This curriculum vitae summarizes the qualifications and experience of Dr. Gaspard Rwanyiziri. He is currently the Director of the Centre for Geographic Information Systems and Remote Sensing at the University of Rwanda, where he also serves as a Senior Lecturer. His academic background includes a PhD in Geography and Planning from Pau University in France. He has extensive research, teaching, and supervision experience in areas related to environment, climate change, biodiversity, and geographic information systems.

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Curriculum Vitae
Gaspard Rwanyiziri, PhD
Centre for Geographic Information Systems and Remote Sensing (CGIS)
College of Science and Technology
University of Rwanda
1. Contact Information
- Email: grwanyiziri@gmail.com or g.rwanyiziri@ur.ac.rw
- Phone: +250 7 88 68 14 38
- Physical Address: P.O. Box 212 Butare - Rwanda
- Office Location: University of Rwanda, Huye Campus, CGIS Room 8
- Web: http://cgis.ur.ac.rw/content/dr-gaspard-rwanyiziri
2. Identification
- Nationality: Rwandese
- Status: Married
- Date of Birth: 4th
September 1972
- Place of Birth: Rulindo District, Rwanda
- Languages: Kinyarwanda (Excellent), French (Excellent) and English (Very Good)
3. Academic Qualification
- June 2010 – December 2012: Postdoctoral fellow at the former National University of
Rwanda (under Sida project funding). Topic: “The Governance of Protected Areas in
Rwanda”.
- October 2003 - September 2009: PhD in Geography and Planning (Specialization:
Environment and Development) at Pau University (France). Thesis Dissertation:
"Geopolitics of the Environment in Rwanda. For a Participative Governance of the
Protected Spaces".
- October 2001 - October 2002: MA (DEA) in Geography and Planning (Specialization in
Environment and Development) at Bordeaux III University (France). MA Dissertation:
"Populations and Protected Areas in East Africa (Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, Uganda and
Tanzania".
- March 1995 – December 1999: BA in Human and Physical Geography at former National
University of Rwanda. Research topic: "Coffee Growing Crisis in Icyanya Peasantry. A
Study of Economical Geography.
4. Employment & Promotion
- 9th August 2011 – to date: Director of the Centre for Geographic Information Systems and
Remote Sensing, College of Science and Technology (CST), University of Rwanda (UR)
- 1st July 2010 - to date: Senior Lecturer of Geographical and Environmental Sciences,
Department of Geography, School of Science, College of Science and Technology,
University of Rwanda (UR)
- May 2010 – July 2011: Academic Secretary, Department of Geography, Faculty of
Science, National University of Rwanda (NUR)
- 1st April 2004 - 30th June 2010: Lecturer, Department of Geography, National University
of Rwanda (NUR)
- 1st June 2000 – 31st March 2004: Assistant Lecturer, Department of Geography, National
University of Rwanda (NUR).

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5. Courses/Modules Taught
- Environment and Sustainable Development: MA Program in Development Studies,
College of Arts and Social Sciences (CASS)
- Environmental Governance: MSc Program in Geo-information Science for Environment
and Sustainable Development, School of Science, College of Science and Technology
(CST)
- Community Conservation: MSc Program in Biodiversity Conservation and Natural
Resources Management, School of Science, College of Science and Technology (CST)
- Research Project for Environmental Management: 3rd
Year Environmental
Management Option, Department of Geography, School of Science, College of Science and
Technology (CST)
- Geographical Thoughts and Approaches to Science: 2nd
Year, Department of
Geography, School of Science, College of Science and Technology (CST)
- Introduction to Physical Geography – Component of Climatology: 1st
Year,
Department of Geography, School of Science, College of Science and Technology (CST)
6. Awards for Research Grants
- November 2014 – June 2017: Effects of Climate Change and Variability on Wetland
Agricultural Production and Food Security in Rwanda. Case Study of Rulindo, Ruhango
and Bugesera Districts (under UR-Sweden Cooperation funding); Role: Principal
investigator.
- February 2012 – March 2014: Trade-Offs and Synergies in Managing Wetlands
Resources for Improved Food Security and Adaptation to Climate Change in the Lake
Victoria Basin (under ViCres/IUCEA funding) (PI: Prof. Mnason Tweheyo, Makerere
University/Uganda); Role: Principal investigator on University of Rwanda side.
