SitiTalk Winning African Women Computer Scientists

Original Information Source: Computergeeky.org

Photo Images Credit: Computergeeky.org

SitiTalkBlog salutes accomplished African women scientists.

Dr. Virgy Ejiofor graduated in First Class Honours in Computer Science from Nnamdi Azikiwe University. She possesses MSc and PhD both in Computer Science. The first and till today the only female President of her Departmental Students Association (NACOSS) as a student, Dr. Virgy Ebere Ejiofor had always come top of her class right from primary up to the University level which attracted a lot of prizes and awards to her and so many accolade from the Heads of the various institutions which she attended. She represented Nnamdi Azikiwe University in various IT Workshops, Seminars, and Conferences which today has brought about a lot of on-line activities in Unizik like AfriHub, Microsoft Academy, Unizik Portal, etc. She was the National Vice President of Nnamdi Azikiwe University Alumni Association from May 2008 to 2010. She had served in various University, Faculty, and Departmental Committees in Unizik. She is presently the External Examiner to many institutions of higher learning. Dr. Virgy has successfully supervised a lot of postgraduate students at PGD, MSc, and PhD levels. She had served as a resource person to many accreditation visits to polytechnics in Nigeria and has a lot of publications to her credit. She served in the Federal Ministry of Education Committee for the review of IT Education Standards and Curriculum at all levels of Education in Nigeria. She is an active member of numerous professional bodies within the IT industry. Dr. Virgy was a member of Council of the Computer Professionals (Registration Council) of Nigeria (CPN) under the platform of Nigeria Computer Society (NCS) from 2009-2013 . Dr. Virgy is a Fellow of the British Computer Society (BCS) and a Fellow of Institute of Corporate Administration of Nigeria (ICAN).

Professor Adenike OSOFISAN, the very first Nigerian Female Professor of Computer Science in Africa, has been the Head of Department of Computer Science University of Ibadan for several years before her appointment as the Director of School of Business, University of Ibadan; a position which she currently holds. She was the Pioneer President, Nigeria Women in Information Technology (IT) in 2003. In 2005, she became the first female President and Chairman of Council, Computer Professionals Registration Council of Nigeria (CPN), a post she held till June 2009. She was the Chairperson of the NCS Education Committee in 1995. Prof. Osofisan has been the recipient of over twenty national and international prizes for the development of Computer Science Education in Nigeria. Professor Osofisan has attended many conferences and seminars both at national and international level presenting papers of her various research works. She has over 66 authored publications in national and international journals and conference proceedings.

Alhaja Sekinat Yusuf is the President/Council Chairman of Computer Professionals Registration Council of Nigeria (CPN), the apex of ICT profession in the Nation. she was the first Honorable Commissioner for Women Affairs, Youth and Social Development in Lagos State ( 1997 - 1998). She has established several non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and also a very active member of some others that take care of the less privileged and address societal issues in the country. They include: Life of Hope Foundation, Jaminyatul Usratul Sekeenatul Islam, The Good Samaritan:, Muharam Sisters and Fatima Charity Foundation amongst others. She became the Vice-Chairman of Council of CPN in 2009 and served two terms of two years and was successfully elected as the Chairman of Council of CPN in June 2013. A prominent Information Technology practitioner, Alhaja Yusuf is presently the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Mobile Knowledge Solutions, a company that is devoted to the provision of mobile knowledge as one of the approaches to tackle the educational problems facing the country.

Prof. (Mrs.) Stella Chinye CHIEMEKE is a Professor of Computer Science and currently the Director of UNIBEN ICT Centre, University of Benin, Benin City, Nigeria. She received her B.Sc. and M.Sc. in Computer Science from University of Lagos in 1986 and 1992 respectively. She also obtained her PhD in Computer Science from the Federal University of Technology, Akure, Nigeria in 2004. Prof. (Mrs.) Chiemeke joined the services of the University of Benin as an Assistant Lecturer in the Department of Computer Science in the year 1994 and then rose to the current position of a Professor in the year 2009. Her teaching and research interests spans from software engineering to industrial application of ICT. She has authored and co-authored over sixty five (65) articles in reputable local, national and international journals. She is a member of the International Association of Engineers (IAENG), Computer Professional of Nigeria (CPN,)Nigeria Computer Society (NCS), International Network for Woman Engineers and Scientists (INWES) Canada etc.Prof. Chiemeke has served in various administrations capacities within and outside the University Communities ranging from Acting Head of Department of Computer Science, Assistant Dean of the Faculty of Physical Sciences etc.

Dr. (Mrs.) Omowunmi HASSAN is the President/CEO of the High Tech Centre for Nigerian Women and Youths, a Nigeria-based NGO and a member of the National Information Technology Advisory Committee. She had her 1st and 2nd degrees in Computer Science and a Doctorate degree in Technology Management and Policy Analysis, with special expertise in Policy Design, Formulation, Evaluation and Analysis. During her studies, she attended the Oxford Internet Institute (OII), Oxford University UK and the Sussex University (SU), Brighton UK in 2006 and 2008 respectively where she gained mastery and varied experiences on Internet Administration as well as Policy Design, Evaluation and Analysis. Being an erudite scholar in ICTs, She has worked in reputable institutions in Nigeria as Systems Audit Analyst, Network and Database Administrator and currently, works with the National Centre for Technology Management- an Agency of the Federal Ministry of Science and Technology, Nigeria as a Principal Research Officer. Her researches are in areas of Policy Analysis/Evaluations in all fields of Science, Technology and Innovations including ICTs, Gender issues in Science and Technology in general with a lot of publications in several journals to her credit. Dr. Hassan is passionate about women and youths development in ICT, which has become the focus of her NGO since 2004.

Dr. Angela Makolo is a lecturer in the department of Computer Science, University of Ibadan. With a specialization in Computational Biology and Bioinformatics, she has worked closely with experimental scientists and health care providers with diverse expertise. She is currently the lead scientist in the University of Ibadan Bioinformatics Research group and a collaborator with the H3ABioNet NABDA node, a Pan African Bioinformatics network for H3Africa Project. She worked in the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture(IITA) for twelve years in various Information Technology capacities before resigning to follow her passion of knowledge impartation and mentorship. Dr. Makolo won the 2013 TechWomen Emerging Leader Award by the Institute of International Exchange (IIE) of the United States Department of States, USA. She was a Research fellow at McMurah Laboratory in the Bioinformatics Unit of Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, California and had the opportunity of establishing research collaborations with the Bioinformatics unit at Stanford University and University of California. She engages in community development activities as a Technical Program Director (Volunteer) at Imoran Centre for Professional and Social Development, University of Ibadan, a Project of the Women’s Board Educational Cooperation Society , a non-governmental organization with an interest in the wholesome education of young women.

Dr Yetunde Folajimi is a Computer Science Lecturer at University of lbadan with specialisation in Intelligent systems. Her research is predominantly directed at Serious Games an e-learning for health and safety education, adult education, child education, youth empowerment and women empowerment. A former Research Fellow at University of British Columbia (Canada), University of Pittsburgh (USA) and De Montfort University (USA ), she has over 25 publications to her credit. Dr Fo|ajimi has won several national and international awards and takes advantage of her experience to organize and speak regularly in various international/local conferences and workshops. She was recently selected by Institute of International Education to receive a WeTech Seed Fund Grant to support her project on Nigerian Geek Girls Collaborative Camp.

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