Dr. Shambel Akalu | Gravity theories | Best Researcher Award

Postdoc at North-West University, Ethiopia.

Dr. Shambel Sahlu is a postdoctoral fellow at the Centre for Space Research, North-West University, South Africa, and a research associate at the Space Science and Geo-spatial Institute, Ethiopia. He obtained his Ph.D. in Astronomy and Astrophysics with a focus on cosmology from Addis Ababa University. With a strong passion for the mysteries of the universe, he is actively engaged in modified gravity theories, cosmic acceleration, and structure formation in the universe. Dr. Sahlu has published widely in high-impact journals and serves as a mentor, tutor, and supervisor for undergraduate and graduate students. His commitment to scientific excellence extends to organizing conferences and contributing to the African and international physics communities. He is an active member of several prestigious organizations, including the African Astronomical Society and the International Astronomical Union.

Professional Profile 

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Education

Dr. Shambel Sahlu began his academic journey with a B.Sc. in Physics from Gondar University (2009–2011), followed by an M.Sc. in Plasma Physics from Mekelle University (2011–2013). He then pursued a Ph.D. in Astronomy and Astrophysics (Cosmology) at Addis Ababa University from 2016 to 2020, where he specialized in modified gravity theories, cosmic expansion, and perturbations. His academic path reflects a strong foundation in both theoretical and applied physics, further sharpened by international research visits to institutions like the University of Valencia (Spain), North-West University (South Africa), and the University of Oslo (Norway). Dr. Sahlu’s multidisciplinary training in physics and cosmology has equipped him with advanced knowledge in observational and theoretical astrophysics, laying a solid groundwork for his contributions to the field of cosmology.

Professional Experience

Dr. Sahlu is currently a postdoctoral fellow at North-West University (2023–present), where he mentors MSc and Honours students and teaches cosmology-related courses. He is also a research associate at the Space Science and Geo-spatial Institute in Ethiopia (2021–present), where he previously led the cosmology group. From 2013 to 2016, he served as a lecturer at Wolkite University, teaching undergraduate physics courses such as Quantum Mechanics, Electrodynamics, and Classical Mechanics. His roles have consistently blended teaching, research, and academic leadership, and he has presented at multiple international conferences. Dr. Sahlu has also contributed to curriculum development and academic consultation, making significant strides in shaping the next generation of physicists and cosmologists in both Africa and abroad.

Research Interest

Dr. Sahlu’s research focuses on theoretical cosmology, with an emphasis on modified theories of gravity, cosmic acceleration, dark energy models, and large-scale structure formation. He investigates alternative cosmological models such as f(R), f(Q), f(T), and f(R,Lm) gravity to address fundamental problems like the cosmic coincidence and inflationary dynamics. His expertise lies in applying observational constraints to theoretical models, often utilizing advanced statistical tools and coding platforms like Python, FORTRAN, and Maple. He actively collaborates with international scientists, and his interdisciplinary approach integrates observational data with theoretical constructs to refine our understanding of the universe’s expansion and evolution. His work significantly contributes to bridging the gap between observational cosmology and high-energy physics.

Award and Honor

While Dr. Shambel Sahlu’s CV doesn’t list specific awards by name, his achievements reflect high academic and scientific recognition. He was entrusted with leadership roles such as heading the Cosmology Group in Ethiopia and mentoring graduate students in South Africa. He was selected for prestigious research visits to the University of Valencia, University of Oslo, and North-West University, signaling international recognition. Additionally, his work has been featured at globally recognized events like the ICTP’s DSU2023 and the International Astronomical Union Symposium. His student-led projects have been published in conference proceedings, attesting to his mentorship impact. Membership in esteemed bodies such as the African Astronomical Society and the International Astronomical Union further confirms his standing in the scientific community.

