/123456789/12594
  • Nyawere P.W.O, S.Scandolo, N.W. Makau and G.O. Amolo “Ab initio study of defect and migration energies of barium fluoride)” (Solid State Communications 179 (2014) 25-28). http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ssc.2013.11.017
  • Nyawere P.W.O,  N.W. Makau and G.O. Amolo “Ab initio study of elastic constants of the cubic, orthorhombic and hexagonal phases of BaF2” (Physica B 434(2014) 122-128) https://doi.org/10.1016/j.physb.2013.10.051
  • Nyawere P.W.O. , N.W. Makau and G.O. Amolo “Ab initio calculations of electronic and mechanical properties of orthorhombic phase of BaF2” (The African Review of Physics (2015).
  • Elicah Nafula Wabululu, P.W.O. Nyawere, Daniel Barasa Bem “Scientific Research Through Simulation in Africa: Role of HPC in Computational Material Studies”(International Journal of Material Science and Applications 2017, 190-192) https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijmsa.20170604.14   
  • Elicah Nafula Wabululu, P.W.O. Nyawere, Daniel Barasa Bem “First-principles calculations of Structural, Electronic and Elastic Properties of Tysonite LanthanumFLuoride (LaF3)” (Quest Journal of Research in Environmental and EarthScience vol. 64 no. 01, 2018 pp 36 – 40)
  • P.W.O. Nyawere, “Parameterized Empirical Potential for BaF2 from Ab initio Methods Applied to the Study of Superionic Transition of c-BaF2” (Journal of Multidisciplinary Engineering Science and Technology vol. 5 issue 12 December 2018 pp 9157 – 9161).
  • Truphena J. Kipkwarkwar, P.W.O. Nyawere and C.M. Maghanga “Ab initio Study of Electronic Structure Properties of Lead Halide Perovskites for Optical Performance of Solar Cell” (Conference Proceedings of Kabarak University International Conference on Basic Sciences 17th – 18th September 2019 pg 45-53)  http://10.1.130.140:8080/xmlui/handle/123456789/362 
  • Jared Agora, Calford Otieno, P.W.O. Nyawere and George S. Manyali “Ab initio study of pressure induced phase transition, structural and electronic structure properties of superconducting perovskite compound GdBa2Cu3O7-x” (Computational Condensed Matter Vol 23 (2020) https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cocom.2020.e00461
  • P.J. Jomo, C.O. Otieno and P.W.O. Nyawere “Ab Initio High-Pressure Study of Semiconductor-Metal Phase Transition of the Chalcogenide Compound KPSe6”(Hindawi Advances in Condensed Matter Physics Vol 2020 ID 3407141 9 pages https://doi.org/10.1155/2020/3407141).
  • N.K. Omboga, C.O. Otieno, P.W.O. Nyawere First Principle Study of the Mechanical Properties and Phonon Dispersion of the Iron Pnictide Compound EuFe2As2” The Scientific World Journal Volume 2020 ID 598607, 6 pages https://doi.org/10.1155/2020/5986073
  • Truphena J. Kipkwarkwar, P.W.O. Nyawere C.M. Maghanga “First-Principles Calculations to Investigate the Mechanical Structure and Optical Properties of Lead Halide Perovskite CH­­3NH3PbI3” (Hindawi Advances in Condensed Matter Physics Volume 2022, Article ID 1565268, 9 pages https://doi.org/10.1155/2022/1565268)
  • Jared. O. Agora, Calford Otieno, Philip W.O. Nyawere, and George S. Manyali “Elastic behavior, pressure-induced doping and superconducting transition temperature of GdBa2Cu3O7-x” Journal of Physics Communications 2021 https://doi.org/10.1088/2399-6528/ac438c.
  • Jasmine Wakini, Carolyne Songa, Stephen Chege, Felix O. Saouma, Elica Wabululu, P.W.O Nyawere, Victor Odari, James Sifuna, and George S. Manyali ‘’Low Born effective Charges, High Covalency and Strong Optical Activity in X3+2 Bi3-N3- (X=Ca,Sr,Ba) inverse-perovskite’’arXiv:2203.00359vl[cond-mat-mtrl-sci]1 March 2022.
  • Perpetua Chemaoi, P.W.O. Nyawere, C.M. Maghanga “First-principles Study of electrinic properties of Dimethyl-ammonium Tin Triidostantate (II) Perovskite for Photovoltaic application in Solar Cell. (International Journal of Applied Physics http://www.internationaljournalssrg.org/IJAP/paper-details?Id=166
  • David Maina Njuguna, P.W.O. Nyawere, Elicah Wabululu ‘First Principles Calculation of Elastic and Electronic Structure Properties of Hexagonal Antiperovskite type Carbide XCC3 (X = Al, Ga or Zn) Materials’ Kabarak Journal of Research and Innovation Vol 3 Issue 2 March 2023 Link http://ojs.kabarak.ac.ke/index.php/kjri/article/666
  • Mochama Victor Samuel, Calford Otieno, Phillip Nyawere ” Density Functional Study of Mechanical, Electronic and Pressure Induced Phase Transition Properties of CaFe2As2”

