Yalemtsehay Mekonnen (born 30 May 1955) is an Ethiopian physiologist and pharmacologist who specializes in the use and safety of medicinal plants. In 2009, she became the first woman in Ethiopia to become a full professor. She is Professor of Cell & Human Physiology at Addis Ababa University (AAU).
Yalemtsehay Mekonnen | |
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| Born | 30 May 1955 Asella, Arsi Province, Ethiopia |
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| Discipline | Pharmacology |
| Sub-discipline | Medicinal plants |
| Institutions | Addis Ababa University |
Biography edit
Yalemtsehay Mekonnen was born on 30 May 1955 in Asella, Arsi Province.[1] She was educated at Addis Ababa University, where she got her BSc in Biology in 1977 and her MSc in Zoology in 1980, and at Heidelberg University, where she got her PhD in Human Physiology in 1992.[1] She later returned to Addis Ababa University and eventually become full professor in January 2009,[1] becoming the first woman in Ethiopia to do so.[2] She is Professor of Cell & Human Physiology at Addis Ababa University.[3]
Yalemtsehay worked at Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg (2001–2002) as a Georg Forster Research Fellow.[2][4] She served as president of the Biological Society of Ethiopia from 2004 until 2006.[5] She also serves as treasurer and a board member at the Ethiopian Academy of Sciences and as president of the Society of Ethiopian Women in Science & Technology Executive Board.[3][1] In addition to being head of the Biology Department at AAU, she is also head of the Gender Office at the College of Natural Sciences,[3] saying she began doing so because "as a role model, promoting women is more than close to [her] heart".[2]
As an academic, Yalemtsehay specializes in the use and safety of medicinal plants.[1][3]
Yalemtsehay was awarded the African Union's Kwame Nkrumah Award for Excellence in Science for Women in 2015.[1] She was elected a TWAS Fellow in 2022.[6] She was elected Fellow of the African Academy of Sciences in 2020.[7] She is a Fellow of the Ethiopian Academy of Sciences.[8]
She is married with two children.[5]
References edit
- ^ a b c d e f "Laureates for the Regional Awards for women 2015 Edition" (PDF). African Union. Retrieved 11 February 2024.
- ^ a b c Ilsemann, Mareike (17 May 2019). "How did you become Ethiopia's first female Professor, Ms Mekonnen?". Humboldt Foundation. Retrieved 11 February 2024.
- ^ a b c d "Yalemtsehay Mekonnen". Addis Ababa University. Retrieved 11 February 2024.
- ^ "Prof. Dr. Yalemtsehay Mekonnen". Alexander von Humboldt-Foundation. Retrieved 11 February 2024.
- ^ a b "CURRICULUM VITAE: YALEMTSEHAY MEKONNEN" (PDF). The World Academy of Sciences. Retrieved 11 February 2024.
- ^ "Mekonnen, Yalemtsehay". The World Academy of Sciences. Retrieved 11 February 2024.
- ^ "Yalemtsehay Mekonnen". Africa Academy of Sciences. Retrieved 11 February 2024.
- ^ "List of EAS Fellows" (PDF). Ethiopian Academy of Sciences. Retrieved 11 February 2024.