Samuel Chiedu Utulu

Demography and Career Progression

My postgraduate qualifications include a doctoral degree in Information Systems from the Department of Information Systems, Faculty of Commerce, University of Cape Town, South Africa. Other academic qualifications that I have obtained were obtained in academic institutions within the prestigious University of Ibadan, Nigeria. I had my primary and secondary school education at the Abadina Primary School, University of Ibadan, and Abadina College, University of Ibadan respectively. I had my undergraduate degree in Library and Information Studies (BLIS) at the Department of Library, Archives and Information Studies, University of Ibadan, Nigeria and my master degree in Information Science (M. Inf. Sc.) from the Africa Regional Center for Information Science, University of Ibadan, Nigeria.

Specialized Training and Qualifications

In the past thirty (30) months I have attended special training programs in different subjects to improve my knowledge and expertise. The latest specialized training program I attended is the United Nations Population Funds (UNFPA) Course on Managing Gender-Based Violence in Emergencies (October 1, 2022). I also took part in the Gender Based Violence in Emergencies (GBViE) Course, October 17-28, 2022, which was organized by the American University of Nigeria (AUN), Yola and United Nations Population Fund. The third training that I attended in the recent past is the Systematic Reviews Training Workshop for Sub-Saharan African Librarians, June 6-8, 2022. The training organized by the Information Training & Outreach Center for Africa (ITOCA) in partnership with ACRL Evidence Synthesis Methods Interest Group (ESM-IG). I attended these recent specialized training programs to acquire new set of skills and knowledge that I require to improve my teaching and research at the AUN. And as expected the training programs provided by the UNFPA on gender based violence provided me with requisite knowledge that led to the incorporation of subjects relating to humanitarian programs and gender based violence into the Course INF 402: Information Technology and Development. I also gained some knowledge on forensic during the two courses which help me to inject new information management and security examples and cases into courses including INF 361: Process Modeling and Solution Blueprinting and INF 310: Principles of Information Security Assurance. With regards to the training I received on systematic reviews, I have published a conference paper with a Ph.D. using the systematic literature review method. I also served as a guest speaker to discuss on gender based violence during the Morning Tea Program in GoTel Television on November 24, 2022.

Teaching and Administrative Experiences

In terms of my teaching experiences, I have had both local and international teaching experiences in universities, with the most recent being at the American University of Nigeria, Yola, Nigeria. Other places where I have taught are the Adeleke University, Ede, Nigeria, Afe Babalola University, Ado-Ekiti, Nigeria, Redeemer’s University, Mowe, Nigeria, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa and the Center for Distance Learning, University of Ibadan, Nigeria. I have developed curricula of courses at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels. The curricula were delivered using blended approach of both online and in-person teaching methods. I am conversant with, and adopt the group-based learning technique, participatory teaching/learning technique and learner-centered approach. Currently, I use the Canvas and OpenErp as automated platforms for managing my teaching workloads for both undergraduate and postgraduate students. I use WhatsApp based groups comprising my students and I to manage highly mucky, fluid and unstructured aspects of my teaching workload. I am eloquent and a good teacher. I obtained an average score of 4.5/5.0 students’ rating in all the courses that I taught in the last six semesters at the America University of Nigeria, Nigeria. In order to make my teaching more practice oriented, I arrange practice section in notable organizations including the AUN Hotel and Club and Vortex Hotel and Tours. In all, I have had about twelve years teaching experience at the university level.

I have had a good number of administrative experiences in different positions and by servicing in different committees. I am currently the Co-Interim Chair of the Department of Information Systems, School of Information Technology and Computing and the Chairman of the SITC Seminar Community. I also served as member of the American University of Nigeria Faculty Manual Committee and I am currently a member of the SITC management committee which is comprised of Chairs and the Dean. While in other universities, I act occasionally as the University Librarian at the Redeemer’s University, Nigeria. I was a member of the Postgraduate Studies Board of the university and Appointment and Promotion Committee (Junior Staff). I also served as the Head of the Systems Unit at the Redeemer’s University, Nigeria. I also served as Acting Deputy Library at Afe Babalola University, Nigeria and Coordinator of Automation Projects at the Afe Babalola University, Nigeria. I was also Examination Officer and Coordinator of Information Literacy Course at the Afe Babalola University. In all, I have served in numerous university committees including, ICT Committee, Website Development and Maintenance Committee, Sport Council, and Disciplinary Committee.

