GEOG Assistant Professor Catherine Nakalembe is a new member of the American Geographical Society (AGS) Council. Specializing in satellite remote sensing and machine learning applications for agriculture and food security, her work focuses on capacity-building for remote sensing in agriculture monitoring, with a particular emphasis on Africa.

Nakalembe, who leads NASA Harvest Africa, has received numerous accolades for her contributions to the field, including the 2022 Al-Sumait Prize for African Development and the 2020 Africa Food Prize. She has been recognized for her dedication to improving the lives of smallholder farmers through the use of satellite technology. Her achievements also include being a 2020 University of Maryland Research Excellence Honoree and the recipient of the Inaugural GEO Individual Excellence Award in 2019.

Expressing her honor at joining the AGS Council, Nakalembe emphasized her commitment to furthering the AGS vision of advancing geography for societal benefit. She looks forward to collaborating with colleagues on the council to contribute to geographical understanding and address global challenges through the use of geographic science and technologies.

John Konarski, Chief Executive Officer of AGS, congratulated Nakalembe on her election, expressing anticipation for the unique perspectives she will bring to the organization.

The AGS Council, established in 1851, serves as the governing board of the Society. Comprising influential leaders, it has been at the forefront of geographical research and education.