Abubakr Bahaj

Professor, Head of Energy and Climate Change Division, Faculty of Engineering & Applied Sciences @Energy And Climate Change Division, University Of Southampton

AbuBakr Bahaj leads the 55-strong Energy and Climate Change Division (ECCD) at the University of Southampton, where he completed his PhD, progressing from a researcher to a Personal Chair in Sustainable Energy. He published over 360 articles in scientific journals and conferences series, passionate about development & growth for which he has implemented 6 mini grid solar PV projects in rural Africa. To support marine energy research, he founded the International of Marine Energy Journal (IMEJ). Prof Bahai is a: Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering (FREng), Fellow of the Institution of Civil Engineers (FICE), Institution of Engineering Technologies (FIET) and the Royal Academy of Arts (FRSA). In 2012, Prof Bahaj was appointed Chief Scientific Advisor to Southampton City Council, and was Co-Chairs of the inaugurated Southampton Climate Commission (2022-23). He is a Co-Chair of the Research Advisory Group for the Foreign and Commonwealth Development Office, and by virtue of this he is a member of the Chairs of Science Advisory Council, chaired by the Government Chief Scientific Advisor. In 2014, he was named by the UK’s Science Council as one of the UK’s 100 leading practising scientists.Details including projects and publications can be found at