Prof. Rita Orji
Prof. Rita Orji is a Canada Research Chair in Persuasive Technology and a Computer Science Professor at Dalhousie University, where she directs the Persuasive Computing Lab. Named among the world’s top 2% of scientists by impact across all disciplines by Stanford University (2019–2025), her research at the intersection of emerging technologies (including AI) and human behaviour focuses on designing interactive technologies that integrate into people’s daily lives to support self-improvement goals, foster community well-being, and tackle real-world challenges in society across multiple domains, including physical and mental health, climate change, sustainability, safety and security.
With over 400 peer-reviewed publications and millions of dollars in competitive research funding, Prof. Orji has received over 100 prestigious awards, including the NSERC Arthur B. McDonald Fellowship (Canada’s highest early career researcher prize in Science and Engineering) and the Outstanding Young Computer Science Researcher Award from Computer Science Canada. She has been recognized as one of the Top 150 Canadian Women in STEM, Top 60 African Women in STEM, and Top 100 Canada’s Most Powerful Women. She is a Fellow of the African Academy of Sciences, a member of the Royal Society of Canada, Global Young Academy, and was recently appointed to the United Nations Independent International Scientific Panel on Artificial Intelligence by the UN General Assembly and Secretary-General.
A trailblazer and STEM diversity ambassador, Prof. Orji is passionate about inspiring the next generation of youth and female tech leaders while promoting research excellence, equity, diversity, and inclusion. She has delivered over 30 keynotes and over 100 invited talks globally and serves as a board member and consultant for numerous agencies. Having graduated top of her class with First-Class Honours throughout her studies and overcome barriers of a disadvantaged background, she continues to make significant impact on the global stage as a sought-after speaker, thought leader, mentor, and researcher.
