Honorary Fellows: Seven world-renowned scientists recognised with RSC's top accolade
Royal Society of Chemistry I 2 February 2026
Honorary Fellows: Seven world-renowned scientists recognised with RSC's top accolade
Seven world-leading scientists whose work has transformed how we discover medicines, store energy, understand living systems and tackle global health and sustainability challenges have been awarded Honorary Fellowships this year.
We are proud to announce that the individuals who have joined our list of Honorary Fellows are as follows:
Professor Carolyn R. Bertozzi (Stanford University / Howard Hughes Medical Institute)
Professor Dame Margaret Brimble (University of Auckland)
Professor Kelly Chibale (University of Cape Town / H3D)
Professor Dame Clare Grey (University of Cambridge)
Sir Demis Hassabis (Google DeepMind)
Professor Sir David MacMillan (Princeton University)
Professor Jane Catherine Ngila (African Academy of Sciences)
Together, this year's recipients include Nobel laureates whose discoveries reshaped modern chemical synthesis, pioneers who translated laboratory chemistry into treatments for rare and infectious diseases, leaders whose research underpins cleaner energy technologies, and scientists whose influence extends through education, policy and global capacity-building. Their careers reflect the breadth of the chemical sciences and the profound impact chemistry continues to have on society worldwide.
The title of Honorary Fellow is the highest honour that the Royal Society of Chemistry can bestow upon a member of the chemical sciences community. This year’s seven Honorary Fellowships are the joint-most ever awarded in a single calendar year, matching 2013, 2014 and 2017.
Nominated by their peers, each of these individuals has made a significant contribution to their respective field. As well as leading academics and titans of industry, Honorary Fellowships have long recognised those who advance science, its applications and its wider societal impact.
The inclusion of this magnificent seven takes the total number of current Honorary Fellows to 120. Our latest cohort join some of the biggest names in the field of chemistry in receiving the accolade, with the list of honourees including more than 40 Nobel laureates as well as long-standing and distinguished members of our community and passionate supporters of science communication.
Reaction to the new Honorary Fellowships
Professor Dame Margaret Brimble, Distinguished Professor and Director of Medicinal Chemistry at the University of Auckland, New Zealand, recalled her initial interaction with the Royal Society of Chemistry and noted the journey she has been on when thinking about what the award means to her.
“When I heard about the Honorary Fellowship from the Royal Society of Chemistry, it made me remember my student days at the University of Southampton as a Commonwealth scholar," she said. "That’s when I first joined the Royal Society of Chemistry as a student member, so it's really nice to have gone through my career in New Zealand with that association and ended up with this Honorary Fellowship.
“Honours like this are important for our young scientists in New Zealand, as they show that no matter where you are in the world, you can be recognised.”
Dr Annette Doherty, President of the Royal Society of Chemistry, congratulated the new cohort, saying: “The title of Honorary Fellow is among the Royal Society of Chemistry’s highest distinctions, celebrating individuals whose contributions have profoundly shaped our discipline and amplified its impact across society.
“This year, we are proud to recognise seven outstanding scientists whose work spans continents and transforms lives. Three of those honoured this year are Nobel Prize winners whose work stands right at the cutting edge.
“Professor Sir David MacMillan’s research in organocatalysis has revolutionised synthetic chemistry, Professor Carolyn R. Bertozzi’s invention of bioorthogonal chemistry has transformed how chemistry is performed in living systems, and Sir Demis Hassabis’s leadership in artificial intelligence has unlocked new frontiers in protein structure prediction and molecular science.
“We are equally proud to honour four outstanding scientists whose leadership, creativity and dedication have delivered transformative advances for chemistry and for society worldwide.
“Professor Kelly Chibale has shown exceptional leadership in medicinal chemistry and in building scientific capacity across Africa, and Professor Jane Catherine Ngila has advanced environmental chemistry and championed women in STEM, driving progress and equity across the continent.
“Meanwhile, Professor Dame Clare Grey’s ground-breaking research in energy storage is helping to enable a sustainable future, while Professor Dame Margaret Brimble is a pioneer in natural products and medicinal chemistry whose discoveries have advanced drug development worldwide.
“World-class science requires a global effort, and the achievements of these seven individuals reflect the extraordinary diversity of ideas from across our community and the impact that define our field. I warmly congratulate each of them on joining the ranks of our Honorary Fellows, and I look forward to the inspiration their work will continue to provide for generations to come.”