Nicolas Uwitonze

Bio

"Dr. Nicolas Uwitonze is an international consultant and scholar specializing in agricultural extension education, capacity development, and problem-solving for social change. With over a decade of experience, his career spans government, academia, and the non-profit sector. 

In May 2025, Dr. Uwitonze completed his Ph.D. in Agricultural Extension Education at Virginia Tech. His dissertation examined problem-solving styles, coping behaviors, and identity integration among leaders of evaluation-focused businesses in the United States. While pursuing his Ph.D., he served as a research assistant in the Department of Agricultural Leadership and Community Education, where he supported the evaluation capacity development within Virginia Cooperative Extension. He was also selected as one of 12 residential leaders for the Virginia Summer Residential Governor’s School for Agriculture (GSA) in 2022 and 2023, mentoring over 100 high-achieving high school students. His responsibilities included academic support and research mentorship—strengthening students’ exposure to agriculture, research and STEM careers.

Dr. Uwitonze also holds a Master of Advanced Studies in Integrated Crop Management from the University of Neuchâtel, Switzerland, where his research focused on analyzing farmers’ sources of information on maize pests & diseases and the implications for integrated pest management in Rwanda. He earned a B.Sc. in Agricultural Sciences, specializing in extension education, from Alexandria University in Egypt.