Kemi Ola

Dr. Kemi Ola is an Associate Professor of Teaching in the Computer Science Department at the University of British Columbia (UBC). Her academic career includes roles as Assistant Professor of Teaching (2018-2023) and Lecturer at Western University and Babcock University. She holds a Ph.D. in Computer Science from Western University (2018), with earlier degrees from the University of Houston, Trine University, and Southwestern Michigan College.

Her research focuses on removing barriers to learning, fostering inclusive communities, and addressing socio-emotional factors in education. Key areas include visualization for public health data and pedagogical strategies for broadening participation in computing. She coordinates UBC’s teaching assistant training program and actively organizes conferences/workshops for faculty.

Dr. Ola’s teaching philosophy emphasizes communication, motivation, community-building, and exploration. She teaches courses such as Visualization for Data Science (3rd year), Introduction to Computation in Engineering Design (1st year), and Computational Thinking (1st year non-majors). Past roles include instructing at Western’s Integrated Science Program and designing interdisciplinary courses.

Her honors include the UBC Killam Teaching Prize (2022) and multiple research awards from Western University. She is a fellow in the Cultural Competence in Computing program (Duke University) and has completed professional development in teaching and leadership.