Faris Ali

Professor Faris Ali is a faculty member at Ulster University, affiliated with the Belfast School of Architecture & the Built Environment and the Built Environment Research Institute. He specializes in Structural Engineering with a focus on fire and blast protection systems, and serves as the Founder & Executive Director of the spin-out company Vifkon Ltd. Professor Ali is also the Founder and Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Structural Fire Engineering.

Research Interests: His work centers on structural behavior under extreme conditions, particularly fire and blast scenarios. Key areas include

• Precast concrete sandwich panels
• Steel splice connections in fire
• UHPFRC beams under thermal stress
• Slim floor fire resistance
• Numerical modeling of fire-impacted structures
• Development of protection materials

Scientific Awards & Recognition:

• Awarded Best Invention in Hi-Tech, Northern Ireland (2012)
• Holds three patents in fire and blast technologies
• h-index of 23 with over 1,562 citations (Scopus/PURE)

Collaborations & Leadership: He has secured £1.9 million in industrial and research grants, serves on multiple international committees (BS FSH/22, SIF, Protect conferences), and acts as a reviewer for numerous research journals. His visiting professorships at Warsaw University of Technology and NITK, India highlight his global influence. He also advises organizations including the United Nations, Swiss Science Foundation, and European Research Council.

Labs & Teams: As part of the Built Environment Research Institute, he leads interdisciplinary teams in advancing structural safety technologies and collaborates with industry partners on fire-resistant system implementations.