Prof. Da Silva has a PhD in Power Systems Engineering from the University of Sao Paulo (Brazil). He is also a Certified Energy Manager (CEM).
Presently, he is a Professor at Strathmore University and the Deputy Vice Chancellor – Research and Innovation. He is the founding member of the Strathmore Energy Research Centre, SERC. The Centre carries out training, research, testing and consultancy in energy related topics. His topics of interest are: Rural Electrification, Renewable Energy, Energy Efficiency, Energy Policy, Sustainable Environment and Demand Side Management.

Prof. Da Silva was appointed UNESCO chair on climate change mitigation and sustainability, which will help to achieve impact on the global platform. He is also the current chair of the board of directors of KCIC (Kenya Climate Innovation Centre). Professor Izael Pereira Da Silva is a renewable energy specialist with over 20 years of experience in research and academic leadership. He is a Professor and Deputy Vice-Chancellor for Research and Innovation at Strathmore University where he also spearheads the UNESCO/UNITWIN chair on climate change resilience and sustainability.

He holds a Bachelor of Science (BSc) in Electrical Engineering, with a specialization in Power Systems and Telecommunications, from the Federal University of Parana.
A qualified engineer, he is a member of several engineering societies within and outside Africa such as the Council of Engineers in Energy Transition (CEET). He is also an Accredited Energy Auditor with Kenya’s Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (EPRA), and a Certified Energy Manager with the Association of Energy Engineers (AEE), based in Atlanta, Georgia. Over the years, he has worked with government ministries, development agencies (like GIZ, Sida, the World Bank, etc.) and industry stakeholders (within and outside Africa) in research and research-related projects, to deepen the linkage between industry and academia.
Outside work, he is a long-distance runner and fitness enthusiast, having participated in the Standard Chartered Nairobi marathon from 2011 to 2017 and the Ndakaini Half marathon in 2016. He also enjoys hiking. So far, he has climbed Mt. Kilimanjaro and Mt. Kenya