The J.D. Fraser Service Award recognizes engineers who have made a substantial and sustained contribution to Engineers Nova Scotia through volunteer service and leadership.  

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For more than three decades, Dr. Emeka Oguejiofor, FEC, P.Eng., has been a steady and influential presence in Nova Scotia’s engineering community. His career has been defined by service—both to the profession and to the people it serves.  

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As an associate professor at St. Francis Xavier University, Dr. Oguejiofor has taught and mentored thousands of students, many of whom have gone on to become practicing engineers across Canada. He served as Chair of the Engineering Department for nine years, guiding curriculum development and fostering a culture of ethics, collaboration, and community engagement. His second-year design course became a hallmark of outreach, connecting university students with high school classrooms to introduce young learners to engineering through hands-on activities and mentorship.  

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His academic leadership extended beyond the classroom. He served on the university’s Senate for multiple terms, including two as Chair—an exceptional distinction for an engineer. He also contributed to the Rank and Tenure Committee, the Budget Committee, and numerous other governance bodies, helping shape the university’s academic direction and support for engineering education.  

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Dr. Oguejiofor’s service to Engineers Nova Scotia is both deep and enduring. He served three terms on Council and has been a member of the Student Affairs Committee for 28 years, consistently advocating for student engagement, ethics, and professional development. He’s also a familiar face at Antigonish zone events, including the annual lobster supper, where he’s helped foster connection and camaraderie among engineers in the region.  

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His outreach work includes more than a decade of involvement with Imhotep’s Legacy Academy, a university-community partnership supporting African Nova Scotian youth in STEM. In Antigonish, he coordinated local programming and continues to mentor new leaders in the initiative. Through this work, he’s helped bridge achievement gaps and inspire future engineers from underrepresented communities.  

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Beyond academia and professional service, Dr. Oguejiofor is deeply involved in his local community. He has served on the Parish Pastoral Council, was a Religious Education Instructor, and has been an Eucharistic Minister at St. Ninian’s Cathedral Parish since the late 1990s. He is a member of the Knights of Columbus Council 1105 and was a member of the Antigonish Committee of the Black Educators Association for six years. 

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His commitment to mentorship, education, and outreach has made a lasting impact on students, colleagues, and the broader community. For his decades of volunteer service and leadership within Engineers Nova Scotia, and his dedication to advancing the engineering community and the profession, Dr. Emeka Oguejiofor, FEC, P.Eng., receives the 2025 J.D. Fraser Service Award.