Professor Sebsebe Demissew has been elected as a Foreign Member of the Royal Society, UK, becoming the first Sub-Saharan African Scientists to be elected in the society’s 357 year history.

Sixty eminent scientists from around the world have been elected as fellows and Foreign Members of the Royal Society, in recognition for their exceptional contributions to science.

Prof. Sebsebe has been made a Foreign Member for his lifelong work on promoting Ethiopian biodiversity and the direct benefit this has daily for people in his country, and right across Africa, and joins the likes of Elon Musk and Jim Al-Khalili.

“I am honored and delighted to become a Foreign Member. I see my election as an honor for all African scientists and collaborators. This is a sign that the quality of our work is being recognized internationally. I hope that I will be able to use my membership of the Royal Society to further strengthen links between scientists in the UK and Africa in general, and those that aspire to be Future Leaders of African Independent Research, in particular. I am also inspired to contribute to the improvement of the quality of education and scientific research in Ethiopia,” said Prof. Sebsebe.

Sebsebe is Professor of Plant Systematic and Biodiversity in AAU and Executive Director of the Gullele Botanic Garden in Addis Ababa.

The Royal Society is a self-governing Fellowship made up of the most eminent scientists, engineers and technologists from the UK and the Commonwealth.