Kingiri holds a Bsc degree in Agriculture and Msc degree in Plant Pathology both from University of Nairobi, Kenya; A Master’s degree in Biosafety in Plant Biotechnology from Mache Polytechnic University, Ancona, Italy and a PhD degree from UK in Development Policy and Practice discipline focusing on new biosciences policy. She is also the Secretary General of The African Network for the Economics of Learning, Innovation, and Competence Building Systems (AfricaLics). This is a network of scholars working on how innovation and competence-building may be harnessed for development in Africa. She has served in various technical committees/taskforces. This includes the committee on “genes drive research in non-human organisms: recommendations for responsible conduct” commissioned by USA National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine. She is currently serving as a member of a new International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Task Force on Synthetic Biology and Biodiversity Conservation. She also serves as member of the GeneConvene Global Collaborative Advisory Board under the Foundation for the National Institute of Health (FNIH), USA. The work of this Board is to provide a technical oversight into governance of gene drives and other genetic biocontrol technologies for control of malaria and other public health uses. Ann is also serving as a non-executive director of Kenya Climate Innovation Centre (KCIC). She is a visiting research and academic fellow at University of Johannesburg, South Africa and Jaramogi Oginga Odinga University of Science and Technology (JOOUST), Kenya.

Kingiri has been pursuing interdisciplinary research on integrated approach to agricultural development and innovation with relevance to Africa’s inclusive and sustainable development. As a policy researcher, she continues to pursue policy-oriented research in STI, agriculture and bioenergy, including climate change and gender as cross cutting themes. Previously as a Research Fellow under the research into use (RIU) programme, she pursued collaborative research that focused on institutional and organisational change aimed at linking knowledge production to use for pro-poor development in Africa and Asia. During this period, she also carried out research that focused on agricultural bio-policy.

Kingiri has over 20 year’s public sector and research think tank management experience. As a Director of Research at ACTS, she coordinated generation and dissemination of STI knowledge through research, policy analysis and capacity building. This included coordinating the ACTS training arm, the Science, Technology & Policy Institute (STPI) for two years. STPI focuses particularly on building STI analysis capacity of different stakeholders- academics, policy makers, civil society and postgraduate students. Kingiri has worked with various policy actors mainly in East Africa to provide technical & regulatory advice on genetically modified biosciences applications. She continues to work with selected African institutions to build capacity on innovation and development with the ultimate aim of influencing policy and practice.

Kingiri is implementing several projects which includes the following:

2019 - 2022: Project Title: Transformative innovation, the 4th Industrial Revolution and sustainable development. Funding: Trilateral Chair grant from British Council & NRF, South Africa.

The Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) has taken central stage in academic and policy debates due to its potential for the transformation of economies and societies across the world. Considerations about 4IR highlight the impact that rapid technological advances in artificial intelligence, robotics, the internet of things, biotechnology and others will have in our production, consumption and social systems. While acknowledging that the magnitude of change is likely to be unprecedented and fast, the direction of such change remains uncertain. There is an increasing realisation that, if the direction of change is not carefully steered, 4IR will exacerbate existing social challenges. A commonly identified risk is that 4IR technologies could leave millions of people across the world without jobs, intensifying income inequalities. In this respect, the challenges faced by African countries are considered greater than those faced by technologically advanced countries, as disruptive technologies would be implemented in a context of low technical skills, deficient education and training systems, predominance of labour-intensive industries, severe inequalities, and endemic unemployment. This research programme has the ambition to develop and test a new theoretical framework to understand transformation, in the context of 4IR and from an African perspective. Ann is one of the three Co- PIs under this project being implemented by ACTS, Kenya, University of Johannesburg, South Africa and University of Sussex, UK.

2019 – 2021: Project Title: Supporting STEM research cultures in Africa - Building institutional capacity for computing research in Kenya. Funder – IDRC

This project is piloting an approach to build institutional capacity for the field of computer science in Kenya. The overall objective is to support a vibrant and sustainable research culture in computer science, in order to produce better quality research that strengthens local industry and helps Kenya reach its 2030 vision of becoming a high-middle income country, and supports development objectives in agriculture, health, finance, and transport. Ann is the co- Principal Investigator (PI) of the project being implemented by ACTS, Kenya and California Polytechnic University, USA.

