Ali Salifu is an Assistant Professor of Engineering. His research is motivated by the need to develop affordable, sustainable, and environmentally friendly technologies to improve our quality of life. These are geared toward solving global challenges in the areas of energy, the environment, and health to meet the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Ali’s current work focuses on biofuel production from non-edible feedstock, such as bamboo, that has the potential to diffuse the food vs. biofuel conflict and reduce greenhouse gas emissions (SDG 2: zero hunger, SDG 7: affordable and clean energy, and SDG 13: climate action). He is also developing low-cost ceramic water filters for household point-of-use water treatment in limited-resource communities (SDG 6: clean water and sanitation, SDG 11: sustainable cities and communities) and sustainable plant-based scaffolds for tissue engineering (SDG 3: good health and wellbeing).
Ali is interested in impacting communities through his work. Through the Math and Science for Sub-Saharan Africa (MS4SSA) program, he has trained high school teachers from over 16 African countries on project-based learning modules in water filtration and 3D printing. He has also collaborated with the Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education (MoBSE) of The Gambia on fabricating and testing ceramic water filters for community-based water purification in rural areas.
Prior to Boston College, Ali was an Assistant Research Professor of Mechanical and Materials Engineering and Biomedical Engineering at Worcester Polytechnic Institute, where he taught an undergraduate course in Solid Biomechanics Lab Techniques. In addition, he was a Resource Person for WPI initiatives at the interface of engineering and society, such as the COVID-19 Response in Africa and Pandemic Engineering programs. Ali obtained his Ph.D. in Materials Engineering and MS in Biomedical Engineering from the University of Surrey, and BS in Biochemistry from the University of Ghana, Legon.
