In a world increasingly driven by innovation and knowledge exchange, Dr. Jimoh Braimoh has emerged as a leading voice at the intersection of education, research, and global development. As the Founder and Global Chief Executive Officer of the Global Association for Research and Innovation (GARI) and Wenjibra University LLC, Dr. Braimoh’s work bridges continents—linking Africa, North America, Europe, and Asia through programs that advance research capacity, mentorship, and professional excellence. From its origins as an academic initiative in Nigeria in 2004 to its current headquarters in Austin, Texas, GARI has evolved into a global movement dedicated to fostering innovation and interdisciplinary collaboration across borders.
Now, under Dr. Braimoh’s leadership, GARI’s Global Excellence Award enters its second phase unveiling a distinguished panel of judges and international advisory board members representing six continents. This year’s cohort includes leaders from academia, industry, and policy sectors such as Professor Marlyse Baptista (University of Pennsylvania), Narendra Babu Atmakuri (Panasonic Avionics), Dr. Ashish Dibouliya (Webster Bank USA), and Professor Donald Dyer (University of Mississippi) each lending their expertise to uphold GARI’s global standard of fairness, transparency, and excellence. Their participation underscores the Award’s commitment to diversity, merit-based recognition, and global integrity, setting a new benchmark for international honors conferred by research and innovation institutions.
A Global Standard for Recognition
The Global Excellence Award, conferred by the Global Association for Research and Innovation (GARI), was established to honor individuals and organizations whose work demonstrates exceptional leadership, creativity, and impact across disciplines. Rooted in GARI’s mission to promote research-driven innovation, the award serves as a bridge between academic excellence and real-world problem solving recognizing achievements that advance humanity through knowledge, technology, and collaboration.
The 2025 edition reflects GARI’s commitment to global inclusivity, with nominations spanning six continents and representation across the sciences, business, health, and the arts. The award’s structure upholds international best practices through a transparent and merit-based selection process evaluated by an independent panel of global experts.
This year’s categories are carefully aligned with GARI’s multidisciplinary mandate:
- Science & Technology – recognizing innovation in scientific advancement, engineering, and digital transformation.
- Business & Leadership – honoring visionary executives, entrepreneurs, and institutional leaders driving sustainable enterprise.
- Health & Public Service – celebrating contributions to healthcare, wellness, and community development.
- Arts, Humanities & Education – recognizing creativity, culture, and transformative pedagogy.
- Policy, Governance & Social Impact – highlighting effective leadership in policy reform, civic engagement, and social change.
- Organizational & Institutional Excellence – honoring organizations that model ethical governance, innovation, and societal responsibility.
The 2025 nomination window opened October 1 and will close on December 1, 2025, with winners announced December 15, 2025. Since opening, the program has attracted a diverse range of applicants representing universities, research centers, startups, and NGOs worldwide, a testament to its rapidly expanding global reputation. “The Global Excellence Award is more than a recognition; it’s a global affirmation of impact,” said Dr. Braimoh. “We’re celebrating people who transform ideas into progress and who prove that innovation, when guided by purpose, can change the world.”
Unveiling the Global Advisory Board
As the Global Excellence Award enters its second phase, the Global Association for Research and Innovation (GARI) proudly unveils its Global Advisory Board, a distinguished council of academic leaders, policy experts, and industry innovators representing six continents. The board plays a pivotal role in shaping GARI’s long-term strategy for research, innovation, and recognition. Its members provide oversight on global standards, guide program development, and ensure that every award nomination is evaluated within a framework of fairness, inclusivity, and scholarly integrity.
Among the prominent figures on the Global Advisory Board are:
- Professor Marlyse Baptista – President’s Distinguished Professor of Linguistics, University of Pennsylvania (North America)
- Professor Donald Dyer – Distinguished Professor of Modern Languages & Associate Dean, University of Mississippi (North America)
- Narendra Babu Atmakuri – Director, Panasonic Avionics (Asia)
- Dr. Ashish Dibouliya – Vice President, Webster Bank USA (North America)
- Dr. Anitha Paila – Director, Metropolitan Community College, Missouri (North America)
- Professor Yuliana Karagodina – Expert in International Relations, Europe
- Professor Luz María Jerez – Education and Leadership Specialist, Latin America
- Dr. Monir Hossain – Public Policy Analyst, Asia
Each member contributes specialized expertise to one or more of GARI’s key categories: Science & Technology, Business & Leadership, Health & Public Service, Arts & Education, Policy & Governance, and Organizational Excellence. Their diverse perspectives ensure that the Award’s evaluation process reflects not only academic merit but also ethical leadership, innovation impact, and global inclusivity. “The Advisory Board embodies our belief that excellence knows no borders,” said Dr. Braimoh. “These global leaders represent the very ideals that the Award seeks to honor — expertise, diversity, and a shared commitment to advancing knowledge for the good of humanity.”
Meet the Judges
The Global Excellence Award is anchored in integrity, transparency, and global representation — values upheld by its 2025 Judging Panel, a distinguished team of experts drawn from academia, industry, healthcare, business, and public policy. Each judge was selected for professional merit, ethical leadership, and international impact, ensuring that excellence is recognized beyond borders.