AfricaLics activities are aimed at building research capacity in the specific field of innovation and economic development, both at the individual, institutional and country levels. This consequently would allow African countries to design policies suitable and responsive to their own needs, and instigate corrective measures to ensure the smooth production, dissemination and use of knowledge for economic development, including poverty alleviation. This project is interrogating the applicability of existing innovation frameworks in Africa’s context and partners with African universities in building capacity in innovation studies targeting Msc and PhD programmes. Ann under this programme has been working with several Universities in Africa to build capacity on Problem Based Learning as a tool for enhancing innovation research capacity. She has been popularizing the Master’s Module on Innovation and Development that provides guidance in mainstreaming innovation within respective education curriculums across Universities in Africa. AfricaLics activities are largely funded by the Swedish International Development Agency (Sida).

 

• Kingiri Ann and Awono Onana Charles (2021). Central and East Africa Chapter. UNESCO (2021). UNESCO World Science Report. Paris: UNESCO Publishing.
• Ann N. Kingiri (2021) Exploring innovation capabilities build up in the deployment of crop biotechnology innovation in Kenya, Innovation and Development, DOI: 10.1080/2157930X.2021.1884934
• Ann Kingiri and Benard Muok (2020). A Community-based learning tool to identify gender responsive and climate specific priorities of women and young people in natural resource management and climate change governance. Christian Aid.
• Ann (2020). Agricultural extension and advisory service approaches: examining inclusion in reaching out Kenyan rural farmers. African Journal of Science, Technology, Innovation and Development (AJSTID). 10.1080/20421338.2020.1823098.
• Khaemba Winnie and Kingiri Ann (2020). Access to Renewable Energy Resources: A Gender and Inclusivity Perspective. In: Leal Filho W., Azul A., Brandli L., Lange Salvia A., Wall T. (eds) Affordable and Clean Energy. Encyclopedia of the UN Sustainable Development Goals. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-71057-0_136-1
• Ann and Xiaolan Fu (2019). Understanding the diffusion and adoption of digital finance innovation in emerging economies: M-Pesa money mobile transfer service in Kenya, Innovation and Development Journal, 1-21. doi.org/10.1080/2157930X.2019.1570695
• Kingiri Ann; Hanlin, Rebecca; Holm Andersen, Margrethe ; Tigabu, Aschalew (2019). Strengthening innovation and development-research capacity in African universities. The case of AfricaLics, in Arvanitis, Rigas ; O'Brien, David (dir.), The Transformation of Research in the South. Policies and outcomes., Editions des archives contemporaines, France, ISBN : 9782813003034, pp. 43-48, doi.org/10.17184/eac.2069
• Musotsi, Anne Aswani; Bruckner, Meike; Teherani-Kronner, Parto; Kingiri, Ann. 2018. Journal of Gender, Agriculture and Food Security (Agri-Gender), 3 (2):36-50. 10.22004/ag.econ.293598
• Kingiri Ann, Hanlin R, Andersen M. and Tigabu A. (2016). Strengthening innovation and Development Research in African universities: the case of AfricaLics. Conference Papers (refereed) presented during at IDRC Transformation of Research in the South Conference, France, 22-24 January 2016.
• Muok Benard and Kingiri Ann (2015). The role of civil society organizations in low-carbon innovation in Kenya. Journal of Innovation and Development, pages 1- 17. DOI:10.1080/2157930X.2015.1064558
• Deborah Wendiro, Watu Wamae, Ann Kingiri and Alex Paul Wacoo: 2014. Innovation dynamics in cassava production systems in Uganda. Journal of Agricultural Biotechnology and Sustainable Development. Vol. 6 (5): 50-59. DOI:10.5897/JABSD2014.0222.
• Kingiri Ann (2014) Comparative Strategic Behavior of Advocacy Coalitions and Policy Brokers: The Case of Kenya’s Biosafety Regulatory Policy, Journal of Comparative Policy Analysis: Research and Practice, 16: (4), 373-395.
• Mugwagwa Julius, Kingiri Ann and Muraguri Lois (2014). Understanding development trajectories for biotechnology governance frameworks in Sub Saharan Africa: the policy kinetic model.
• Kingiri Ann, Muok Benard, Kitaka Nzula (2013): Climate change innovations in East Africa: the case of agriculture, water and energy. EACIN/ACTS Policy Brief No. 1
• Kingiri Ann, Muok Benard, Katima Jamidu (2013). An Overview of Climate Adaptive Grassroots Innovations in East Africa. EACIN/ACTS Working Brief No. 3
• Kingiri N. Ann (2013). A Review of Innovation Systems Framework as a Tool for Gendering Agricultural Innovations: Exploring Gender Learning and System Empowerment, The Journal of Agricultural Education and Extension, 19:5, 521-541
• Chinigo Davide and Kingiri Ann (2013). Mainstreaming Gender in Bioenergy Projects: Lessons from PISCES. PISCES Policy Brief No 7 June 2013.
• Kingiri A. N and Hall A. (2012). The Role of Policy Brokers: The Case of Biotechnology in Kenya. Review of Policy Research, Volume 29, Number 4, pgs. 492-522.
• Kingiri A. N and Ayele S. (2012). Managing knowledge for development: lessons from Kenyan modern biotechnology regulatory process. Journal of Science Policy & Governance (JSPG), 2 (1): 1-37.   
• Kingiri A. N. (2011). Underlying tensions of conflicting advocacy coalitions in an evolving modern biotechnology regulatory subsystem: Policy learning and influencing Kenya’s regulatory policy process. Science and Public Policy, 38 (3): 199-211.
• Kingiri Ann and Adwera A. (2011). Technology Shaping and Technology Policy: policy considerations. ACTS Press, December.
• Kingiri, A. (2011). The contested framing of Biosafety Regulation as a tool for enhancing public awareness: Insights from the Kenyan regulatory process and BioAWARE strategy. International Journal of Technology and Development Studies (IJTDS), 2 (1): 64-86.
• Kingiri A. N. and Wakhungu J. (2011). Gender and agricultural innovation: revisiting the debate through an innovation system perspective. Policy Brief, ACTS Press.
• Kingiri, A. (2010). An analysis of the role of experts in biotechnology regulation in Kenya. Journal of International Development, 22: 325–340.
• Kingiri A. N. (2010). Evolution of Agricultural Biotechnology Innovation: Lessons from governance of Kenya’s biotechnology sector. Second Science with Africa Conference: Science, Innovation and Entrepreneurship. 23-25 June 2010, Addis, Ethiopia.
• Kingiri A. and Ayele S. (2009). Towards a smart biosafety regulation: the case of Kenya. Environ. Biosafety Res. 8: 133-139.
• Kingiri, A. (2009). Is there always room for more? Knowledge use in understanding the role of multiple players in the biotechnology policy arena in the context of Africa. ICABR Conference on 'The Emerging Bio-Economy.' 17-21 June 09, Ravello, Italy.
• Kingiri, A. (2009). Stakeholders’ engagement: any listeners out there? An analysis of the biotech debate in Africa. Development Studies Association (DSA) Conference 2009. ‘Current Crisis & New Opportunities'. 2 – 4 Sep 2009. University of Ulster, Coleraine Campus, UK.
• Kingiri, A. N. (2009). Can Scientists do Things Differently? The Case of Biotechnology Regulatory Practice. ESRC Genomics Network Conference 2009. ‘Mapping the Genomics Era: Measurements & Meanings'. 7- 9 Oct 09. Cardiff, Wales.

