Rate My Professor Ajmol Ali

Ajmol Ali is Professor of Sport and Exercise Science in the School of Sport, Exercise and Nutrition within Massey University’s College of Health at the Auckland Campus. He also holds the position of Associate Dean - International for the College of Health. Ali obtained his BSc (Hons) Second Class Upper Division in Physical Education and Sport Science from Loughborough University in 1998, followed by an MSc in Sports Science with Distinction in 1999, and a PhD in 2002 from the same institution. His MSc thesis investigating soccer skill and strength performance with fluid ingestion earned the prestigious Gatorade Sport Science Institute Prize, which facilitated securing the sole Faculty Doctoral studentship that year. For his doctoral research under Professor Clyde Williams, Ali conducted soccer-related studies on carbohydrate ingestion, fluid balance, thermoregulation, and skill performance, presenting findings at international conferences and publishing several papers. Post-PhD, he completed a six-month study on compression stockings’ effects on runners, funded by DuPont.

Ali joined Massey University in 2003, playing a key role in establishing the Sport and Exercise Science Laboratory at the Auckland Campus and previously serving as Major Leader for Sport and Exercise Science. He supervises PhD and MSc students, contributes to promotional and consultancy initiatives for the School and University, and is a Doctoral Mentor Supervisor. His research specializations encompass physiology and performance in team sports, particularly soccer, ergogenic aids and supplementation, recovery from exercise, and exercise for children. Ali collaborates with exercise scientists, food scientists, nutritionists, and biochemists. Key publications include 'Carbohydrate ingestion and soccer skill performance during competitive match play' (Ali et al., 2009), 'Efficacy of exercise-based interventions for prediabetes: an umbrella review of meta-analyses of randomised controlled trials' (Poon et al., 2025), 'The Effect of Gymnema Sylvestre on Motivation to Consume Sweet Foods—A Qualitative Investigation' (Nelson et al., 2025), 'Dietary Nitrate Supplementation and Exercise Performance: An Umbrella Review' (Poon et al., 2025), and 'Three Years Later: Healthiness of Food in New Zealand Primary School Canteens' (Pillay et al., 2026). Awards include the College of Health Research Medal 2017 for Supervision and leading the Healthy Active Learning Evaluation Team to the University Teams Research Medal in 2025.