One of Canada’s Top 100 Most Powerful Women, Rita Orji is a Nigerian-Canadian Computer Science professor, a LinkedIn influencer, and motivational speaker who is passionate about inspiring the next generation.
She is the director of the Persuasive Computing Lab at Dalhousie University. She specializes in the area of human-computer interaction. She already boasts of over 70 awards to her credit and recognitions from both national and international organizations.
| Rita Orji | |
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| Quick Facts | |
| Date of Birth: | N/A |
| State of Origin: | Enugu State, Nigeria |
| Nationality: | Nigerian-Canadian |
| Occupation: | Computer Science Professor, Influencer |
| Partner: | N/A |
| Net Worth: | Not Estimated |
Early Life
Rita Orji was born into the family of Mr. and Mrs. Maria Okonkwo. She was raised in Enugu State, the South-East part of Nigeria, and hails from the Igbo tribe precisely.
She and her other siblings had supported their parents in peasant farming. She never had access to a computer while growing up, and was admitted to study Computer Science at the Nnamdi Azikwe University where she obtained a first-class honors.
Rita attended Middle East Technical University for her master’s program and completed it in 2009 and also moved to Canada as a graduate student.
She obtained her PhD at the University of Saskatchewan in 2014 and joined McG8ll University as a postdoctoral fellow where she worked on technological interventions that can affect behavioural change.
Career
Rita Orji is focused on persuasive technology and how to design technologies that can promote health and wellness.
She became an Assistant Professor at the Faculty of Science at Dalhousie University in 2017.
She is into designing interactive systems and persuasive technologies. She is a Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) ambassador, where she works towards increased participation of women and minorities in computing through dedicated work while using herself as an example.
She attended the UN Commission on the status of women in New York City and also spoke at the 2018 United Nations Commission on the status of women (CSWC2) Panel: It Is Up to Me.
Rita Orji is also an author with numerous good articles on different interesting topics. One of them is How to Write a Good Statement of Purpose, where she highlights the importance of showing one’s ability by analyzing past experiences and future career goals.
Achievements
Rita Orji has received several honours for her work which include:
- 2021 Top 25 Canadian Immigrant Awards
- 2021 Top 100 Canada’s Most Powerful Women
- 2021 Top 100 Leading Nigerian Women
- 2021 Outstanding Young Computer Science Researchers Awards
- 2020 Canada Research Chair in Persuasive Technology
- 2019 Dalhousie University President’s Research Excellence Award
- 2017 Top 150 Canadian Women in STEM
Net Worth
Rita Orji earns from his career as a Computer Science Professor, Motivational speaker, and Influencer. Her net worth has not been estimated.
Social Media
Rita Orji is not very active on social media platforms. She has over 50k on Twitter @ritapurity. You can get in touch at [email protected]
Frequently Asked Questions
Below are some frequently asked questions about Rita Orji:
Rita Orji is a Nigerian-Canadian Computer Science professor, LinkedIn influencer, and motivational speaker.
Rita Orji is from Enugu State, Nigeria.
Rita Orji has not disclosed her marital status.
Rita Orji’s net worth has not been estimated.
