Sebsebe Demissew facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Sebsebe Demissew
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Demissew in 2018
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| Born | June 14, 1953 |
| Alma mater | Addis Ababa University University of Uppsala |
| Known for | Flora of Ethiopia and Eritrea |
| Awards | Kew International Medal (2016) Foreign Member of the Royal Society (2018) Linnean Medal (2022) |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Botany Systematics |
| Institutions | Addis Ababa University |
| Thesis | The genus Maytenus (Celastraceae) in NE tropical Africa and tropical Arabia (1985) |
| Author abbrev. (botany) | Sebsebe |
Sebsebe Demissew (born June 14, 1953) is a famous botanist from Ethiopia. He is a Professor at Addis Ababa University. He studies plants and how they are related. He also helps manage the Gullele Botanic Garden in Addis Ababa.
Contents
Learning About Plants
Sebsebe Demissew studied at Addis Ababa University. He earned a degree in Biology in 1977. Then, he got a master's degree in Botany in 1980.
He continued his studies in Sweden. He went to Uppsala University. In 1985, he earned his PhD there. His research focused on a plant group called Maytenus. These plants grow in tropical parts of Africa and Arabia.
His Work with Plants
Professor Demissew led a huge project. It was called the Flora of Ethiopia and Eritrea. This project lasted from 1996 to 2009.
Documenting Plant Life
The project documented about 6,000 plant species. About 10% of these plants are endemic. This means they are found only in Ethiopia and Eritrea. Many scientists from 17 countries helped with this work. It is one of the few complete plant lists in Africa.
Working with Other Scientists
Professor Demissew has worked with many universities. These include schools in Norway, Denmark, and Germany. He also worked with the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew in the UK.
His projects look at different plant topics.
- They study what plants grow in certain areas.
- They look at how plants are related to each other.
- They study how plants have changed over time.
- They also research local crops that are not used much.
Professor Demissew believes in training African experts. He thinks they are important for studying their own country's plants.
Sharing His Knowledge
He has written many books and articles. These are about the plants of Ethiopia and Africa. He is part of several plant science groups. He also helped lead a group called IPBES. This group works on biodiversity and how we use nature.
Awards and Special Recognitions
Professor Demissew has received many important awards.
- In 2016, he won the Kew International Medal. This award is for people who do great work in botany.
- In 2018, he became a Foreign Member of the Royal Society. This is a very high honor for scientists.
- In 2021, he received the Cuatrecasas Medal for Excellence in Tropical Botany. This award is from the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History. It recognized his work in saving and recording Ethiopia's diverse plants. It also honored his leadership of the Ethiopian Flora Project.
