- Motochi, N. W. Makau, G. O. Amolo, Metal–semiconductor ohmic contacts: An ab initio Density Functional Theory study of the structural and electronic properties of metal–diamond (111)-(1×1) interfaces, Diam. Relat. Mater. 23 (2012) 10-17.
- Motochi, N. W. Makau, G. O. Amolo, B. A. Mathe, S.R. Naidoo, Ab initio structural and electronic study of metals on diamond (111)-(1×1) surface, Proceedings of SAIP 2011, pg. 207-213
- Aradi, S. R. Naidoo, D. G. Billing, D. Wamwangi, I. Motochi, T. E. Derry, Ion beam modification of the structure and properties of hexagonal boron nitride: An infrared and X-ray diffraction study, Nucl. Instr. and Meth. B, 331 (2014) 140-143
- Motochi, S.R. Naidoo, B.A. Mathe, R. Erasmus, E. Aradi and T.E. Derry, E.J. Olivier, Surface Brillouin scattering on annealed ion-implanted CVD diamond, Diam. Relat. Mater. 56 (2015), 6-12.
- Motochi, B.A. Mathe, S.R. Naidoo and T. E. Derry, Surface Brillouin scattering in ion-implanted chemical vapour deposited diamond, Mater. Today: S3 (2016), S145-S152.
- Motochi, B.A. Mathe, S.R. Naidoo, D. Wamwangi, T.E. Derry, Surface Brillouin scattering observation of higher order resonances in annealed, ion-implanted CVD diamond, Diam. Relat. Mater. 76 (2017), 171-176
- Ichibha,, K. Hongo, I. Motochi, N.W. Makau, G.O. Amolo, Ryo Maezo, Adhesion of electrodes on diamond (111) surface: A DFT study, Diam. Relat. Mater. 81 (2018), 168-175
- Other papers awaiting publications
- Local university workshops/ Symposi16thApril 2014: Presented a poster “Surface Brillouin scattering in annealed ion-implanted diamond” at the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg.
- August 2013: Presented a poster at the 5thCross-faculty graduate symposium: showcasing graduate research at the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg.
- 28thMay 2013: Presented a poster “Effect of ion-implantation on the stiffness of diamond studied by surface Brillouin scattering” at the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg.
- October 2012: Presented a poster at the 4thCross-faculty graduate symposium: showcasing graduate research at the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg.
- 30thMay 2012: Presented a poster “Characterization of metal-ion irradiated diamond interfaces” at the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg.
- 2-4 March and 22-23 June 2011: Attended and completed the Physics I laboratory Training Workshops for tutors and lab demonstrators (Student helpers) of the School of Physics at the University of the Witwatersrand Johannesburg, South Africa.
- 4-8 August 2009: Presented a paper “Ohmic Contacts on Hydrogenated and oxygenated diamond (111) Surfaces using Density Functional Theory” at the Moi University 5thAnnual International Conference, Margaret Thatcher Library, Moi University, Kenya.
- 29thJune – 3rd July 2015: Presented a talk “SBS observation of higher-order resonances in annealed, carbon implanted CVD”, at the 60th Annual Conference of the South African Institute of Physics, Nelson Mandela Metropolitan, South Africa.
- 7-11 July 2014: Presented a talk “Ion dose effect on sound velocity in ion-implanted CVD diamond studied using surface Brillouin scattering”, at the 59thAnnual Conference of the South African Institute of Physics, University of Johannesburg, South Africa.
- 8-12 July 2013: Presented a talk “Back surface influence on Brillouin scattering in ion-implanted chemical vapour deposited diamond”, at the 58thAnnual Conference of the South African Institute of Physics, University of Zululand, Richard’s Bay, South Africa.
- 9-13 July 2012: Presented a talk, “Brillouin scattering study of ion-implanted chemical vapour deposited diamond”, at the 57thAnnual Conference of the South African Institute of Physics, University of Pretoria, South Africa.
