By Eamonn Ryan
When Prospero Muheki’s name was called at the University of the Witwatersrand’s Great Hall, the applause was not just for his academic achievement – it was for the curiosity, discipline and vision that have defined his journey. This is part one of a two-part series.
Prospero Muheki. Supplied by Muheki
Recipient of the 2025 Schneider Electric Automation Student Award, Muheki embodies the new generation of African engineers reshaping the continent’s energy and automation landscape.
Sponsored by Schneider Electric for the eighth consecutive year, the award recognises the top final-year student in Measurement and Control – a field at the heart of automation and energy efficiency. It also forms part of Schneider Electric’s broader Students and Young Professionals programme, which provides bursaries, internships and access to global initiatives such as the Go Green Competition, encouraging students to create sustainable energy solutions for local challenges.
For Muheki, the honour is both a recognition and a responsibility: “I’ve always been fascinated by how things work and why they work the way they do. That curiosity naturally led me to engineering, a field that thrives on asking those exact questions.”
An engineer in the making
Growing up near a construction site in Uganda, Muheki vividly remembers hearing people say, “Wait for the engineer.” Everything stopped until that person arrived. “It made me realise that engineers are the real engines of change. And that change today is innovation, driving progress wherever they go,” he recalls.
That sense of purpose continues to guide him. Over the next few years, he plans to pursue his MSc and PhD, combining research with real-world experience. “In the next decade, I see myself as a lead engineer – someone who not only analyses and designs systems but also mentors younger engineers and drives innovation that makes the world more sustainable. Many young people from underprivileged backgrounds need examples to follow. Growing up, I didn’t have anyone who looked like me in engineering. I want to change that narrative,” he says.
Inspired by systems that work
Muheki’s academic interests lie in electrical engineering, particularly in measurement, control and automation – fields he describes as “the backbone of modern energy management”. But his curiosity doesn’t stop there. A stint at Paramount Aerospace Systems exposed him to the world of aircraft design and systems integration, where he worked on a project spanning multiple disciplines.
“That experience opened my eyes to how different engineering systems come together: electrical, mechanical, and structural. I developed a real appreciation for systems engineering, where the focus is on how all components integrate harmoniously. It taught me to see engineering not as isolated fields but as an interconnected ecosystem,” he says.
Muheki’s journey has also been shaped by faith and gratitude. “My path in engineering has been guided by God’s grace and the generosity of donors who made my studies possible. Without that support, I might not have continued. So, I see engineering as both a calling and a responsibility: to give back by creating a more comfortable, sustainable world.”
Growing up in a resource-limited environment, he learned to see engineering as the bridge between problems and solutions. “Whether it’s designing systems that reduce passenger-ear discomfort when the Gautrain exits the tunnel or creating temperature controls that make homes more comfortable, engineering helps us understand and improve the world around us,” he reflects.
