Indiana State University Newsroom

Indiana State University's Biology Speaker Series welcomes its Diversity in Science speaker on Feb. 22, as Kennedy Ondimu, a Fulbright scholar recipient from Kenya, will present his seminar on "Kenya's Health System and the challenges it faces in the attainment of its Millennium Development Goals."

Ondimu's presentation will take place at 4 p.m. in Room 12 of the Science Building. Attendance is free for all students, faculty, staff, as well as members of the public.

A visiting scholar at Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College from Kenya's Egerton University, Ondimu has a unique perspective along with strong international experiences on diversity and social issues. His presentation at ISU will focus on raising awareness about the issues surrounding Kenya's health system and the challenges it faces moving forward.

"Each of one of us is a key stakeholder in our efforts to attain the Millennium Development Goals," Ondimu said. "This presentation will reflect on some of those experiences and challenges"

The presentation will primarily focus on some of the key health care issues that Kenya is currently facing. These range from the country's food security, to measures that are being taken to reduce the spread of disease and child mortality rates in Kenya.

Ondimu serves as the dean and associate professor in Egerton University's geography department. He completed his undergraduate and master's studies at the University of Nairobi before earning his doctorate from Egerton University, Kenya's oldest post-secondary institute. He will be a scholar-in-residence at Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College throughout the spring 2011 semester.

For more information on Dr. Kenney Ondimu, please visit his biography with Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College http://www.smwc.edu/headlines/saint-mary-of-the-woods-college-hosts-fulbright-scholar/.

The next speaker in ISU's Biology Speaker Series will be on campus March 1. Danielle Greer from Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College will present her lecture as one of the Women in Science speakers. For more information and additional speakers, visit www.indstate.edu/darwin/ or call 812-237-2400.

The series is sponsored by First Year Programs, the College of Graduate and Professional Studies, Office of Diversity, Center for Public Service and Community Engagement, the University Honors Program, Lilly Endowment and St. Mary-of-the-Woods College.

Contact: Rusty Gonser, Indiana State University, associate professor of life sciences, at 812- 237-2395 or Rusty.Gonser@indstate.edu

Writer: Scott Campbell, Indiana State University, media relations assistant, at 812-237-3773 or rcampbell10@indstate.edu