Academic Staff

Dr. D. Nthoki Nyamai

Profile

I am an Urban Development Researcher currently working at the IPS research group at the Department of Spatial Planning. I am also pursuing my Doctoral studies on Urban Mobility and Justice with a focus on non-motorized transport in Nairobi.

Before joining TU Dortmund, I worked with the Development Planning Unit, UCL London, on Complex Land Markets and Spatial Justice research in Uganda and Somaliland, and earlier on I worked at the Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies (IHS), Erasmus University, Rotterdam where, besides teaching and developing courses, was involved with research for the UN-Habitat State of African Cities 2018 report. I am also a board member of the TRIALOG Journal for Planning and Building in a Global Context serving as the coordinating editor.

D. Nthoki Nyamai, profile picture — D. Nthoki Nyamai (2022)

CV

Academic education:

2020-2024 Doctoral candidate, Working title: “Urban Mobility and Spatial Justice: Prospects of non-motorized transport in Nairobi”, Department of Spatial Planning, TU Dortmund, Germany
2014 – 2015: Study of urban management and development, Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies (IHS), Erasmus University Rotterdam, Netherlands, M.Sc.
2013 – 2014: Certificate in “Development Project Management”, Middlebury Institute of International Studies, Monterey, USA
2008 – 2012: B.Sc. Environment and Urban Planning, Kenyatta University, Nairobi, Kenya

Work experience:

Since 2020: Research assistant, IPS, Department of Spatial Planning, TU Dortmund
2019 – 2020: Researcher on urban residential land markets and spatial justice, Development Planning Unit, UCL
2017 – 2018: Research consultant for urban development and land markets in Uganda and Somaliland, Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies (IHS), Erasmus University Rotterdam.
2015 – 2017: Academic research assistant, Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies (IHS), Erasmus University Rotterdam, Netherlands
2012 – 2014: Assistant project coordinator, Nippon Koei/JICA, Nairobi, Kenya
2011 – 2012: Graduate environmental planner, GIBB International Ltd, Nairobi, Kenya
2012: Associate management trainer, Van Horn Consulting, Nairobi, Kenya and Kigali, Rwanda
2012: Project assistant, Edge Associates, Nairobi, Kenya
2009 – 2010: Volunteer at Kenya Wildlife Service, Nairobi National Park, Kenya
2009: Associate consultant, KAT Systems Consultants, Nairobi, Kenya

Language skills:

Swahili: Mother tongue
English: Business fluent
German: Competent language use
French: Basic knowledge

Research

Research areas:

Infrastructure-led development in rapidly urbanizing cities
Mobility and Accessibility
Active mobility
Social, Spatial and Mobility Justice
Urban Land Markets

Research projects (at IPS):

Sibce 2022: ICOLMA, BMBF
Since 2020: “Urban Mobility and Spatial Justice: Prospects of non-motorized Transport in Nairobi” (PhD project)

Publications:

Schnittfinke, T., Greiving, S., Nyamai, D.N., Scholz, W., Schramm, S., Behrens, R., Zuidgeest, M., Rink, B., Momm, S., Travassos, L., Brauer, B., Fischer, L. (2024) 'Criticality assessment and cascading effects: impacts of COVID-19 disruptions in public transport on marginalized groups in Dortmund, Germany, São Paulo, Brazil, and Cape Town, South Africa.' Journal of Surveillance, Security and Safety. 2024, 5(3), pp. 140-59. http://dx.doi.org/10.20517/jsss.2024.11
Nyamai, D. (2023) 'Invoking spatial justice in urban mobility in Nairobi: A commuter’s perspective' in European Journal of Spatial Development. doi: 10.5281/zenodo.10185316
Nyamai, D. und Schramm, S. (2022) ‘Accessibility, mobility and spatial justice in Nairobi, Kenya‘, in Journal of Urban Affairs. doi: 10.1080/07352166.2022.2071284.
Jachnow, A., Keunen, E. und Nyamai, D. (Hrsg.) (2022) ‘Just Cities’, in Trialog Journal, 139.
Nyamai, D. (2020) ‘Urban mobility and spatial justice: Prospects of non-motorized transport in Nairobi,’ in Transport Planning and Mobility in Urban East Africa. Routledge, pp. 31-42.
Nyamai, D.N. and Jachnow, A. (2020) ‘A long walk to socio-spatial inclusion’, in Transport Planning and Mobility in Urban East Africa, Routledge, p 3.
Nyamai, D. (2018) ‘Inclusive Transport and Spatial Justice in Nairobi,’ Myliveablecity. Available at: www.myliveablecity.com/magazine_detail.html?str=1&id=119.
Wall, R., Nyamai, D. and McAweeny, C. (2018) ‘Determinants of Foreign Direct Investment into Africa’s Knowledge-based Industries’, in State of African Cities: The geography of African investment. UN Habitat, Part B, Chapter 4, pp 162 – 171.
Wall, R., Nyamai, D. and Asubonteng, A. (2018) ‘FDI and the African Food Security Paradox’, in State of African Cities: The geography of African investment. UN Habitat, Part B, Chapter 7, pp 192-201.
Wall, R., Nyamai, D. and Malegaonkar, M. (2018) ‘The Effect of Green Competitiveness on FDI. State of African Cities’, in State of African Cities: The geography of African investment. UN Habitat, Part B, Chapter 10, pp 222-231
Nyamai, D. (2015) ‘The Competitiveness of Port cities and Non-Port cities-Published’, ISOCARP.
AfDB, OECD, and UNDP (2016) ‘How sustainable cities can contribute to Africa’s development’, in Africa Economic Outlook. AfDB; OECD; UNDP, Chapter 7, pp 207-209.

Teaching

Thesis supervision:

– supervision in English only –

Topics:

Urban Mobility and Accessibility
Urban Development and Resilience
Social, Spatial and Mobility [in]justices
Urban Land Use and Management

Currently taught courses (WiSe 2024/25):

There will be no courses taught by Dr. D. Nthoki Nyamai this semester

Selected past courses:

B.Sc. Spatial Planning: F02 "My Way or the Highway: Sustainable Urban Mobility in Namibia" (2022/2023)
B.Sc. Spatial Planning: F03 “Displaced, Misplaced or Replaced? Spaces of Urban Regeneration and Inclusivity” (2021/2022)
B.Sc. Spatial Planning: F 06 “Beyond Cities: Unveiling the Hinterlands of Today and Tomorrow”(2021/2022)
B.Sc. Spatial Planning: F 02 “There is an app for that: Intelligent urban mobility, its impact and future” (2020/21)