UC San Diego Engineer Elected Fellow of the African Academy of Sciences

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Abdoulaye Ndao, an associate professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at the University of California San Diego Jacobs School of Engineering, 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.

Ndao is also a leader in the African Materials Research Society (AMRS), one of the continent’s most prestigious scientific organizations. He serves on the society’s board and planning committee, where he is helping organize the upcoming AMRS meeting in Kenya. Through this work with the AMRS, he helps promote inclusive participation and ensure African researchers are well represented on the global stage. He also serves as the chair for the CLEO conference and the deputy editor for Optics letters.

At UC San Diego, Ndao leads a research group that develops next-generation optical technologies. His group is dedicated to interdisciplinary research that bridges, physics, engineering, optics, applied physics and quantum optics. His research merges theory, simulations, nanofabrication and device integration to develop extremely small, lightweight and efficient optical devices.

Prior to joining UC San Diego, Ndao was a postdoctoral researcher at UC San Diego and UC Berkeley, and earned his Masters and Ph.D. degrees in physics from the University of Franche Comte (France). He has received numerous national and international awards for his research, teaching and leadership. These include a Sloan Fellowship, Hellman Fellowship, iCANX Young Scientist Award, IAAM Scientist Medal Lecture, Beckman Young Investigator Award, Sculpted Light in the Brain Innovation Grant, and Scialog: Advancing Bioimaging Awards. At UC San Diego, he has received the Jacobs School of Engineering Early Career Faculty Development Award. During his time at Boston University’s electrical and computer engineering department, he received an Outstanding Teaching Award and Outstanding Faculty Committee Service Award.