The main areas of S. Diop work are focused on Water and Environment (freshwater, coastal and marine waters and wetlands), not only in Africa but also in various parts of the world. Indeed, his education and research have always bears and mostly on issues related to water, element so important to our daily lives. Based on his experience and his years of teaching and research in Senegal, he spent one year of sabbatical and research – as Senior Fulbright Fellow in USA (1986/1987) at the Division of Biological Sciences and Living Resources in "Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science" - University of Miami - 4600 Rickenbacker Causeway in Florida in the U.S. From 1989 and 1998, he opted for an opening at international level, after twenty years of teaching and research in Universities:
Firstly in UNESCO - as Chief Technical Advisor and Senior Program Coordinator for the African continent for a UNDP/UNESCO project on "Research and Training in Marine and Coastal Environments”. with the participation of over 21 African countries - from 1989 to 1992;
Then in UNEP from 1998 to 2013, as Senior Water Officer at the Division of Scientific Assessment and Early Warning, firstly as Chief of the "Water Unit" and then as Head of the "Ecosystems Section" and "Water Unit".
In parallel to his Main Programs at UNEP, he was continuing his scientific publications including articles and scientific reports, books synthesis of scientific books, etc… with publishing houses of large reputation. Today, he has reached more than 40 articles and references… and 120 reports scientific, synthesis, journals, monographs… (see his CV annexes)… So far, he is pursuing the coordination of important international programmes on freshwater, marine and coastal processes including scientific evaluation of marine waters and continental programmes, assessment of groundwater in Africa and in other regions of the world, evaluation processes, and scientific assessment of the world oceans and coasts; geosphere-biosphere interactions; processes on integrated management of marine areas and coastal interfaces land / sea / atmosphere, assessment of water as a factor of sustainable development, the development of modules for the evaluation of freshwater resources, wetlands, marine waters and coastal areas, including related climate change issues. etc…
As Head of the "Ecosystems Section" and "Water Unit" in UNEP, he was in charge of number of scientific activities related to water with various scientific institutions, universities, various technical departments of ministries of the Environment, water Resources in various regions of the world (Africa, America, Asia / Pacific, Latin America, Australia, Arab countries, etc….). Today, S. Diop continues to train within his division and his Section number of students of various nationalities in the context of post-master or post-doctorate on the job training and he is still being invited in various Juries of PhD Thesis (Doctorate of third Cycle and State Doctorate). Salif Diop is a Professor of Universities and Member of Science Academy of Senegal. He is also member of AAS & TWAS (African Academy of Sciences and The World Academy of Sciences for the Advancement of Sciences in the Developing World). S. Diop defended his "Doctorat de 3eme cycle" in 1978 and his "Doctorat d’Etat" in 1986, both at the University Louis Pasteur of Strasbourg – France.