- February 2012 – March 2015: Promoting Spatial Thinking in Natural Resource
Management through Community Mapping: The Case of Urban and Rural Secondary
Schools of Rwanda (under Innovation for Education/DFID)(PI: Prof. Tony Vodacek,
Rochester Institute of Technology/USA); Role: Principal investigator on University of
Rwanda side.
7. Research Projects Coordination
- July 2013 – June 2018: Team Leader of GIS Subprogram, UR Sweden Programme for
Research, Higher Education and Institutional Advancement
- January 2011 – December 2016: Coordinator, Cooperation Agreement in the Field of
Geographic Information Systems between University of Rwanda and ESRI Deutschland
Group GmhH
- January 2011 – December 2013: Coordinator, Cooperation Agreement in the Field of
Geographic Information Systems between University of Rwanda and ESRI Deutschland
Group GmhH
8. Publications
- Rwanyiziri, G. and Rugema, J. 2013. Climate Change Effects on Food Security in
Rwanda: Case Study of Wetland Rice Production in Bugesera District. Rwanda
Journal, Series E: Agricultural Sciences Vol. 1 No. 1, 2013, pp. 33 -51 [ISSN 2305-
2678 (Print); ISSN 2305-5944 (Online) DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.4314/rj.v1i1.3E] (in
English)
- Rwanyiziri, G., 2013. Climate. In Ben Yahmed, D. & Houstin, N. (Ed.), Africa Atlases.
Rwanda, Paris: Les Éditions du Jaguar, pp. 82-83, ISBN: 978-2-86950-483-7 (in French
and English)

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- Rwanyiziri, G., 2013. Fauna and Flora. In Ben Yahmed, D. & Houstin, N. (Ed.), Africa
Atlases. Rwanda, Paris: Les Éditions du Jaguar, pp. 84-85, ISBN: 978-2-86950-483-7
(in French and English)
- Rwanyiziri, G., 2013. Environment and Biodiversity. In Ben Yahmed, D. & Houstin,
N. (Ed.), Africa Atlases. Rwanda, Paris: Les Éditions du Jaguar, pp. 86-87, ISBN: 978-2-
86950-483-7 (in French and English)
- Rwanyiziri, G., 2009. The Governance of Protected Areas in Rwanda: The Integration
of Local Population’s Issues. Scientific Review of Kigali Independent University, n° 15,
December 2009, pp. 38-72 (in French)
- Rwanyiziri G., 2008. Tourism in Protected Areas of Rwanda (1974-2008): Evolution,
Policies and Actors. In Scientific Review of Kigali Independent University, n° 11,
November 2008, pp. 44-75 (in French)
- Rwanyiziri, G., 2008. Protected Areas under Pressure from Demographic Expansion
and Poverty. The Case of the Volcanoes National Park (Rwanda). International Journal
of Sustainable Development, Vol. 1, n°4, 2008, pp. 17-28 (Published by Pan-African
Book Company) (in French)
9. Conference Organization
- March – November 2015: Chair of the Local Organizing Committee of the International
Conference on Geospatial Technologies for Sustainable Urban and Rural Development -
GeotechRwanda2015 - https://www.geotechrwanda2015.com
- August – November 2012: Member of the Local Organizing Committee of the 5th
NUR
International Scientific Research Conference (ISRC).
10. Conference Attendance (with Oral Presentations)
- Rwanyiziri G., 2014. Community-based Tourism around Protected Areas of Rwanda.
Case Study of Kinigi and Nyange Community Walk Activities around Volcanoes
National Park (VNP), Musanze District. In "Understanding Oneself and the Others:
New Domestic and International Tourism Practices and the Promotion of Heritage and
Tourism in East Africa"(a symposium organized by French Institute for Research in
Africa (IFRA-Nairobi) in collaboration with Nairobi National Museum.
- Rwanyiziri G. and J. Rugema, 2012. Climate Change Effects on Food Security in
Rwanda: Case Study of Wetland Rice Production in Bugesera District. In the 5th
International Scientific Research Conference, 5th
to 7th
December 2012, National
University of Rwanda.
