Professor Roberto Mayor honored

Professor Roberto Mayor of University College London, UK elected to fellowship of the Royal Society: https://profiles.ucl.ac.uk/3054-roberto-mayor

https://royalsociety.org/news/2026/05/new-fellows-announcement-2026/

Exceptional scientists elected as Fellows of the Royal Society

Over 90 outstanding researchers from across the world have this year been elected to the Fellowship of the Royal Society, the UK’s national academy of sciences.

This year’s cohort includes pioneers and leaders across a range of scientific fields, from astronomy and cancer research to mathematics and biotechnology. Among the newly elected Fellows are a palaeontologist who has named more dinosaur species than any other living person; a biologist who has developed the field of ‘oncofertility’ that helps cancer patients who are receiving life-preserving but fertility-threatening treatments to have a family; and a physicist who established quantum technology as a research focus at Toshiba, expanding the company's UK R&D team with substantial funding, and launched a world-leading commercial division.

Sir Paul Nurse, President of the Royal Society, said:

“I am delighted to welcome this newest group of exceptional scientists to the Fellowship of the Royal Society.

“Their contributions reflect the highest standards of scientific endeavour. Whether advancing our understanding of vaccines or exploring the transformative potential of mathematics and computation, their work exemplifies the enduring value of curiosity, creativity and rigorous inquiry.

“Our Fellowship is strengthened not only by individual distinction, but by the diversity of perspectives and experiences its members bring. This incoming cohort highlights the truly international character of contemporary science and underscores the vital role that plays in achieving breakthroughs that benefit us all.”

The Fellows join the ranks of Stephen Hawking, Isaac Newton, Charles Darwin, Albert Einstein, Lise Meitner, Subrahmanyan Chandrasekhar and Dorothy Hodgkin.

26% of this year’s intake of Fellows and Honorary Fellows are women
The new Fellows have been elected from 20 institutions across the UK, including University of Lancaster, University of Southampton and BirdLife International
They have also been elected from countries across the world, including Kenya, Japan, Mexico

Roberto Mayor was also recently awarded the Society for Developmental Biology Viktor Hamburger Outstanding Educator Prize – From teaching to discovery: Advancing developmental biology in Latin America and unravelling neural crest cell migration.

https://www.sdbonline.org/hamburger_prize

Viktor Hamburger Outstanding Educator Prize

Established in 2002 by the SDB Board of Directors in honor of Dr. Viktor Hamburger and sponsored by the Professional Development and Education Committee, this award honors individuals who have made outstanding and innovative contributions to teaching and learning. These contributions will be considered in the broadest context and may reflect impact on education at any level. SDB members are invited to submit nominations for this award, and are strongly encouraged to consider candidates reflecting the diverse communities and scientific disciplines represented by SDB. The recipient will deliver a named lecture at the SDB Annual Meeting, and will be presented with a check in the amount of $2,000 USD and an Award with Viktor Hamburger’s image.