Sefa holds a doctorate in Chemical Engineering from the University of Toronto, building on earlier degrees from Gazi University and Brock University, and brings over four decades of experience spanning oilseed processing, functional foods, membrane technology and bioactive compounds. His career includes 16 years at Texas A&M University, where he served as Associate Professor in Chemical Engineering and led the establishment of a $5 million Separation Sciences Program. A co-founder of Smart Short Courses, he has served as chief technical advisor to the FAO, USDA and Inter-American Bank, and has trained over 1,800 scientists, engineers and industry leaders across the globe.