Celebrating a leader in critical minerals research

University of Delaware Professor Saleem Ali is one of the world's leading experts on the geopolitical aspects of critical minerals, rare earth elements such as cobalt and lithium that power many of our technological devices. He has written books on the topic, worked with the United Nations on scientific and advisory panels, and he serves as the lead for critical minerals and inclusive energy transitions at the United Nations University.

Due in part to his research focusing on critical minerals, Ali, chair of the Department of Geography and Spatial Sciences and the Blue and Gold Distinguished Professor of Energy and the Environment, was recently awarded a prestigious Humboldt Research Award by the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation. The award carries a monetary award of 80,000 Euros and will enable Ali to continue research with specialist colleagues in Germany.

On receiving the award, at a ceremony in Berlin in June, Ali said he was humbled by the honor.

"Alexander von Humboldt was one of the pioneering naturalists who brought together a love of biology and botany, and a passion for travel and maps," said Ali. "He is considered one of the founders of the field of biogeography."

Ali was nominated for the award by Professor Raimund Bleischwitz, who currently directs the Leibniz Center for Tropical Marine Research in Bremen, Germany, with whom Ali has collaborated on papers and who shares a research interest in critical mineral supply chains. Bleischwitz nominated Ali in part for his research on mineral flows in island economies, particularly his work in the remote island nation of Nauru.

Ali said one of his goals for the award is to use some of the prize funds to undertake research on the island of Bougainville, which recently held a referendum to declare independence from Papua New Guinea and has the potential to become the world's newest country recognized by the United Nations.

"Bougainville has a large copper and gold mine which historically was the focus of a civil war that eventually led to the secessionist movement and the referendum," said Ali. "The research will focus on how to consider the role of minerals in nation-building of a nascent autonomous economy and government."

In addition, Ali is going to donate some of the discretionary prize money to environmental educational causes in Pakistan and said the award is well timed as he is on sabbatical in Australia.

"In the coming year, I will be at the University of New South Wales, which is a relatively shorter travel distance from the Bougainville site," said Ali. "In addition, I also have support for fieldwork in Bougainville through the Martin Green Fellowship program in Australia and am looking forward to continuing my research."