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 Ethiopian botanist. A botanist is a scientist who studies plants. He is a professor at Addis Ababa University in Ethiopia. He also leads the Gullele Botanic Garden in Addis Ababa.
Contents
Learning About Plants
Sebsebe Demissew studied at Addis Ababa University. He earned his first degree in Biology in 1977. Then, he got his master's degree in Botany in 1980.
He continued his studies in Sweden at Uppsala University. In 1985, he earned his PhD. His research focused on a group of plants called Maytenus. These plants grow in warm, tropical parts of Africa and Arabia.
His Work with Plants
Documenting Plants in Ethiopia
From 1996 to 2009, Professor Demissew led a big project. It was called the Flora of Ethiopia and Eritrea. A "flora" is a book or collection that lists all the plants in a certain area.
This project documented about 6,000 plant species. About 10% of these plants are endemic. This means they are found only in Ethiopia and Eritrea. Ninety-one scientists from 17 countries worked together on this huge effort. It is one of the few complete plant lists for an African country.
Working with Other Scientists
Professor Demissew has worked with many universities. These include places in Norway, Denmark, Germany, and the United Kingdom. He also collaborated with museums in Kenya and South Africa.
These projects helped study different plant types and how they grow. They also looked at how plants have changed over time. He believes it is important for African experts to study and protect their own plant resources.
Sharing Plant Knowledge
Professor Demissew has written many books and articles. These are about the plants and plant life in Ethiopia and Africa. He is also part of several important plant science groups.
He helped lead the Biological Society of Ethiopia. He also served as Secretary General for a group that studies tropical African plants. He was also a council member for the International Association for Plant Taxonomy.
Awards and Special Recognitions
Professor Demissew has received many important awards for his work.
In 2016, he was given the Kew International Medal. This award recognizes people who have made big contributions to plant science.
In 2018, he became a Foreign Member of the Royal Society. This is a very high honor for scientists. It recognized his "outstanding contributions to research and innovation."
In 2021, he received the Cuatrecasas Medal for Excellence in Tropical Botany. The Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History in the USA gives this award. It honored his lifelong work in protecting and recording Ethiopia's diverse plants. Many of these plants are unique to Ethiopia. The award also recognized his leadership of the Ethiopian Flora Project.
