Engr. Prof. Joshua Olanrewaju Olaoye was born on 17^th October, 1966, Sharé in Kwara State. He obtained his B.Eng. (Hons) degree in Agricultural Engineering, M. Eng and PhD from the University of Ilorin in 1990, 1995 and 2004 respectively. He is a highly accomplished Agricultural and Biosystems Engineer, scholar, and administrator whose career at the University of Ilorin began in 1998 and rose steadily through academic ranks to become a full Professor in 2017. His research interests span Postharvest Engineering, Farm Power and Renewable Energy Engineering, and Soil Tillage, areas in which he has made substantial contributions to advancing agricultural mechanization and sustainability.

Over the years, Prof. Olaoye has demonstrated exceptional leadership within academia and the engineering profession. He has served as Head of the Department of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering (2012–2014) and as the pioneering Head of the Department of Food Engineering (2014–2017). He also played key roles at the University of Ilorin Renewable Energy Centre (UREC), first as Deputy Director (2017–2018) and later as Director (2018–2022), driving initiatives in renewable energy development. He further contributed nationally as Director of Professional Development for the Nigerian Society of Engineers (2022–2025) and currently serves as the Dean of the Faculty of Engineering and Technology at the University of Ilorin (2025–2027). Prof. Olaoye currently serves as President of the International Soil Tillage Research Organization (2024–2027) and Immediate Past National Chairman of the Nigerian Institution of Agricultural Engineers (NIAE). He holds several influential positions, including Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Agricultural and Engineering Technology (JAET), Vice Chairman of the ASABE E2050 Committee on Global Engagement, and Chairman of the National Mirror/Technical Committee on TC10 under the Standards Organisation of Nigeria.

As an academic, Prof. Olaoye has 178 scholarly publications, including more than 120 peer-reviewed journal articles, books, book chapters, technical reports, and conference proceedings, Prof. Olaoye has made significant contributions to knowledge. He has supervised 12 Ph.D. graduates and continues to mentor more.

His research impact is further evidenced by his role as Principal Researcher for the Framework for Sustainable Agricultural Mechanization in Africa (F-SAMA), a major international initiative involving the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, FAO, and the African Union Commission. He has also contributed as Co-Principal Investigator in the Competitive Agricultural Research Grant Scheme (CARGS).

Prof. Olaoye is a COREN Registered Engineer. Fellow, the Nigerian Society of Engineers, the Nigerian Institution of Agricultural Engineers (FNIAE), (FNSE).  Member, the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers (ASABE), International Soil Tillage Research Organization (ISTRO), Solar Energy Society of Nigeria (SESN), International Society for Development and Sustainability (ISDS), and the Pan African Society for Agricultural Engineering (PASAE).  He is also a charter member of both the Association of Cyber Security Practitioners and the National Association of Artificial Intelligence Practitioners. 

He is married to Mary Olayinka Olaoye, with whom he is blessed with children.