    Open Journal of Microphysics, 2023, 13, 36-51 https://doi.org/10.4236/ojm.2023.133004

  • Kennedy Juna Wanyama, P.W.O. Nyawere, James Sifuna ”An ab Initio Study of Mechanical and Electronic Properties of Stable Phases of CsXBr3 (X = Ge, Si) Compounds for Solar Cell Applications” Open Journal of Microphysics, 2023, 13, 15-26 https://doi.org/10.4236/ojm.2023.132002

  •  P.W.O. Nyawere ”Density functional Calculations of the mechanical, Electronic and Dynamical Properties antiperovskite Ca3BO (B = Pb, Ge, Sn)” Open Journal of Microphysics, 2024 Vol 14 1 – 12 https://doi.org/10.4236/ojm.2024.141001  
CONFERENCES & INVITED PRESENTATIONS
  • 3rd Kabarak University International Conference – October 2013 Abstract Title “Ab initio Calculations of the Electronic and Mechanical Properties of Orthorhombic Phase of BaF2”
  • 5th African School on Electronic Structure and Materials, October 2018 Addis Ababa, University of Science and Technology. Attended as a Tutor.
  • African School on Electronic Structure and Materials (ASESMA) 19th – 30th July 2010 Muizenberg, Cape Town South Africa.
  • 2nd African School on Electronic Structure and Materials (ASESMA) 28th May, 2012 – 9th June, 2012 Chepkoilel University College, Eldoret Kenya.
HONORS, PRIZE AND AWARDS
  • Research Fellow at The Abdus Salam International Center for Theoretical Physics, Trieste Italy

       June 2009 to December 2011 (Six months each year). This was a sandwich program for PhD Research.

TEACHING AREAS
  • Classical Mechanics
  • Quantum Mechanics
  • Condensed Matter Physics
  • Electrodynamics
  • Solid State Physics
  • Geophysics
POSTGRADUATE SUPERVISION
Masters Level:
  • Truphena Kipkwarkwar MSc Theis Title: “Computational Modeling of Lead-Halide Perovskites for Photovoltaics” (Graduated at Kabarak University in December 2021).
  • Perpetua J. Chemaoi MSc Thesis Title: ”Computation of the Properties of Tin Halide Perovskite for Photovoltaic Application in Solar Cells” (Graduated at Kabarak University in December 2022).
  • Naomy Kerubo Omboga MSc Thesis Title: "Ab-initio study of electronic and mechanical structure properties and phase changes of the superconducting iron pnictide EuFe2As2" (Graduated at Kisii University in Dec 2023)
  •  Mochama Victor Samuel MSc Thesis Title; Density Functional Study of Mechanical, Electronic and Pressure Induced Phase Transition Properties of CaFe2As2 (Graduated at Kisii University in Dec 2023).
  • Phigrey Jomo MSc Thesis Title:“Computational Simulation of Electronic Structure Properties and Pressure Induced Phase Transition of Potassium Phosphorous Hexaselenide (KPSe6)” (Graduated at Kisii University in December 2023)
  • Maina Njuguna David MSc Title: ‘Ab intio calculations of electronic and superconductivity properties of cubic Antiperovskite materials AXCR3 (X=C OR N, A=Zn, Ga, Al). (Successfully Defended MSc in Physics in Kabarak University)
  • Ongoing Supervision
    • Abigael Nyandika MSC Title: ”Ab initio computational study of electronic structure and pressure induced superconducting properties of Nb3Sn and Ti;Nb3Sn” (Proposal Stage; Ongoing at Kabarak University)
    • Seville Cherotich MSc Title: ”First principle Computation of phase transition and superconducting properties of perovskite LaBa2Cu3O7” (Proposal Stage; Ongoing at Kabarak University)
    • Kennedy Juma Wanyama MSc Title: ‘A First Principle investigation on the performance of CsXBr3 (X=Si,Ge) thin films for solar cells applications’ (Thesis stage; Ongoing at Kabarak University)
    • Langat Nicholas MSc Title: ‘A First Principles Study of Negative Thermal Expansion (NTE) in Manganese Nitride materials: Mn3ABN (A= Al, Ga, Zn ) (Thesis stage; Ongoing at Kabarak University).
    • Kipkorir Siele MSc. Thesis: “Ab initio Study of Electronic and Mechanical Properties of Multiple doped Zinc Oxide for Thermoelectric Application” (Ongoing at Kabarak University)
PhD Level:
    • Elicah Nafula Wabululu PhD Thesis Title: First Principle Study of Electronic and Mechanical Properties of LaF3 and BaF2;La (Graduated on 19/12/2020 at Kenyatta University).
    • Jared Omari Agora PhD Thesis Title: Theoretical Characterization of the Structural, Electronic and Mechancial Properties of Superconducting GdBa2Cu3O7-x (Awaiting graduation Kisii University 2023)
MEMBERSHIP / ASSOCIATION
  • Member of Physics Society of Kenya (PSK)
  • Computational Physics Research Group of University of Eldoret – Eldoret
  • BioCosmos Kenya 2022

Our Moral Code

As members of Kabarak University family, we purpose at all times and in all places, to set apart in one’s heart, Jesus as Lord. (1 Peter 3:15)