Prof S. A. Abbasi was Head of Water Quality & Environment Division at the Centre for Water Resources, Kozhikode (1979-87), and a Visiting-cum-adjunct Professor at California State University (1984-1987). He was a professor and centre director (1987-2015) and is Emeritus Professor since then. He has also been a Visiting Professor at the universities of Minnesota, Florida, California−Berkeley, Malaya and Al-Ahsa. With 45 books, 400 papers in indexed journals, 12 patents, 18,500+ citations and a 72+Hirsch Index , Prof Abbasi is ranked among the world’s top 0.5% scientists, and among the top 100 Indian scientists, independent of the area of specialisation [https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/puducherry/pondicherry-university-professor-felicitated/article33349572.ece] . Among numerous coveted honours and awards received by him are the National Design Award in Environmental Engineering, the IPCL award for Safety and Hazard Management in Petroleum Industries, the National Hydrology Award, the International Desalination Association’s prize, and fellowships of the National Academy of Sciences and the Indian Institute of Chemical Engineers. Prof Abbasi is also well-known for his poetry (ghazal and geet), fiction, and his work on fostering inter-faith harmony. Among Prof Abbasi's research groups, the one on accident prevention in process industry is among the most productive in Asia and has spearheaded the Indian R & D thrust in this field since its inception in 1991.