Awards and Honors
Professor Nakalembe is a key figure in building capacity for remote sensing in African agricultural monitoring and research. Her dedicated efforts are focused on empowering stakeholders across the continent. Her trailblazing work has received prestigious recognition, including the 2022 Al Sumait Prize for African Development, Uganda's Golden Jubilee Gold Medal for outstanding public service, the 2020 Africa Food Prize, and a 2019 Group on Earth Observations Individual Excellence Award. Her contributions underscore a commitment to driving positive change and innovation in agriculture and remote sensing on the African continent.
2022 Al-Sumait Prize for African Development
In recognition of her extensive research leveraging Earth observation data and machine learning to improve food security and agricultural livelihoods across regions of Africa, Assistant Professor Catherine Nakalembe of the Department of Geographical Sciences was awarded the 2022 Al-Sumait Prize for African Development.
The award was established in 2013 by the Kuwait Foundation for the Advancement of Sciences.
2022 Presidential Golden Jubilee Medal
The President of Uganda awards the Golden Jubilee Medal for outstanding service and loyalty to Uganda. The Presidential Awards Committee selects honorees responsible for identifying, selecting, vetting, and forwarding nominated persons to the President to confer the Honors. A Chancellor heads the awards committee. Read more
2020 Africa Food Prize
Dr. Nakalembe received the Africa Food Prize for her dedication to improving the lives of smallholder farmers by using satellite technology to guide agricultural decision-making. Her work in this area has helped prevent the potentially disastrous impacts of crop failure. Her relentless efforts have also promoted the formulation of policies and programs that directly impact farmers against the impacts of food failure.
Inaugural 2019 GEO Individual Excellence Award
Dr. Catherine Nakalembe is one of the inaugural winners of the 2019 GEO Individual Excellence Awards. This award recognizes scientists who have dedicated their valuable time, resources, and energy toward highly impactful missions with palpable results.
Featured in Earth, Oceans and Skies: Insights from selected, outstanding African women scientists’
United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA)
March 30, 2022
Selected on the inaugural Black Women in Executive Leadership (B-WEL) a global initiative that centers insights from Black women’s experiences to strengthen, diversify, and connect leaders and innovative solutions available to solve the world’s most pressing challenges.
September 12, 2023
Bellagio Rockerfella Foundation
Honored as one of the 100 of Africa's Most Influential Technology and Telecommunications Leaders for 2023 by Africa Tech Festival and Africa Tech
June 2023
www.africatechfestival.com
Dr. Nakalembe is named one of 15 rising stars of women worldwide, leading the application of machine learning to analyze satellite data for sustainability.
The Radiant Earth Foundation
Mar 8, 2021
An Innovator in International Food Security
FEB 14, 2020
NASA.gov
Full List of Awards and Honors
2023
AL Sumait Prize for African Development Laureate
Fellow, B-Wel (Black Women in Executive Leadership)
Africa's Top 100 Most Influential African Leaders, Africa Tech Festival and Connecting Africa
2022
Golden Jubilee Gold Medal, Highest Civilian Award, Uganda
10 Women Scientists Leading the Fight Against the Climate Crisis- Global Citizen
2021
UK Humanitarian Hub Fellowship
15 Women Leading the ML4EO Community, Radiant Earth Foundation
2020
Africa Food Prize, Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA)
ClimateChangeAI TEDx Speaker
An Innovator in International Food Security, NASA
2020 Maryland Research Excellence Honoree of the University of Maryland, College Park
2020 Women and GIS, Volume 2: Stars of Spatial Science, Esri Press.
2019
Individual Excellence Award from Group on Earth Observations (GEO), Geneva, Switzerland
2012
O.E. Baker Award: Outstanding Graduate Student, Geographical Sciences Uni. of Maryland
2012 Special Excellence as a Teaching Assistant, Geographical Sciences, University of Maryland