- Rwanyiziri G., 2011. Minor Natural and Cultural Heritage Sites in East Africa. Case
study of Buhanga and Cyamudongo Sites in Rwanda. In Minor Natural and Cultural
Heritage Sites in East Africa, French Institute of Research in Africa (IFRA), Nairobi,
17-18 January, 2011 (Oral Presentation).
11.Professional Trainings/Workshops/Meetings
- 28th
– 30th
May 2014: “CAAST-Net Plus Regional Workshop on Climate Change”,
Sports View Hotel, Kigali
- 10th
– 14th
March 2014: "Household Economy Analysis (HEA) for Food Security
Analysis" (a training organized by USAID -FEWS NET in Musanze District, Rwanda)
(certificate).
- 30th
September – 11th
October 2013: "Project and Programme Management", Arusha,
Tanzania (a course conducted by MDF - ESA Training & Consultancy in
Arusha)(certificate).
- 7th
- 9th
August 2013: "Social Sciences Research Methods", Bujumbura, Burundi (a
workshop organized by RCEAR in collaboration with University of Burundi/Biology
Department)(certificate).

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- 8th
- 12th
July 2013: "ESRI International User Conference", San Diego-California,
USA (a conference organized by ESRI USA).
- 15th
- 17th
May 2013: "Illegal Timber Trade in Greater Virunga", Lake View Hotel-
Entebbe, Uganda (a workshop organized by Greater Virunga Transboundary
Cooperation, GVTC).
- 9th
- 19th
December 2012: "Use of Geographic Technologies for Climate Change,
Food Security, and Agriculture, and of Professional Development of Fellow and
Mentors", RCMRD-Nairobi (a workshop organized by NASA-AAG under My
Community, our Earth SERVIR East Africa)(certificate).
- 3rd - 7th December 2012: “Use of Geographic Technologies for Planning and
Sustainable Development”, CGIS-NUR (a training workshop organized by EIS-Africa
and AAG) (certificate).
- 17th
July – 10th
September 2010: ˝Education Programme on Climate Change and
Biodiversity Conservation in Albertine Rift˝, Institute of Resources
Assessment/University of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania (Sponsored by Pan-African START
and International START) (Certificate).
- 22th February – 5th March 2010: "Competing Claims on Natural Resources.
Professional Qualities for Managing Conflict in NRM towards Sustainable
Development", Wageningen/Netherlands, Wageningen UR Centre for Development
Innovation (Certificate).
- 23rd
November – 6th
December 2009: Training on “Wetlands Rapid Assessment
Procedure and Biodiversity Inventories of Lake Kivu Islands”, Butare and Lake Kivu
islands, UNESCO/NUR (Certificate).
- 17th
November 2009: Workshop for the “Establishment of the MAB National
Committee and Programme in Rwanda”, Kigali, Ninzi Hotel, REMA/RNCU.
- 5th
– 16th
October 2009: "Use of Low cost Earth Observation Data in Environment and
Climate Monitoring Applications", CGIS-NUR/ITC, Butare, Rwanda Certificate).
- 7th
– 17th
August 2008: Bergen Summer Research School “Global Development
Challenges: Rich and Poor Countries: Global History Matters”. University of Bergen,
Bergen/Norway (Certificate).
- 3rd
January – 31st
March 2006: Short course in “Geo-Information for Biodiversity
Conservation”, International Institute for Geo-information Science and Earth
Observation (ITC/Netherlands) (Certificate).
- 4th
– 8th
August 2003: Workshop on Ecotourism in Protected Areas of Sub-Saharan
Africa, Kigali, Novotel Hotel (Certificate).
12. Consultancy Services
- Rwanyiziri G, Uwayezu, E. 2014. Inventory on Available Spatial Data, Data Sharing
Habits, and Knowledge Base on Spatial Data Infrastructure (SDI) Development in
Rwanda. Huye/Kigali: SKAT International (in English).
- Nduwamungu, J. et al., 2012. Forest Cover Mapping of Rwanda using High-resolution
Aerial Photographs. A project by the Geographic Information Systems & Remote
Sensing Research and Training Center of the National University of Rwanda (CGIS –
NUR) for the “Programme d’Appui à la Reforestation (PAREF NL)”/Rwanda Natural
Resources Authority (RNRA)- [Project Member] (in English).
