Victoria Chibuogu Nneji facts for kids

Victoria Chibuogu Nneji is a brilliant Nigerian-born American computer scientist. She is known for her work in planning new ideas and making things better, especially in the world of robotics. She also teaches at a university.

Victoria Nneji's research focuses on how robots work, how to make things easier for people to use, and how self-driving vehicles can safely move around.

Who is Victoria Nneji?

Victoria Chibuogu Nneji was born in Lagos, Nigeria. When she was five years old, her family moved to the United States. She grew up in Durham, North Carolina.

She attended the North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics (NCSSM) during her last two years of high school. This special school helps students who are very interested in science and math.

Early Life and Education

Victoria Nneji was one of the first in her family to go to college. She earned a bachelor's degree in applied mathematics from Columbia University. Applied mathematics is about using math to solve real-world problems.

Learning at Columbia University

At Columbia, Victoria studied how changes in money help for college could affect students. She looked at how this help might change how well students did and how long it took them to finish their degrees. She received an Anita Borg scholarship, which helped her attend Columbia University.

While at Columbia, she also helped a community group in New York City. She researched how to improve a program that helps women in difficult situations. Her work helped make sure the program met the needs of the people it served.

Advanced Studies at Duke University

Later, Victoria continued her studies at Duke University. She earned a master's degree in engineering management. In 2019, she completed her PhD in Mechanical Engineering from Duke's Robotics Center.

After finishing her PhD, she became a teacher at Duke University. She teaches students about robotics.

Exploring the World of Robotics

Victoria Nneji has done exciting research in many areas of technology. Her work helps us understand how new inventions can improve our lives.

Researching Future Air Travel

In 2017, Victoria co-authored a research paper about "on-demand passenger air travel." This means imagining a future where small aircraft could pick you up and take you where you need to go, like a flying taxi service.

Her research, done with others from Duke University and NASA Langley Research Center, found that creating this kind of air travel would take a long time. They estimated it would take more than ten years to develop the technology and the rules needed.

Understanding How Humans and Robots Connect

Victoria also studies how people and robots interact. In 2016, she worked on a paper called Tell Me More: Designing HRI to Encourage More Trust, Disclosure, and Companionship. This research looked at how robots could build better relationships with people.

Her team found that if robots showed a little "vulnerability" (like seeming to need help) or "expressivity" (like showing emotions), people might trust them more. They did a study with high school students and robots. The students trusted robots that seemed more vulnerable and talked more with robots that were more expressive.

Helping Make Self-Driving Cars Safe

In 2019, Victoria Nneji was chosen to join a special group for Uber. This group is called the Self-Driving Safety and Responsibility Advisory (SARA). She and five other experts review and give advice on how Uber develops its self-driving cars. Their goal is to make sure these vehicles are safe and responsible for everyone.

See also

• List of Nigerian Americans
• African-American women in computer science