Research and Academic Publication

My research interests include, information systems in education, information systems implementation, information systems in developing contexts, development informatics and management of cognitive frames in information systems implementation. I have collaborated with top class postgraduate students and academics at the University of Cape Town, South Africa, University of Witwatersrand, South Africa, University of Ibadan, Nigeria, Redeemer’s University, Nigeria, Afe Babalola University, Nigeria, and Adeleke University, Nigeria in carrying out research studies. My doctoral research was a research on barriers to information systems implementation in universities in developing countries and was supervised by Prof. Ojelanki Ngwenyama, a visiting professor from Ryerson University, Toronto, Canada. Over ninety-five percent of the research studies that I have carried out have been published in high ranking formal scholarly publication outlets including, books of reading, conference proceeding and scholarly journals. Presently, I have published forty-two (42) scholarly publications that appear in chapters in books, conference proceedings and scholarly reputable journals. Since I assumed duty at the AUN on October 2, 2020, I have published four (4) journal articles in high ranking reputable journals, three (3) chapters in books of reading published by Springer and Routledge, and eleven (11) scholarly papers that appear in proceedings of international conferences. In all, within thirty-four (34) months of joining the AUN, I have published eighteen (18) scholarly publications.

By all standards, publishing eighteen (18) scholarly publications in thirty-four (34) months is an outstanding accomplishment that worth rewarding. This is more so given that one of the thirty-four (34) publications won the Neil Doherty Best Paper Prize during the United Kingdom Academic of Information Systems, 2022 conference. Also, I writing and publishing the scholarly publications opened up the opportunity to mentor and teach the postgraduate students in AUN how to conduct and publish research outputs. Presently, I am a member of a regional research consortium formed by five academics from Nigeria, Cameroon and Chad. The regional consortium proposed a research titled “using artificial intelligence to foster equity and social inclusion in education during the integration of displaced girl pupils of primary and secondary schools in conflict and disaster areas of Nigeria, Cameroon and Chad.” The proposal is submitted to the IDRC, Canada grand scheme on Knowledge and Innovation for Achieving Gender Equality and Social Inclusion at School for funding and I am the Country Coordinator for Nigeria. with this achievement, it is easy to attest that I am very active in research and publication.

Research Supervision and Examination

I have garnered some experiences in postgraduate research study supervision. I was a member of the supervision committee for two (2) of the three (3) doctoral students that graduated in the Department of Information Systems. Currently, I serve in the supervision committee of four doctoral students that are at the verge of completing their doctoral studies. The four (4) doctoral students are researching in various areas of information systems including, information systems implementation in developing contexts and development informatics. I am also serving as the protem supervisor for four (4) other doctoral students at the early stages of their PhD research and are preparing to present mini research proposals during their comprehensive examination in the Department of Information Systems. Also, I have supervised Six (6) master dissertations in various areas of information systems and currently have four (4) master students under my supervision. Between October 2, 2020 and now I have supervised about twenty (20) information systems based undergraduate senior research projects. Also, I have served as internal examiner for Ph.D. research proposal and theses defense at the Department of Information Systems. I have also served in the same capacity for master level and undergraduate level research proposal and theses defense.

Community Development

I have actively participated in some community development programs within the AUN. For instance, I was privileged to be among the twelve (12) presenters during the Mini AUN Conference organized by the School of Arts and Sciences. I have also delivered public lectures and seminars on several occasions in AUN and in Yola. I have delivered a paper during the School of Information Technology and Computing Seminar Series. I have also participated in organizing three seminar lecturers for the School of Information Technology and Computing (SITC) Seminar Series Committee. And currently, I am the Chairperson of SITC Seminar Series Committee. Also, I served as the resource person during the Qualitative Research Methodology Series Workshop organized by the Northeast Humanitarian Innovation Hub, Yola. The workshop was held on October 25 and 26, 2023. I have also served as a resource person in a motivational and self-assessment workshop organized by the St. Rita’s CRI Academy, Bekaji, for teachers who teach in primary and secondary school. On another occasion I served as resource person in a workshop organized by the Vortex Hotel and Tours for supervisors and waiters. I also served as a resource person in a workshop organized by the Association for Academic Qualitative Research Likeminds on fundamentals of qualitative research and a workshop organized by the Nigerian Institute of Advance Legal Studies, University of Lagos, Lagos on legal information services in law libraries. I have also been involved in live-television interview at the GoTel Television Station, Yola during the Breakfast Show-Safiya. I discussed issues relating to gender based violence and how to eradicate it in the society. I was invited guest lecturer in 2017 during the open access week lectures at the Redeemer’s University and in 2014 at the College of Medicine, University of Lagos, Lagos. I have served as a reviewer for many journals and conferences and contributed to the development of research and scholarship in the information systems field.

Academic Awards and Honors

In addition, I have received some academic and honorary awards in the course of my professional and academic career. I am a co-author of the paper that won the Neil Doherty Best Paper Award for the United Kingdom Academy for Information Systems Conference, 2022. I am the winner of the University of Cape Town Research Associate Award in 2014. The research associate award is an award given annually to selected doctoral students with exceptional publication records during the course of their doctoral studies. I was ‘a best reviewer’ during the Institute of Informing Sciences Conference on education and information technology in 2013. I was also a nominee for the Redeemer’s University Academic Staff of the Year in 2013. I was given a meritorious award by the association of Library, Archives and Information Students’ Association of the University of Ibadan in 2011 for my community service and contribution to the group. I am also a recipient of scholarships and travel grants for several conferences and workshops.