Obidimma Ezezika, PhD

Associate Professor

Contact Information

oezezika@uwo.ca
Google Scholar

Education

  • PhD (University of Georgia)
  • MEM (Yale University)
  • BSc Hons (University of Lagos)

Graduate Program Supervision

  • Health and Rehabilitation Sciences MSc | PhD

Research In Profile

Professor Ezezika’s scholarship rests at the intersection of global health and implementation science, where he explores how evidence-based innovations can be scaled to serve the health needs of marginalized communities, both locally and globally.

He is the founding director of the Global Health and Innovation Lab, an initiative devoted to advancing implementation science and embedding evidence into practice. He also established the African Centre for Innovation and Leadership Development, a non-profit think tank dedicated to cultivating innovation and youth leadership across Africa.

His contributions as a teacher and mentor have been recognized with the inaugural Global Educator Award from the University of Toronto, as well as international distinctions such as the D2L Innovation Award in Teaching and Learning and the Next Einstein Award. Professor Ezezika earned his Ph.D. in Microbiology from the University of Georgia and a master’s degree in Environmental Management from Yale University.

Featured Publications and Projects

Books

  • Ezezika, O. (2025). Scaling Up Health Innovations in Africa: Prospects and Challenges. Toronto, Canada: University of Toronto Press. Open Access
  • Seear, M., & Ezezika, O. (2018). An Introduction to Global Health (3rd ed.). Toronto, Canada: Canadian Scholars Press.

Visit Google Scholar for a comprehensive list of publications.

Current Grants and Research Projects

  • Strengthening Pandemic Preparedness in Africa (Funded by CIHR) – Advancing regional resilience through health systems innovation and community-based response models.
  • Vaccine Perception Project, Southwestern Ontario (Funded by SSHRC) – Investigating behavioral drivers of vaccine confidence and communication strategies for improved uptake.
  • Leadership Competencies in Health (Supported by the Global Health & Innovation Lab) – Developing and evaluating transformative leadership frameworks for emerging health professionals.
  • For a full list of projects, visit Global Health & Innovation Lab – Our Projects

Graduate Student Opportunities

For potential research areas for graduate students, please see the Global Health & Innovation Lab.

Additional Information

Academic Appointments and Research Affiliations

  • Chair, Advisory Board, African Centre for Innovation & Leadership Development, Abuja, Nigeria
  • Assistant Professor (Status-only), Department of Health and Society, Univ. of Toronto, Scarborough, Canada
  • Adjunct Professor, Faculty of Health Sciences, Ontario Tech University, Oshawa, Canada

Awards

  • Finalist, Social Innovation in Health Learning Competencies Award (2024) – International recognition by SIHI, SESH, and UNICEF/UNDP/World Bank/WHO–TDR for advancing social innovation in health education.
  • D2L Innovation Award in Teaching and Learning (2021) – National award from the Society for Teaching and Learning in Higher Education (STLHE) recognizing excellence in teaching innovation.
  • UTSC Teaching Award (2021) – Recognition for outstanding contributions to student learning and curriculum design in health sciences.
  • Global Educator Award (2020) – Honoured for excellence in global health education and intercultural teaching practices.
  • Next Einstein Award (2019–2020) – International distinction from the Next Einstein Forum for advancing science and innovation for social impact in Africa.