- Rwanyiziri G, Uwayezu, E. 2012. Assessment on the Current Status of Policies on Use
of EO Data in Land Degradation Mitigation (LDM) and Natural Habitat Conservation
(NHC) in Rwanda. Huye/Nairobi: AMESD IGAD (in English).
- Nsengimana, H. and Rwanyiziri, G., 2011. Rwanda Environmental Research Strategy.
Kigali/Butare: REMA/NUR-CB (in English).
- Rwanyiziri G., 2007. Guide for community conservation as regards nature
conservation in Rwanda. Butare-Kigali, ORTPN, 54p. (in French and English).

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- Rwanyiziri, G., Kayijamahe, E., Lasry, F., Schilling, M., 2005. Akagera National Park.
Zoning Plan. Butare, ORTPN/DED/CGIS-NUR, 120p. (in French).
- Rwanyiziri, G., Kayijamahe, E., 2004. Volcanoes National Park. Zoning Plan. Butare-
Kigali, ORTPN/IGCP/CGIS-NUR, 135p. (A document worked out by CGIS-NUR for
IGCP/ORTPN) (in French).
13. MSc/MA Research Supervision
- Academic Year 2015 – 2016: Two MSc theses under my supervision in the field of
Biodiversity Conservation (MSc Program in Biodiversity Conservation and Natural
Resources Management, School of Science, College of Science and Technology)
- Academic Year 2015 – 2016: Four MA theses under my supervision in the field of
Environment and Climate Change (MA Development Studies, College of Arts, Media
and Social Sciences, University of Rwanda)
- Academic Year 2015 – 2016: Four MA theses under my supervision field of
Environment and Climate Change (MSc Program in Geo-information Science for
Environment and Sustainable Development, College of Science and Technology,
University of Rwanda)
- Between 2012 and 2015: 15 MA theses supervised in the MA Program in Development
Studies
- Between 2012 and 2015: 5 MSc theses surpervised in the MSc program in Biodiversity
Conservation
14. External Examination
- January 2014: MSc Thesis of Mr. Vincent Kayigema "An Assessment of Girinka (One
Cow per Poor Family) Program and Poverty Alleviation in Rwanda". University of
Kwazulu-Natal, College of Agriculture, Engeneering and Science.
15. International Networking
- October 2010 – to date: Associate Researcher at Pau University, France
- March 2012 – to date: Research Collaborator with Makerere University, Uganda
- October 2011 – to date: Research Collaborator with Ardhi University, Tanzania
- October 2011 – to date: Research Collaborator with Lund University, Sweden
- March 2011 – to date: Research Collaborator with Royal Institute of Technology –
KTH, Sweden
- March 2012 – to date: Research Collaborator with Antioch University New England,
USA
14. Memberships
- September 2015 – to date: Member of the Human Resource Capacity Building Cluster
of the Northern Corridor Integration Projects (NCIPs).
- 2012 – To date: Member of Association of American Geographers
- 2012- To date: Member of Environmental Information System-Africa (EIS-Africa)
- June 2010 - To date: Member of the Research Regional Technical Committee within
Greater Virunga Transboundary Collaboration (GVTC), UR Representative
- 1st August 2013 - To date: Member of Regional Climate Change Experts in East Africa
15. Research Interests
- Environmental Geography
- Natural Resources Management
- Climate change related matters
- Various applications of Geographic Information Systems (GIS)
16. Contact Persons

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- Prof. Emmanuel Twarabamenye, Full Professor, Department of Geography, School of
SCIENCE, University of Rwanda (Email: e.twarabamenye@ur.ac.rw).
- Prof. Beth Kaplin, Associate Professor, Antioch University-New England, USA (E-mail:
bkaplin@antioch.edu).
- Prof. Petter Pilesjo, Full Professor, Director of GIS Centre, Lund University, Sweden (E-
mail: petter.pilesjo@gis.lu.se).
17. Certification
I, the undersigned, certify that to the best of my knowledge and belief, these data correctly describe
me, my qualifications and my experience.
Dr. Gaspard RWANYIZIRI Huye, 21st
December 2015