Prior to joining UCF in 2006, he earned a B.S. in mathematics at Morehouse College and a Ph.D. in mechanical engineering from Georgia Tech. He serves as the faculty advisor for the campus chapter of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers. He authored A Handbook for Experiments in Mechanics of Materials and Dictionary of Experiments of Mechanics of Materials, and his research interest are mechanical behavior of materials and structures, failure analysis, and machine design. He can be reached at ali@ucf.edu.