Dr. Sabina Baariu

Dr. Sabina Baariu is a highly experienced GIS and Remote Sensing Scientist with deep expertise in spatial analysis, climate risk and vulnerability assessment, cartography, and data-driven decision-making for climate resilience and infrastructure planning.

She is currently a Postdoctoral Fellow in Earth and Climate Sciences at ICCA, where she works on climate adaptation research supporting resilient infrastructure systems in Kenya. Previously, Dr. Baariu served as a Postdoctoral Fellow on the GCA–University of Nairobi project, contributing to national-level assessments on infrastructure hazards, vulnerability, and climate impacts that inform Kenya’s resilience strategies.

With over three decades of professional experience, Dr. Baariu has held senior technical roles in both government and academia. She worked for many years as a GIS Specialist at the Rural Electrification and Renewable Energy Corporation (REREC), where she led GIS modelling, energy planning, data governance, and risk register development, and supported national stakeholder engagement and capacity-building initiatives. Earlier in her career, she served as a Senior Cartographer at the Survey of Kenya, building foundational expertise in mapping and geospatial standards.

Dr. Baariu is also a passionate advocate for inclusive and accessible mapping. She is currently designing Kenya’s first electoral tactile map for blind and partially sighted voters, and is an active member of the International Cartographic Association’s Working Group on Inclusive Cartography. In addition, she contributes to national GIS standards development, professional examinations, and curriculum development for TVET and university-level GIS and remote sensing programs.

In this course, Dr. Baariu brings practical insights on how GIS, spatial data, and vulnerability assessments can be applied to strengthen climate-resilient planning and implementation in sectors such as infrastructure, energy, health, and education.