The panel represents voices from six continents, reflecting GARI’s multidisciplinary mandate across Science & Technology, Business & Leadership, Health & Public Service, Arts & Education, Policy & Governance, and Organizational Excellence.
Among the distinguished judges for the 2025 edition are:
- Dr. Abhijit Joshi – Director, Panasonic Avionics (India / United States / Canada)
- Professor Kingsley Chiwuike Ukaoha – Dean, Wigwe University (Nigeria)
- Dr. Ashok Kumar Dubey – Scientist II, Eurofins BioPharma Product Testing North America (Nepal / USA)
- Dr. Faustina Baah – Assistant Professor, Western New Mexico University (Ghana / USA)
- Adepeju Deborah Bello – Cybersecurity and Financial Crime Prevention Specialist, Barclays UK (UK / Nigeria / South America)
- Ravi Kiran Puvvada – SAP Application Architect, Averon Solutions Inc. (India / South Africa / USA)
- Oluwakemi Temitope Olayinka – Technical Product Manager, Cubeseed / IEEE Member (Nigeria / USA)
- Dr. Omolola Dorcas Atanda – Faculty Researcher and Unit Coordinator, Turkey / USA / Nigeria
- Benjamin Asamoah – Chief Executive Officer, Data Control Limited (Ghana / USA)
- Dr. Thompson Odion Igunma – Researcher, University of Florida (Nigeria / USA)
These judges represent the Award’s global standard of fairness and inclusion. Their fields span engineering, data science, linguistics, business leadership, cyber governance, biotechnology, and higher education, ensuring that every nomination is evaluated from both technical and societal lenses. “Our judges reflect the diversity of excellence itself,” said Dr. Jimoh Braimoh, President and Chief Judge of the Global Excellence Award. “Their combined expertise reinforces GARI’s commitment to a transparent, peer-driven process that recognizes achievement based purely on merit and measurable global impact.”
Through a structured multi-stage review process, nominations are screened for eligibility, assessed through blind peer review, and deliberated upon in a final consensus session. The system ensures impartiality, consistency, and credibility, the hallmarks of an award that is redefining standards of global recognition.
Global Timeline and Next Milestones
The Global Excellence Award 2025 follows a carefully structured international timeline designed to ensure inclusivity, transparency, and robust engagement across all regions. The award cycle spans from the nomination phase to the final announcement of laureates each stage reflecting GARI’s commitment to global excellence.
- Nomination Period: October 1 – December 1, 2025
Nominations remain open to researchers, professionals, and institutions worldwide whose work demonstrates measurable innovation, leadership, and societal impact. Interested individuals and organizations can submit entries through GARI’s official portal: https://award.gariwenjibra.org/nomination/
- Evaluation & Selection: December 2 – December 10, 2025
During this period, the distinguished panel of judges will review all qualified nominations using a merit-based scoring framework that emphasizes originality, ethical practice, and global relevance. The process is supervised by the Global Advisory Board to guarantee fairness and independence.
- Winners’ Announcement: December 15, 2025
Awardees will be revealed through coordinated press releases and media coverage across MarketWatch, MSN, Bloomberg, and international academic outlets, highlighting exceptional contributions in each of the six award categories.
- Virtual Recognition Gala: January 2026
The first global virtual gala will honor award recipients, advisory members, and judges, offering a platform for cross-sector collaboration and dialogue on research, innovation, and sustainable leadership. “Each stage of this award process is designed to celebrate transparency, merit, and global unity,” noted Dr. Braimoh. “Our ultimate goal is to spotlight those whose ideas, inventions, and leadership truly shape a better world.”
Beyond Recognition: A Global Vision for the Future
For Dr. Jimoh Braimoh, the Global Excellence Award is not merely a recognition platform, it is part of a larger movement to build a borderless ecosystem of research, innovation, and mentorship. Through the Global Association for Research and Innovation (GARI) and Wenjibra University, he is championing a future where ideas are shared freely, collaboration transcends borders, and knowledge becomes the driving force of global progress.
GARI’s initiatives, from its Research Mentorship & Publication Program (RMPP) to its Distinguished Lecture Series and journal ecosystem under Wenjibra University Press, reflect a consistent mission: to empower professionals, young researchers, and institutions to engage in ethical, high-impact scholarship that addresses real-world challenges.
The organization’s global footprint continues to expand, with partnerships linking universities, innovation hubs, and policy institutions in Africa, North America, Europe, and Asia. Each collaboration reinforces GARI’s commitment to inclusion, excellence, and sustainable development.
“Our mission is to redefine how knowledge serves humanity,” Dr. Braimoh affirms. “Beyond awards and accolades, we’re building a community of thinkers and innovators who believe that research is not just about discovery, it’s about dignity, empowerment, and shared progress.”
Looking ahead, GARI aims to establish the Wenjibra Foundation, a philanthropic initiative dedicated to supporting youth innovation and sustainability education, while expanding its AI-powered learning infrastructure to make quality research and education accessible globally. Through these efforts, Dr. Braimoh and his team are setting a new global standard: one where recognition becomes a catalyst for collaboration, and innovation becomes a common language uniting nations in pursuit of a better, smarter, and more equitable world.
