Dr. Rita Orji is a Canada Research Chair in Persuasive Technology and an Associate professor of Computer Science Professor at Dalhousie University where she directs the Persuasive Computing Lab. Her research at the intersection of technology and human behaviour focuses on designing interactive technologies to empower people, improve lives, and contribute to solving many societal problems. She applies her work to tackle real-life problems in various domains including improving a wide range of health and wellness objectives such as mental health, healthy eating, physical activity, smoking cessation, sexual and other health risk behaviours. She has won millions of dollars from competitive grant funding from agencies and governments around the world to support her work. With over 200 peer-reviewed papers, Prof. Orji has won over 60 prestigious awards and recognitions nationally and internationally in recognition of her work in this area. Recently, she was named among the Top 150 Canadian Women in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM), Top 60 African Women in STEM, Top 100 Canada’s Most Powerful Women, Top 100 Nigeria’s Leading Women, and admitted into the Royal Society of Canada.
