His research interests include risks and resilience in high-risk youth, academic outcomes of high-risk youth, resilience across cultures, international social development and human security and social protection. Abukari is also a faculty field liaison and field instructor, and advises Westfield State’s Social Work Students Association Group. During the Smith summer program, he teaches Social Work Research Methods. Before his academic career, Abukari was a community social worker and youth services advocate, and worked as a community organizer and trainer with nonprofits in Ghana on food security, agribusiness development, micro-credit and water and sanitation.