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Distinguished Professor of Energy and the Environment, University of Delaware (USA); Honorary Professor, The University of Queensland

Saleem H. Ali was born in New Bedford, Massachusetts (USA) but grew up in Lahore, Pakistan until his college years, receiving his Bachelor's degree in Chemistry from Tufts University, and his Masters and Ph.D. degrees in environmental policy and planning at Yale and MIT, respectively. He is Chair of the Department of Geography and Spatial Sciences and the Blue & Gold Distinguished Professor of Energy and the Environment at the University of Delaware (USA). He is also a member of the United Nations International Resource Panel. Before embarking on an academic career, Prof. Ali worked as an environmental health and safety professional at General Electric Corporation. His laurels include being a National Geographic Explorer, with field experience in more than 160 countries and all continents; being selected as a “Young Global Leader” by the World Economic Forum and serving on the boards of notable non-profit charitable organizations including RESOLVE, Adventure Scientists and Mediators Beyond Borders International. His books include Earthly Order: How Natural Laws Define Human Life (Oxford Univ. Press) and Treasures of the Earth: Need, Greed and a Sustainable Future (Yale Univ. Press). Dr. Ali is a citizen of the United States of America by birth; Pakistan by parental lineage; and Australian by naturalization.

Experience

  • 2016–present
    Distinguished Professor of Energy and the Environment, University of Delaware
  • 2016–present
    Professorial Research Fellow , University of Queensland
  • 2015–present
    Senior Fellow , Columbia University
  • 2012–2016
    Director Center for Social Responsibility in Mining , University of Queensland

Education

  • 2000 
    MIT, Ph.D.
  • 1996 
    Yale University, Masters in Environmental Studies

Honours

Member of Global Future Council on Advanced Materials; Young Global Leader, World Economic Forum (2011); National Geographic Emerging Explorer (2010)