Dr. Rita Orji wins Arthur B. MacDonald Fellowship, NSERC’s most prestigious early career researcher award – Dal News

Dr. Rita Orji, Professor and Chair of Canadian Studies at Dalhousie Faculty of Computer Sciencewas awarded an Arthur B. Macdonald Fellowship by the National Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC).

The scholarship recognizes the merits of Dr. Orji. pioneering work in new personalized and adaptive digital interventions based on artificial intelligence and machine learning, and is accompanied by a research grant of $250,000 over the next two years.

The scholarship is named after the Dalhousie alumnus and Nobel Prize winner. Arthur B. MacDonald and is intended to promote the careers of outstanding young faculty who have served no more than 10 years in their positions and are highly regarded both nationally and internationally for their work in the sciences and/or engineering. This is NSERC’s most prestigious early career grant.

Dr. Orji’s research earned her one of six fellowships awarded in Canada this year. She is the first Dalhousie researcher to receive this award. since Erin Johnson in 2019 (then called EWR Steacie Memorial Fellowship).

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Dr. Orji, who had just returned from vacation a few months before applying for the fellowship, says receiving the news was one of the most surreal moments of her life.

“I screamed with joy, not even remembering that the NSERC president was on the phone,” she laughs.

Dr. Orji, who has received numerous awards for academic achievement, says the MacDonald Fellowship holds a special place in her heart because of its focus on the quality and impact of her research.

Pictured right: Dr. Orji. (Sylvie Lee, photo / Filming studio)

“It’s actually a really big incentive and motivation for me to keep working,” she says. “I took up this research because I am passionate about this work. To have people recognize that and feel like it’s important and to be recognized on a national level is really special.”

Dr. Orji remembers first coming to Canada as a graduate student in 2010. “I remember well that I didn’t have a single publication to my name, and I had colleagues who were already well published,” she says. “I felt a little intimidated and scared, but I didn’t let my fear win. And today I receive a national award. When I look back, I can hardly believe it.”

Dr. Christian Blouin, acting dean of the Faculty of Computer Science, says it is an honor to have Dr. Orji join the faculty. “She is a role model for our colleagues and demonstrates how digital intervention research can have a broad impact,” he says.

Study

The fellowship is designed to allow Orji to step away from teaching for two years and devote herself full-time to her research project, which is called “Adaptive Persuasive AI-Based Digital Interventions for Health and Well-Being.”

She develops digital interventions—mobile apps, games, virtual and augmented reality—to empower and help people achieve a variety of goals and objectives that are important to them.

And this last part is key: Dr. Orji’s user-centered design ensures that her interventions are not one-size-fits-all, but individually tailored to each user’s preferences, motivations, abilities, and even their cultural background. According to her, what motivates one user will not motivate another.

“Technology doesn’t always fit our worldview and lifestyle, and we as humans end up finding it difficult to use,” Orji says. “But we want to reflect who users are and help them find solutions to problems that matter to them, not to us. This is a compelling technology to advance social and public good.”

Dr. Alice Aiken, Dalhousie’s vice-president for research and innovation, says Dr. Orji’s success in winning the scholarship is a testament to her vision and determination. “In a world where technology often drives people apart, her work bridges the digital divide and improves lives,” says Dr. Aiken. “This fellowship recognizes cutting-edge research driven by purpose and a commitment to creating bold, innovative tools that are a force for good in the world.”

I’m looking forward to it

Dr. Orji is looking forward to getting started and plans to begin the fellowship period in the first few months of 2025. She is quick to point out that although she is the one receiving the award, achieving this goal was not her only effort.

“I am very grateful to Almighty God, my family, members of my research group, my collaborators, Dalhousie University and NSERC for their continued support over the years,” she says. “This scholarship will enhance my ability to innovate; it motivates me to continue researching and developing personalized, compelling interventions and models that address key social issues.”