12 Oxford Scientists Elected 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. This year’s cohort includes pioneers and leaders across a range of scientific fields, from astronomy and cancer research to mathematics and biotechnology.  

Election to the Fellowship is one of the highest honours in the scientific world, awarded to individuals who have made impactful contributions to knowledge. New Fellows join the ranks of Stephen Hawking, Isaac Newton, Charles Darwin, Albert Einstein, Lise Meitner, Subrahmanyan Chandrasekhar and Dorothy Hodgkin.

The University of Oxford academics receiving the honour this year are (in alphabetical order):

Professor Francis Brown, Mathematical Institute and Senior Research Fellow, All Souls College.

He said, ‘I am very grateful for this recognition of an area of research which has historically been under-represented in the UK, and for the encouragement it gives to strengthening links between mathematics and physics.’

Professor Tim Coulson, Statutory Professor of Zoology, Department of Biology, and Professorial Fellow in Zoology and Environmental Sustainability Fellow, Jesus College.

He said, ‘I am deeply honoured to be elected a Fellow of the Royal Society. This recognition reflects the work of many extraordinary students, post-docs, and colleagues at Oxford and beyond, with whom I have had the good fortune to collaborate. I have loved science for as long as I can remember, and it is a privilege to have a career in academia. Being elected FRS is the icing on the cake.’

Professor Charlotte Deane MBE, Professor of Structural Bioinformatics, Department of Statistics, University of Oxford, Fellow of St Anne's College, Oxford and Executive Chair, Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council.

She said, ‘I really appreciate this honour. I know that this would never have happened without the brilliant and inspiring students, postdocs, and colleagues who I have worked with, and I am very grateful to them.’

Professor Leslie Ann Goldberg, Professor of Computer Science, Department of Computer Science.

She said, ‘I am so honoured to join the Fellowship of the Royal Society. I am also grateful to all of the amazing people that I've been lucky enough to collaborate with, throughout my research career so far - I couldn't have done any of it without them.’

Professor Ramin Golestanian, Director, Max Planck Institute for Dynamics and Self-Organization (MPI-DS), Göttingen, Germany and Professor of Theoretical Condensed Matter Physics, Rudolf Peierls Centre for Theoretical Physics, University of Oxford.

He said, ‘I am honoured to receive this distinction, which I undoubtedly owe to the privilege of having worked alongside so many brilliant students, postdocs, and senior colleagues over the years.’

Professor Masud Husain FMedSci, Professor of Neurology and Cognitive Neuroscience, Nuffield Department of Clinical Neuroscience and Department of Experimental Psychology.

He said, ‘I am thrilled to receive this honour which would not have been possible without the dedication and support of many wonderful students, fellows, postdocs and colleagues over the years.’

Professor Colin Kleanthous FMedSci FRS, Emeritus Iveagh Chair of Microbial Biochemistry, Department of Biochemistry.

He said: ‘I am honoured to join the Fellowship of the Royal Society.  This achievement would not have been possible without the hard work and commitment of the many talented members of my group, past and present. Thank you all.’

Professor Rob Klose, Professor of Genetics, Department of Biochemistry and Keble College.

He said, ‘I am honoured to be in the company of such outstanding scientists and deeply grateful for the support of my colleagues in the Department of Biochemistry. Most importantly, I am indebted to, and continually inspired by, the remarkable students, postdoctoral researchers, and collaborators who have made the pursuit of discovery such a joy.’

Professor Paul Riley FMedSci, British Heart Foundation Professor of Regenerative Medicine, Chair of Development and Cell Biology, Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Genetics, Director of the Institute of Developmental & Regenerative Medicine, and Professorial Fellow in Medicine at Jesus College.

He said, ‘I am truly delighted and honoured to be joining the Fellowship. This is the result of team science and I'm deeply indebted to my very talented group members, past and present, esteemed colleagues and collaborators who have made invaluable contributions over the years.’

Professor Stuart West, Professor of Evolutionary Biology, Department of Biology and Nicholas Kurti Senior Research Fellow at Brasenose College.

He said, ‘I am hugely delighted to receive this honour from the Royal Society, and I owe a great deal to the brilliant collaborators I have been fortunate enough to work with.’

Professor Baroness (Kathy) Willis, CBE, Professor of Biology, and Principal of St Edmund Hall.

She said, ‘I am delighted and honoured to receive this recognition from one of the world’s leading scientific institutions.’

Professor Michael Wooldridge, Ashall Professor of the Foundations of Artificial Intelligence, Department of Computer Science.

He said, ‘When I started my academic journey as a PhD student in 1989, I could never have imagined that my journey would take me to Oxford, still less that my work would be recognised with this accolade. But for me, this most prestigious of awards is also recognition of the importance of the field of multi-agent systems, of which I am truly proud to have been a founder.’

Established in 1660, the Royal Society is a self-governing Fellowship of many of the world’s most distinguished scientists drawn from all areas of science, engineering, and medicine. It seeks to recognise, promote, and support excellence in science and to encourage the development and use of science for the benefit of humanity.

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.’

Nurse added, ‘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.’

For more information and the full list of new Fellows, visit the Royal Society news page.