Kingiri. Ann and Okemwa Josephat (2021). A policy process that promotes capabilities building in renewable electrification in Kenya: the stakeholders’ perspective. Book Chapter under IREK project (approved for publishing).

Fu Xiaolan and Kingiri Ann (2020). The Diffusion and Adoption of Digital Finance Innovation in Africa. In Fu X. Innovation under the Radar: The Nature and Sources of Innovation in Africa, pp 284-302. Cambridge University.  DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/9781316869482.013

Kingiri Ann; Hanlin, Rebecca; Holm Andersen, Margrethe and Tigabu, Aschalew (2019). Strengthening innovation and development-research capacity in African universities. The case of AfricaLics», in Arvanitis, Rigas ; O'Brien, David (dir.), The Transformation of Research in the South. Policies and outcomes., Editions des archives contemporaines, France, ISBN : 9782813003034, pp. 43-48, doi.org/10.17184/eac.2069

Kingiri A. N (2012). Biotechnology Regulation as a Necessary Evil: Empirical Lessons from Kenya. In Kenya: Political, Social and Environmental Issues, Adoyo J. W. and Wangai C. I. (eds). ISBN: 978-1-62081-085-9.

Kingiri A. N. (2012). The Bumpy Path Towards Knowledge Convergence for Pro-Poor Agro-Biotechnology Regulation and Development: Exploring Kenya’s Regulatory Process" in Biotechnology - Molecular Studies and Novel Applications for Improved Quality of Human Life, ISBN 978-953-51-0151-2, Sammour, Reda Helmy (ed), pp. 79-96.