Dr. J. Pemberton Cyrus
B.Sc.(Eng) (UWI), M.A.Sc., Ph.D. (TUNS), P.Eng., F.E.C. (Board Chair)
Dr. Claudette Bouman
Dr. Wilber Menéndez Sánchez
Mr. Patrick Nnoka
(Student Representative)
Dr. Rita Orji
Ms. Brenda Riley
(Parent Representative)
Dr. J. Pemberton Cyrus
Dr. J. Pemberton Cyrus, ILA President, is currently Head of the Department of Industrial Engineering at Dalhousie University. He formerly served a one-year term as the Associate Vice-President Academic (Acting), and prior to this appointment, Dr. Cyrus was the Associate Dean of Engineering at Dalhousie University, responsible for Undergraduate Studies, and for coordination with the six Associated Universities that feed students to the eight undergraduate engineering programs at Dalhousie. In his role as Associate Dean of Engineering, he led a re-design of the engineering curriculum, and changed administrative procedures to improve efficiency.
He is a Fellow of Engineers Canada, has taught industrial engineering for 30 years, and held various administrative positions at Dalhousie University and the Technical University of Nova Scotia.
One of his research interests is optimization of operational processes, including those in academic environments. His expertise includes scheduling, routing, networks, information systems, seaport operations and manufacturing operations.
Dr. Cyrus is also President of Logix Consultants Limited, an industrial engineering consulting firm specializing in seaport information systems, manufacturing operations management, and information engineering.
Dr. Claudette Bouman
Claudette Bouman grew up in Barbados. She earned a BA in Arts and General studies and her teaching credentials at the University of the West Indies (Cave Hill campus). She taught on the island for seven years. In 1986, she arrived in Canada to pursue graduate studies at UNB and then UBC. In 1990, Claudette married Thomas Bouman from Germany in Vancouver. They relocated to Saskatchewan for Thomas to work first in Swift Current then in Prince Albert. She assumed teacher and principal responsibilities in the public-school board of Prince Albert. Another move by Claudette and her husband brought them to Dartmouth, NS in 1998 where they raised two children. Claudette began her twenty-year teaching career with the Halifax Regional School Board in 1998 ending her career at Cole Harbour District High School. She is now happily retired.
Dr. Timothy Bardouille
Dr. Tim Bardouille is an Associate Professor in the Department of Physics and Atmospheric Science at Dalhousie University. He teaches physics courses and does human brain imaging research. His research group at the Biosignal Lab is developing new ways to acquire and analyze medical imaging data that help us understand the human brain. This interdisciplinary research combines physics, mathematics, computer science, psychology, and neuroscience to non-invasively investigate how brain areas “talk” to each other. They are finding new ways to look at how communication in the brain can change with learning and development, and with brain injury or disease.
Dr. Claver Diallo
Dr. Diallo Ph.D., P.Eng., is Professor in the Department of Industrial Engineering at Dalhousie University in Halifax, Nova Scotia. He has taught at Dalhousie University since October 2007. He holds a Ph.D. and a Master of Applied Science degree in Industrial Engineering, and a bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from Laval University, Quebec, Canada. He is a senior member of the Institute of Industrial and Systems Engineering (IISE), a member of the Canadian Operational Research Society (CORS) and a member of Engineers Nova Scotia. His current research is focused on production and distribution systems design within the Industry 4.0 context which includes hyperconnected logistics networks, smart production planning and control, sustainable supply chain management, and reliability engineering & predictive maintenance.
Dr Barb Hamilton-Hinch
Dr. Barb Hamilton-Hinch is from the historical African Nova Scotian communities of Beechville and Cherrybrook. She is the mother of three amazing boys. Dr. Hamilton-Hinch is currently employed at Dalhousie University as the Associate Vice President of Equity and Inclusion and an Associate Professor in the in the School of Health and Human Performance at Dalhousie University teaching in the Recreation and Leisure Studies Division as well as the Health Promotion Division. Her work examines the impact of structural, systemic and institutional racism on diverse populations, particularly people of African descent.
At Dalhousie University Dr. Hamilton-Hinch holds a number of positions she is the co team lead for the Health of People of African Descent Research Cluster with Healthy Populations Institute, she is one of the founders of Imhotep Legacy Academy (ILA-a program that is developed to increase the number of students in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math), co-chair of Promoting Leadership in Health for African Nova Scotians (PLANS a program to increase the number of students of African descent in Health), co chair of the Faculty of Health Diversity and Inclusion Committee and a number of other committees. She was previously employed as the Black Student Advisor at Dalhousie University, a position she was actively involved in developing in the late 80’s.
Dr. Rita Orji
Prof. Rita Orji is a Canada Research Chair in Persuasive Technology and a Computer Science Professor at Dalhousie University, Canada 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. Specifically, technologies that integrate into people’s daily lives and support them to achieve various self-improvement goals. 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. She is a renowned speaker who has delivered 15 keynotes and over 100 invited talks and other presentations.
She is a recognized STEM diversity ambassador who is passionate about inspiring the next generation of youths and female tech leaders, promoting research excellence, equity, diversity, and inclusion in STEM. Prof. Orji also consults and serves as a board member for many agencies.
Prof. Orji graduated as a top student with First-class honours standing in all her studies and was recognized by various governments including the Nigerian, Turkish, and Canadian Governments for her outstanding performance. She is a highly sought-after speaker and mentor who broke the barriers of growing up in a disadvantaged background and making a great impact on the global stage.
Mrs. Oluronke Taiwo
Ms. Oluronke Taiwo, is the Black Student Advisor for both Dalhousie University and the University of King’s College, a position she has held since October of 2008. She is also an active member of many associations in the Nova Scotian community including the Association of Black Social Workers and the United African Canadian Women Association.
Ms. Taiwo, originally from Nigeria, was a technologist for 17 years during which time she attained a Bachelor’s Degree in Biology (Education) and a Master’s Degree in Medical Microbiology, both from University of Lagos, Nigeria. She later became a full-time professor and researcher at the College of Medicine in Lagos, Nigeria. She moved to Canada in 1998 as a Research Scholar at Dalhousie University after being sponsored by the United Nations Nigeria and her research on “Antibacterial activities of aqueous extracts from Nigerian chewing sticks” was published and patented.
In 2006 and 2008 respectfully, Ms. Taiwo earned her Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Social Work from Dalhousie University and became a Registered Social Worker. In June of 2006, Ms Taiwo became a contributor to the book Fighting for Change: Black Social Workers in Nova Scotia, edited by Dr. Wanda Thomas Bernard.
