Professor Abdoulaye Ndao has been named a Fellow of the African Academy of Sciences (AAS), one of the highest honors for scientists working to advance research and innovation in Africa. The fellowship recognizes his long-standing efforts to promote scientific excellence and leverage research to support Africa’s development. Ndao’s election is especially notable because he is the first AAS Fellow in UC San Diego’s history.

A major part of Ndao’s impact comes from his close partnerships with universities across Africa, particularly in Djibouti and Senegal, where he has helped strengthen local research programs and created sustainable academic networks that support the training of students and early-career scientists. He worked with the University of Djibouti to organize the International Conference on Energy and Applications. This event brings researchers together to address Africa’s urgent energy challenges, including clean energy development; climate change; job creation; and access to reliable and affordable power.