Jason Owen Kandume

 1^st year Ph.D. student in Engineering Technology and Management for Agricultural Systems at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, with expertise in contextual engineering, participatory technology design, and community-scale food processing innovation. He is a Namibian American researcher with over 15 years of experience developing and evaluating sustainable technologies that bolster rural livelihoods, food security, and climate resilience.

His research emphasizes the creation of practical engineering systems that are locally repairable, culturally relevant, and economically accessible to underserved communities. Jason’s work integrates hands-on mechanical design with field-based collaboration, highlighting how social and environmental contexts influence technological success or failure.

A key focus is the Kalahari Melon Oil Project, which explores community-scale oil extraction and seed-processing techniques to enhance oil yield and quality while fostering women-led entrepreneurship in rural Namibia. His broader academic interests include sustainable development, agro-processing systems, contextual innovation, and applied field research methodologies.

He holds two Master’s degrees, including an M.S. in Engineering Technology & Management for Agricultural Systems (University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign) and an M.S. in Applied Ecology (Inland Norway University).

Additionally, Jason serves as a Visiting Research Specialist at UIUC, facilitating interdisciplinary research, field data collection, and stakeholder engagement. Outside of research, he enjoys wildlife photography, videography, and science communication, with extensive experience documenting fieldwork and outreach activities.