BY ALEXIS PFANNENSTIEL
Every year one staff member of Fort Hays State University receives the most prestigious and reputable award possible—The President’s Distinguished Scholar Award. This year, the award was granted to Professor Hendratta Ali, a distinguished geologist at the university and a woman of many talents.
On Thursday, Ali was presented a check for $1,500, a certificate, and a medallion of honor that has been passed down to other scholars since 1989. These awards signify great importance, appreciation, and honor to those who have received them.
Professor Ali was born in Cameroon and has spent her life traveling the world and studying different types of science. Her research includes, but is not limited to, eucalyptus plants, cocoa trees, petroleum geology, and the braided river pathway model.
“I am most excited about the Braided River Pipeline study. This research lays the groundwork of re-imagining what the workforce could be like, and it has the potential to teach us much more useful approaches in the future,” Ali said
In the past year, she has received over $400,000 in grants at Fort Hays State to further her research. Her basic training was done in aqueous geochemistry, and she only became involved in petroleum geology as a side study.
She has spent years cultivating educational pathways with Youtube videos, Podcasts, and articles she has published online.
“I do this to encourage STEM education and education to children all over the world,” Ali said.
Although she has tried to develop new skills in every area, Ali hopes that her students will see her for all that she is, and not only a petroleum geologist.
Professor Ali can be reached at her school email: hnali@fhsu.edu