T. Muhamba (Tawanda)

I am a PhD Candidate at the Faculty of Geo-Information Science and Earth Observation (ITC), University of Twente, working within the GAIA department on the INFLAMES project (Work Package 6). My research focuses on satellite-based modelling of human influences on wildfire dynamics, drawing on remote sensing, hyperspectral imaging, and Earth observation data to better understand how human activity shapes fire regimes.

Before joining ITC, I worked as a GIS Developer and Data Analyst at the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) in Zimbabwe, supporting spatial analysis and remote sensing–based conservation data workflows across projects in Zimbabwe, Zambia, and Malawi. I hold a BSc (Hons) in Geographical Information Science and Earth Observation and an MSc in Integrated Water Resources Management, both from the University of Zimbabwe — my MSc dissertation applied GRACE satellite data and hydrological modelling to study groundwater dynamics at Hwange National Park.

My technical interests span ArcGIS, QGIS, Google Earth Engine, and Python, applied to multispectral and hyperspectral satellite data (MODIS, Landsat, Sentinel, GRACE) for environmental and conservation challenges.

Organisations

My PhD research is part of the INFLAMES project (Work Package 6), where I develop satellite-based models of human influences on wildfire dynamics. The work combines remote sensing, hyperspectral imaging, and geospatial analysis to understand how human activity — land use change, infrastructure, and settlement patterns — shapes fire regimes across different landscapes. I use Earth observation data from missions such as MODIS, Landsat, and Sentinel, alongside geospatial modelling tools including Google Earth Engine and Python, to build data-driven approaches for fire risk assessment and monitoring.

I hold a BSc (Hons) in Geographical Information Science and Earth Observation from the University of Zimbabwe (2018), and an MSc in Integrated Water Resources Management, also from the University of Zimbabwe (2024). My MSc dissertation applied GRACE satellite data and hydrological modelling (WaSiM-ETH) to study groundwater dynamics at Hwange National Park, combining remote sensing with hydrological process modelling to assess water resource availability in a protected area setting.

My current project is INFLAMES (Work Package 6), focused on satellite-based modelling of human influences on wildfire dynamics. Prior to my PhD, I worked on geospatial and remote sensing projects supporting conservation and natural resource management across Zimbabwe, Zambia, and Malawi, including fire risk mapping and spatial data analysis for environmental monitoring.

Address

University of Twente

Langezijds (building no. 19), room 1303
Hallenweg 8
7522 NH Enschede
Netherlands

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Organisations