- 12-15 July 2011: Presented a poster “Ab initiostructural and electronic study of metals on diamond (111)-(1×1) surface” at the 56th Annual Conference of the South African Institute of Physics, hosted by University of South Africa (UNISA) at St. Georges Hotel, Pretoria, South Africa.
- 6-7 July 2017, KENET SIG CMMS Workshop 2017, Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology, Operationalization of computational physics in Kenyan universities, MMUST Kenya.
- 27-28 June 2017: Maasai Mara University Annual International Conference 2017, Anomalous behaviour of surface Brillouin scattering in thin strained CVD diamond, Maasai Mara University Kenya.
- 18-20 Nov 2014: Workshop on femto second lasers and applications in physics and chemistry, Laser research Institute, Stellenbosch University, South Africa.
- 3-5 Nov 2014: Presented a poster “SBS and Raman studies on annealed ion-modified CVD diamond”. 7thALC Annual Students Workshop, MASCiR, Rabat-Morocco.
- 7-11 Sept 2014: Presented a poster “Surface Brillouin scattering studies on annealed ion-implanted CVD diamond,” International Conference on Diamond and Carbon Materials, Melia Castilla, Madrid, Spain
- 12 March 2014: Attended and completed the Basic Laser Safety Course at Council for Science and Industrial Research (CSIR), Pretoria, South Africa.
- 2-6 Sept 2013: International workshop on adaptive optics for industry and medicine at Stellenbosch, South Africa.
- 28 May-8 June 2012: Attended the 2ndsummer school “African School on Electronic Structure Methods and Applications (ASESMA 2012)” at Chepkoilel University College, Eldoret, Kenya.
- 14 Sept 2011: Attended a seminar on Laboratory Safety and Chemical Grades at Medical School, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa.
- 19-30 July 2010: Attended summer school “African School on Electronic Structure Methods and Applications (ASESMA 2010)” at AIMS, Muizenberg, Cape Town, South Africa.
- 3-7 May 2010: Presented a paper “Metal-Semiconductor Ohmic Contacts: An ab InitioStructural and Electronic Study of Metal-Diamond (111)-(1×1) Interfaces” at the 3rd National Conference on Dissemination of Research Results and Exhibition of Innovations of National Council of Science and Technology, KICC, Nairobi, Kenya.
- 15-26 Sept 2008: Attended summer school “East African School in Computational and Materials Science”, Addis Ababa University, Ethiopia.
Isaac obtained his Ph.D. in Materials Physics from the prestigious University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg has won scholarships from The Centre of Excellence in Strong Materials (CoE-SM) and the African Laser Centre (ALC). A pan Africanist per excellence, he was instrumental in forming the East African Students and Scholars Association (EASSA-Wits), an association that assimilates and helps students and scholars from East African countries (South Sudan, Kenya, Somalia, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda and Burundi) to settle comfortably in the “home away from home” environment of Jozi, He was the first organizing secretary, a post he held for two terms running.
An efficient and committed educator with 8 years of experience in classroom teaching at high school and 6 years as a tutorial fellow and lab demonstrator at Moi University in Kenya and the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa. He worked for 13 months as an adjunct lecturer at Moi University, Kibabii University and Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology, handling both graduate and undergraduate classes. Since joining Maasai Mara in February 2016, Dr. Motochi has shepherded the physics class from state of hopelessness to courageous group. He worked on the physics curriculum review and was able to deliver on three programmes, Bachelor of Science in Physics (BSc, Physics), Master of Science in Physics (MSc, Physics) and Doctor of Philosophy in Physics (Ph.D., Physics). The bachelor’s programme is in its second year of implementation, the master’s programme has received its first group of students in the 2017/18 academic year while Ph.D. will have its first candidates report in 2018/19 academic year. Outside the lecture room and labs, Isaac was the secretary to the Maasai Mara University International annual conference of 2017 planning committee.