Conclusion

• Title: Multi-components fluid in f(r, t) gravity with observational constraints
  Authors: B. K. Shukla, Shambel Sahlu, D. Sofuoğlu, P. Mishra, A. H. Alfedeel
  Year: 2025
  Citation: The European Physical Journal Plus, 140(3), 1–14.​

• Title: Structure growth in f(Q) cosmology
  Authors: Shambel Sahlu, Álvaro de la Cruz-Dombriz, Amare Abebe
  Year: 2025
  Citation: Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, staf439.​SpringerLink+7arXiv+7arXiv+7

• Title: The cosmology of f(R,L_m) gravity: Constraining the background and perturbed dynamics
  Authors: Shambel Sahlu, Alnadhief H. A. Alfedeel, Amare Abebe
  Year: 2024
  Citation: The European Physical Journal C, 84(9), 1–13.​arXiv+6arXiv+6arXiv+6

• Title: Constraining viscous-fluid models in f(Q) gravity using cosmic measurements and large-scale structure data
  Authors: Shambel Sahlu, Renier T. Hough, Amare Abebe
  Year: 2024
  Citation: arXiv preprint arXiv:2408.02775.​arXivarXiv+3arXiv+3arXiv+3

• Title: Observational constraints of diffusive dark-fluid cosmology
  Authors: Shambel Sahlu, U. Mukhopadhyay, R. R. Mekuria, Amare Abebe
  Year: 2023
  Citation: arXiv preprint arXiv:2301.02913.​arXiv+3arXiv+3arXiv+3

• Title: Confronting the Chaplygin gas with data: Background and perturbed cosmic dynamics
  Authors: Shambel Sahlu, H. Sami, R. Hough, M. Elmardi, A.-M. Swart, Amare Abebe
  Year: 2021
  Citation: arXiv preprint arXiv:2112.11695.​

• Title: Covariant density and velocity perturbations of the quasi-Newtonian cosmological model in f(T) gravity
  Authors: Heba Sami, Shambel Sahlu, Amare Abebe, Peter K. S. Dunsby
  Year: 2021
  Citation: The European Physical Journal C, 81, 872.​SpringerLink+2arXiv+2SpringerLink+2SpringerLink+1SpringerLink+1

• Title: On multifluid perturbations in scalar–tensor cosmology
  Authors: J. Ntahompagaze, Shambel Sahlu, Amare Abebe, M. R. Mbonye
  Year: 2020
  Citation: International Journal of Modern Physics D, 2050120.​

• Title: Scalar perturbations in f(T) gravity using the 1 + 3 covariant approach
  Authors: Shambel Sahlu, J. Ntahompagaze, Amare Abebe, Álvaro de la Cruz-Dombriz, David F. Mota
  Year: 2020
  Citation: The European Physical Journal C, 80, 422.​arXiv+4arXiv+4arXiv+4SpringerLink+1SpringerLink+1

• Title: Inflationary constraints in teleparallel gravity theory
  Authors: Shambel Sahlu, J. Ntahompagaze, Amare Abebe, David F. Mota
  Year: 2020
  Citation: International Journal of Geometric Methods in Modern Physics.

• Title: Implementation of a radiation protection system at four hospitals in Ethiopia
  Authors: G. M. Geletu, F. Abiko, Shambel Sahlu
  Year: 2019
  Citation: arXiv preprint arXiv:1905.07271.

• Title: Unifying dark matter and dark energy in Chaplygin gas cosmology
  Authors: A. Swart, R. Hough, Shambel Sahlu, et al.
  Year: 2019
  Citation: [Details not specified in the provided information.]

• Title: The Chaplygin gas as a model for modified teleparallel gravity?
  Authors: Shambel Sahlu, J. Ntahompagaze, M. Elmardi, Amare Abebe
  Year: 2019
  Citation: The European Physical Journal C, 79(9), 749.

• Title: Perturbations in a Chaplygin gas cosmology
  Authors: Shambel Sahlu, et al.
  Year: 2019
  Citation: [Details not specified in the provided information.]

• Title: Accelerating universe in modified teleparallel gravity theory
  Authors: Shambel Sahlu, J. Ntahompagaze, Amare Abebe, David F. Mota
  Year: