A Mile in My Shoes With Prof. Offiong Aqua
Feb
20
5:30 PM17:30

A Mile in My Shoes With Prof. Offiong Aqua

Date: February 20, 2026

Location: 14A Washington Mews, New York, NY, 10003

Time: 5:30 pm

Overview: A Mile in My Shoes, the acclaimed traveling exhibition from the Empathy Museum, came to NYU in Fall 2025. It featured accounts from their famous collection alongside stories contributed by members of the NYU community, the exhibition explores our shared humanity through quiet moments of listening.  

Through a collaboration between the Office of the President and Africa House, we will be amplifying one of the NYU voices featured, Prof. Offiong Aqua. Join us for an evening of insightful conversations as we walk a mile in Prof. Offiong Aqua's shoes. 

Register

Offiong Aqua holds a joint appointment as Clinical Professor in the Departments of Occupational Therapy, Physical Therapy, and Communicative Sciences and Disorders at New York University. Born in Nigeria, he earned his M.D. from the Faculty of Medicine at Friendship University in Moscow in 1986, followed by postgraduate training in Facio-Maxillary Surgery. His career spans clinical practice, academic leadership, and global health advocacy across Africa, Europe, and the United States. 
 
Professor Aqua is a faculty affiliate of NYU Africa House, where his work focuses on strengthening health systems and advancing global African health research. He played a leading role in establishing NYU’s academic partnership with the Ghana Ministry of Health, resulting in the launch of an NYU Steinhardt health-related course abroad in Accra, Ghana. A recipient of NYU’s Steinhardt Teaching Excellence Award, he continues to collaborate with senior faculty across NYU on international initiatives addressing emergency medicine and health systems development. 
 
Beyond academia, Professor Aqua has conducted a landmark Health System Audit for Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria—one of the country’s most economically significant regions—providing a framework still used for healthcare planning today. He is also the creator and host of The Offiong Aqua Show, a widely followed podcast that examines governance, accountability, and civic life in Nigeria through informed, independent commentary. His life and work reflect a sustained commitment to education, equity, and the building of durable institutions across borders. 

View Event →
Celebrating Professor William Easterly's Book Launch and Retirement
Nov
13
4:00 PM16:00

Celebrating Professor William Easterly's Book Launch and Retirement

Overview:

It was an honor to celebrate the renowned economist, author, New York University professor, and Co-Director of the Development Research Institute on his retirement and the launch of his latest book, Violent Saviors: The West's Conquest of the Rest.

In this book, Professor William Easterly examines how the demand for agency has always been at the heart of debates on development. Spanning nearly four centuries of global history, he argues that commerce, rather than conquest, could meet the need for equal rights as well as the need for prosperity. You can pick up a copy on Amazon and at bookstores near you. You can also read this Bloomberg article about the book.

The intimate event was well attended by his friends, colleagues, students, and family members.

Goldman: Courtesy of NYU Photo Bureau

View Event →
Sep
17
10:30 AM10:30

Advancing Research with the UAE Ministry of Economy and Tourism

Overview:

DUBAI – New York University Abu Dhabi (NYUAD) and the UAE Ministry of Economy and Tourism are expanding their research partnership, building on a series of meetings held over the past year to strengthen collaboration on data and policy.

On 17 September 2025, NYUAD faculty, led by Professor Yaw Nyarko, met with ministry officials in Dubai to discuss new initiatives in applying AI to economic research, advancing data collaboration, policy evaluation, and setting long-term priorities for the UAE economy. Professor Raša Karapandža, Dean of EBS Business School in Germany and Visiting Professor at NYUAD, also joined the project, highlighting the international dimension of the collaboration. 

Both sides emphasized the importance of building a stronger data ecosystem, advancing collaboration through the Ministry’s new Knowledge Hubs, and investing in the capacity of Emirati economists.

This engagement marks the continuation of a growing partnership between NYUAD and the Ministry, with a mission to harness AI to transform economic analysis, drive evidence-based policymaking, and shape the UAE’s long-term economic strategy.

View Event →