Dr. Olayinka O. Adewumi

University of Lagos

Spring 2019

Dr. Olayinka O. Adewumi is an associate professor at the University of Lagos and the acting Director of InnovateUNILAG – the university’s Innovation and Technology Management Office. A 2019 MIT-ETT alumna, she views the program as revolutionary for higher education in Nigeria and has returned with a mission to influence the teaching process nationally. Dr. Adewumi is a driving force in promoting inclusion and innovation in STEM: she established the UNILAG chapter of the Society of Women Engineers, growing it from 30 to nearly 200 female students, and launched SWE Next clubs to introduce secondary school girls to STEM careers. She also led the 2024 Afretec Innovation Challenge and secured industry grants (such as a $15,000 ANSYS grant) that have benefitted hundreds of engineering students. Through her mentoring, advocacy, and curriculum reforms, Dr. Adewumi is shaping a more equitable and entrepreneurial engineering landscape, empowering both her students and peers to modernize engineering education in Nigeria.