معرفی
Dr. Chika Udeaja serves as Senior Lecturer and Programme Director for Construction Project Management in the School of the Built Environment at the University of Salford, a position she has held since March 2016. Her academic career began in 2005 at Northumbria University after extensive industry experience as a site engineer, design engineer, and bridge engineer in Malaysia. Specializing in construction management and digital transformation, she contributes significantly to the THINKlab research center and maintains active roles in professional bodies including CIOB and ARCOM.
Her educational qualifications include:
- B.Sc. Building (2nd Class Honours Upper division) from University of Nigeria, Nsukka (1992)
- MSc. (DIC) Concrete Structures from Imperial College London (1997)
- Ph.D. in Construction Management from London South Bank University (2002)
- PGCE in Teaching & Learning in Higher Education from Northumbria University (2006)
Dr. Udeaja's research centers on four critical pillars: intelligent decision support systems for procurement (emphasizing supply chain collaboration), integrated sustainable construction (examining environmental-economic-social impacts across project lifecycles), resilient infrastructure (applying soft/hard approaches to new/aging assets), and knowledge-information management (leveraging BIM for project delivery). Her work bridges theoretical frameworks with practical industry applications, particularly in emerging economies.
Analysis of her 15 most recent publications (2022-2025) reveals strong thematic continuity in digital transformation (BIM, Digital Twins, AI), heritage conservation, and sustainable infrastructure development. Key trends include global comparative studies (Nigeria, Egypt, Jordan, Qatar), context-specific frameworks for SMEs and developing countries, and innovative applications of generative AI in construction cost management. Her research demonstrates increasing international collaboration and methodological sophistication.
Her scientific recognition includes:
- Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (2007-Present)
- RICS Trust Award for COSTKA project research (2013-2014)
Dr. Udeaja has successfully supervised three PhD candidates to completion and currently mentors four doctoral students. Her grant portfolio features significant projects including the AHRC-funded IT INDIAN HERITAGE PLATFORM (£183,267, 2018-2021), JLG Manufacturing BIM scoping study (£30,363, 2017-2018), and HEIF-funded EU procurement research for SMEs (£30,000, 2012-2013). She actively contributes to ARCOM doctoral workshops and professional knowledge advancement initiatives.
Based at THINKlab in Salford's Maxwell Building, she leads interdisciplinary teams developing digital solutions for resilient infrastructure and heritage conservation. Her current ENSEMBLE project enhances social cohesion through community spaces, while MOBILISE Digital Solutions focuses on climate-resilient infrastructure as featured in COP29 reports. Her work integrates cutting-edge technologies with practical industry needs across global contexts.
