After his early education at Kisii High School, Professor Odada proceeded to Leningrad Mining Institute, Leoben Mining Institute and finally to Royal School of Mines, Imperial College, London University where he obtained Dipl. Eng, M.Sc, DIC and PhD degrees. He joined University of Nairobi in 1988 where he is teaching Oceanography, Marine Geology and Geochemistry. Prior to joining the University, he served as Chief Research Officer, Kenya Marine and Freshwater Research Institute (KMFRI) and Principal Geologist with the Mines and Geology Department, Ministry of Environment and National Resources, Kenya. He is a Fellow of the Kenya National Academy of Sciences and the World Academy of Sciences. He is currently a member of the United Nations Secretary General's Advisory Board (UNSGAB) on Water and Sanitation, and Director of United Nations University Regional Centre for Water Education (UNU-WVLC) based in Nairobi, Kenya. He is currently leading a research consortium of African, European and North American Scientists interested in promoting the investigations of African Great Lakes as archives of climatic and environmental dynamics.