Urinrin Otite, a Nigerian academic from Delta State, has made history as the first-ever graduate of Lehigh University’s Master of Science in Catastrophe Modeling and Resilience program in Pennsylvania, USA.
This newly introduced program, launched just a year ago, is a key initiative of Lehigh’s Center for Catastrophe Modeling and Resilience. Established in 2021, the center serves as a multidisciplinary research hub focused on studying the impact of natural disasters, pandemics, and other crises on society.
A Stellar Academic Journey
Otite’s latest achievement adds to an already impressive academic record. She previously graduated with a first-class degree in Civil Engineering from the University of Port Harcourt, earning a remarkable CGPA of 4.73 on a 5.0 scale. As the top student in the Faculty of Engineering for the 2012 matriculating class, her exceptional abilities were widely recognized.
Professor Dennis Eme, former Head of the Civil and Environmental Engineering Department, described her as an outstanding student who brought immense pride to the university.
“I had the privilege of teaching her during her undergraduate years and often referred to her as ‘Bosco.’ Her problem-solving skills were remarkable, and she consistently excelled in exams. Seeing her reach new heights fills us with pride,” he said.
Currently in her fourth year as a PhD candidate in Civil Engineering at Lehigh, Otite completed the 30-credit master’s program with an impressive CGPA of 3.83 on a 4.0 scale. Reflecting on this achievement, she described it as a pivotal moment in her academic journey.
“I am incredibly proud and inspired. Being the first graduate of this program at my university—and possibly in the entire United States—is an accomplishment I will always cherish. Learning how to model and manage risks associated with natural disasters is a unique skill within civil engineering, and I am excited to be at the forefront of this field,” she said.
Research and International Recognition
In 2017, Otite co-authored a research paper with her undergraduate project supervisor, Dr. Munachiso Ogbodo, comparing the strength of fiber-reinforced polymers to traditional steel-reinforced beams. Their findings were later published in the International Journal of Advanced Research and Publications.
A year later, she was selected for the prestigious EducationUSA Opportunity Funds Program (OFP), an initiative by the U.S. Consulate in Lagos that helps outstanding Nigerian students secure fully funded graduate education in the United States. Through this program, she received multiple offers from top universities, including Stanford, UC Berkeley, the University of Alabama, Johns Hopkins, and Lehigh, where she ultimately chose to pursue her PhD.
Shaping the Future of Catastrophe Modeling
As part of her doctoral research, Otite is developing a probabilistic framework to assess the resilience of energy infrastructure against natural disasters like hurricanes and storm surges. She aims to extend existing models by incorporating renewable energy sources, such as wind turbines and solar panels, into disaster risk assessments.
With her groundbreaking contributions to catastrophe modeling and resilience research, Urinrin Otite is not only making history but also paving the way for future scholars in the field of civil engineering and disaster mitigation.
