Prof. Rose-Margaret Ekeng-Itua
3 Courses • 5 StudentsBiography
Prof. Rose-Margaret Ekeng-Itua is an award-winning professor, researcher, and international consultant with over 20 years of experience in engineering education, workforce development, Smart Manufacturing, Industry 4.0, Clean Technology, and capacity building. She is a pioneer of the Fourth and Fifth Industrial Revolution (4IR/5IR) curriculum in Africa and the USA, specializing in Smart Manufacturing, IoT, Robotics, and Green Industrialization. With more than two decades of impact across the USA, Europe, and Africa, she is the first Black woman in the world to earn a Ph.D. in Cybernetics, and has been named among the Top 100 Most Influential People in Silicon Valley (2025).
As Professor of Engineering at Ohlone College (Silicon Valley, California), she has successfully led international projects, built industry-government-academia partnerships, and developed innovative training models. She is a global trainer who has delivered executive and technical training for Tesla engineers, Nigerian MDAs, the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN), and Silicon Valley industry partners. Her expertise combines project leadership, training and coaching, and the design of learning frameworks and LMS platforms to strengthen public sector regulators, higher education institutions, and industry practitioners across Africa and globally.
Often celebrated as the “Queen of Industry 4.0 Education in Silicon Valley,” Prof. Ekeng-Itua has designed and led groundbreaking industry-academia collaborations with Tesla, NASA, Google, Microsoft, Intel, and national laboratories. She co-created the Tesla Employee Education Assistance Program and the Tesla Manufacturing Development Program, initiatives that have scaled advanced manufacturing skills to over 100,000 employees and become global models for future-ready workforce training.
Beyond Silicon Valley, Prof. Ekeng-Itua is equally committed to Africa’s industrial transformation. As Founder & CEO of the African Technology and Innovation Institute (ATII), she champions innovation-driven growth across Africa, spearheading initiatives in artificial intelligence, sustainable manufacturing, climate resiliency, and women’s participation in STEM. She has also partnered with the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) to expand opportunities for African women in sustainable manufacturing and clean technology.
Her research and leadership focus on AI, IoT, sustainable supply chains, hydrogen energy, and decarbonization, offering practical pathways to cost-saving, resilient, and competitive manufacturing systems. Prof. Ekeng-Itua bridges Silicon Valley innovation with Africa’s industrial ambitions, shaping the global dialogue on how the Fourth and Fifth Industrial Revolution (4IR/5IR) and smart manufacturing can drive competitiveness, sustainability, and inclusive growth.
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