Dalhousie University has named Professor Rita Orji as the recipient of its 2025 President’s Research Excellence Award for Research Impact, one of the institution’s highest honours conferred on faculty whose work demonstrably improves society. The award recognises her pioneering research in persuasive computing, digital health innovation, and technologies for behaviour change, areas where she has become an international authority.
Professor Orji, a Canada Research Chair in Persuasive and Behaviour Change Computing, leads Dalhousie’s Persuasive Computing Lab. Her team develops digital tools and evidence-based technologies that promote healthier lifestyles, mental well-being, gender equity, disease prevention, and inclusive decision-making. With over 200 academic publications and multi-sector collaborations, her research has influenced how universities, public health bodies, and technology developers approach human-centred digital solutions.
This accolade adds to a fast-growing list of honours marking her leadership in Canada’s innovation ecosystem. In 2025, she was also named the recipient of the Thinking Forward Award at the Tech Forward Awards in Nova Scotia, recognising her role in shaping future-oriented technologies that bridge research and real-world application. In addition, she recently secured a national appointment to Canada’s Digital Research Council, the strategic advisory body that guides national digital research infrastructure planning and investment.
Her success story mirrors a wider narrative: the global rise of Nigerian academics. Nigeria, with a median age of about 18 years, making it one of the youngest populations in the world, represents a dynamic and expanding talent pipeline. Its universities and communities have produced researchers, innovators, and professionals who increasingly shape knowledge economies across the world.
Nigerians who choose to advance their studies abroad continue to excel at the highest levels, leading laboratories, winning research chairs, publishing transformative work, and mentoring future thinkers. Professor Orji is emblematic of this trajectory, having built her academic foundation in Nigeria before emerging as one of Canada’s most influential research figures.
Dalhousie emphasised Professor Orji’s work not only for scholarly distinction but also for meaningful societal impact, a hallmark shared by many Nigerian academics in global institutions. Her research has helped underserved populations access digital health tools, informed technology design principles, and fostered inclusive innovation ecosystems.
Beyond scholarship, she is widely recognised for advancing equity, speaking on women in technology, and mentoring emerging researchers across continents. Her visibility and achievements continue to inspire young scientists, especially women and Africans seeking international research careers.
As the honours accumulate, Professor Orji’s positions amplify Canada’s research capacity while reinforcing Nigeria’s reputation as a source of world-class intellectual capital. Her achievements, from the Dalhousie President’s Award to the Tech Forward Thinking Forward Award and her appointment to the Digital Research Council illustrate how diaspora excellence strengthens national innovation systems and contributes to global progress.
Her journey remains a beacon for Nigeria’s youthful demographic, reminding them that with knowledge, discipline, and purpose, their talent can create global impact.
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