Reviews Write New Review
Location
Booking Fee
Fee: $##,###Get Pricing
Virtual Fee: $##,###Get Pricing
[email protected]
Ameenah Gurib-Fakim
Professor, Managing Director at Cephyr, Chemist, Gardener, Photographer & Writer of Books on the Flora of the Tropics, Medicinal Plants
Ameenah Gurib-Fakim has been the Managing Director of the Centre International de Développement Pharmaceutique (CIDP) Research and Innovation as well as Professor of Organic Chemistry with an endowed chair at the University of Mauritius. Since 2001, she has served successively as Dean of the Faculty of Science and Pro Vice Chancellor (2004- 2010). She has also worked at the Mauritius Research Council as Manager for Research (1995-1997).
Ms Gurib-Fakim earned a BSc in Chemistry from the University of Surrey (1983) and a PhD from the University of Exeter, UK (1987). During her academic journey, she has participated in several consultation meetings on environmental issues organized by international organizations. Between 2011-2013, she was elected and served as Chairperson of the International Council for Scientific Union – Regional Office for Africa, and served as an Independent Director on the Board of Barclays Bank of Mauritius Ltd between (2012-2015).
As a Founding Member of the Pan African Association of African Medicinal Plants, she co-authored the first ever African Herbal Pharmacopoeia. She has authored and co-edited 30 books, several book chapters and scientific articles in the field of biodiversity conservation and sustainable development. She has lectured extensively across the world; is a Member of the Editorial Boards of major journals, has served on Technical and national committees in various capacities. Elevated to the Order of the Commander of the Star and Key by the Government of Mauritius in 2008, she has been admitted to the Order of the Chevalier dans L’Ordre des Palmes Academiques by the Government of France in 2010 and is the recipient of 5 DSc (s).
Elected Fellow of several academies and societies, Ms Gurib-Fakim received several international prizes including the 2007 l’Oreal-UNESCO Prize for Women in Science, the African Union Commission Award for Women in Science, 2009. On 05 June 2015, she was sworn in as the 6th President and the First Female President of the Republic of Mauritius and served in that capacity until March 2018.
She was elevated to the Order of GCSK by the Government of Mauritius, and received the Legion d’Honneur from the Government of France in 2016. In 2017, she received both the lifelong achievement award of the United States Pharmacopoeia-CePat Award and the American Botanical Council Norman Farnsworth Excellence in Botanical Research Award. In 2018, she received the Order of St George at the Semperopernball, Dresden, Germany. In 2019, she received the ‘Trailblazing award for political leadership’ by the World Women Leaders Council in Iceland.
In June 2016, she was in the Forbes List for the 100 ‘Most Powerful women in the world’ and 1st among the Top 100 Women in Africa Forbes List 2017, 2019. She is honoured as one of Foreign Policy’s 2015 Global Thinkers.
Videos
Speech Topics
Biodiversity related topics
Traditional Knowledge and Indigenous knowledge Systems
Women empowerment and Entrepreneurship
Empowerment of girls through Science
Science especially with respect to Sustainability issues
Related Speakers View all
Melati Wijsen
Activist, Social Entrepreneur & Founder at Youthtopia
|
|
Sylvia Acevedo
Engineer, Rocket Scientist & Technology Leader; Earl...
|
|
Cindy Eckert
Serial Entrepreneur, Founder & CEO of The Pink Ceili...
|
|
Kavita Shukla
Founder & CEO of The FRESHGLOW Co.; Inventor of FRES...
|
|
Neha Shukla
Presidential Service Award-Winning Scientist & Inven...
|
|
Joan Michelson
Co-Host of the Electric Ladies Podcast, ESG Consulta...
|
|
Vedika Bhandarkar
Chief Operating Officer at Water.org
|
|
Angelica Malin
Editor-in-Chief of About Time Magazine; Host of #Th...
|
|
Alexandra Palt
Chief Corporate Responsibility Officer & CEO of the ...
|
|
Dr. Liz
Inclusionist, Behavioral Scientist, Organizational T...
|
|
Melati & Isabel Wijsen
Founders of Bye Bye Plastic Bags & Climate Activists
|
|
Fagun Thakrar
Critically Acclaimed Actor, Writer-Director, Social ...
|
|
Erika Obando
Motivational Business Transformation Speaker; Team B...
|
|
Sarah Schlafly
CEO of Mighty Cricket, FoodTech & HealthTech Entrepr...
|
|
Frances West
Internationally Recognized Thought Leader, Strategy ...
|
|
Kate Brandt
Chief Sustainability Officer at Google & Nation's Fi...
|
|
Kathryn Edin
Director of the Center for Research on Child Wellbei...
|
|
Holly Cohen
Occupational therapist, tinkerer; co-founder of DIYA...
|
|
Lolita Taub
Latina Tech Venture Capitalist; Sales Expert; GP at ...
|
|
Caitria O'Neill
Disaster Relief Expert; Co-Founder & CEO of Recovers...
|