Erezi Ogbo-Gebhardt, Ph.D., assistant professor of information science and program director of online and extended studies in North Carolina Central University’s (NCCU) School of Library and Information Sciences, has been selected as one of only 20 fellows nationwide for the year-long Public Voices Fellowship on Technology in the Public Interest.
The fellowship, an initiative of The OpEd Project in partnership with the MacArthur Foundation, supports leaders who are shaping national conversations about the social impact of technology. Fellows receive training, mentorship and a platform to share their expertise on critical issues at the intersection of technology and society.
A nationally recognized digital access scholar, Ogbo-Gebhardt studies the socio-economic and technological factors that influence broadband and digital technology adoption and evaluates the impact of digital programs such as subsidized broadband and digital literacy initiatives.
She has earned several distinctions, including the Presidential Special Scholarship for Innovation and Development from the Federal Government of Nigeria, the 2022 Charles Benton Early Career Scholar Award for her evaluation of the Alabama Broadband Connectivity for Students program, and the 2022 PTC Emerging Scholars Award for her research on broadband pricing in Nigeria.
Ogbo-Gebhardt holds a Ph.D. and master’s degree in engineering and public policy from Carnegie Mellon University, a master’s degree in management and information technology from the University of St Andrews, and a bachelor’s degree in information technology from Bells University of Technology. Before joining NCCU, she was a postdoctoral scholar at the University of Southern California, analyzing broadband adoption initiatives and developing models to inform broadband policy.
For more information about the Public Voices Fellowship on Technology in the Public Interest, visit https://www.theopedproject.org/fellowships