Dr. Imen Ben Salem is an Associate Professor in the Department of Natural Sciences and Sustainability at Zayed University. Her multidisciplinary research spans carbon capture and sequestration, clean-energy technologies, CFD modeling, optical diagnostics, and remote sensing with applications in both Earth and planetary sciences. Her work directly supports several UN Sustainable Development Goals, including SDG 7 (Affordable and Clean Energy), SDG 9 (Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure), SDG 13 (Climate Action), and SDG 15 (Life on Land).
Her recent research focuses on developing cost-effective, environmentally friendly mineralization pathways using agricultural-waste biochar to enhance CO₂ capture and long-term storage, and on evaluating scalable negative-emission strategies and policy frameworks for sustainable deployment. She previously worked as a postdoctoral researcher at the Masdar Institute, collaborating with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), studying CO₂ behavior in saline aquifers using experimental and CFD modeling.
At Zayed University, Dr. Ben Salem contributes to establishing a specialized research laboratory dedicated to carbon sequestration and environmental sensing. She has played a key role in advancing tools such as a spectrogoniometer and a Mars environmental chamber developed through collaborative efforts to support UAE space mission objectives and Earth observation research, including mangrove ecosystem monitoring and land-surface analysis.
As an educator, she integrates inquiry-based learning with responsible AI practices, supported by her University of Cambridge Designing Assessment in the Era of AI certificate. She actively promotes AI-enhanced scientific reasoning and research skills. Dr. Ben Salem also serves on the editorial board of Environmental Research Communications (Q1), contributing to high-impact work in renewable energy and sustainability.
