Dr. Ismail Serageldin
Foreign Fellow, Elected 1999

Born in Giza, Egypt on 9 May 1944. B.Sc., Cairo University, 1964; Masters' degree 1968; Ph.D. 1972, Harvard University.

Director, Library of Alexandria - Bibliotheca Alexandrina (BA), 2002 to date; Chair of the Board of Directors for each of the BA's affiliated research institutes and museums. Member of the Senate in Egypt (Majlis Al-Shura); Vice President for the Arab World: Academy of Sciences for the Developing World (TWAS); Co-Chair of the African Biotechnology Panel (with Calestous Juma); Ambassador of the Alliance of Civilizations.

Special Advisor, World Bank; Distinguished Visiting Professor, American University, Cairo, Egypt, 2000-01; Distinguished University Professor, Wageningen University, the Netherlands; Advisor to Egyptian Government on BA; Vice-President, World Bank, 1992-2000; Chairman, Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR), 1994-2000, Consultative Group to Assist the Poorest (CGAP), 1995-2000, Global Water Partnership (GWP), 1996-2000 and World Commission for Water in the 21st Century, 1998-2000.

Awards/Honours: Honorary doctorates from 34 universities worldwide and a number of awards.

Fellow: Academy of Sciences for the Developing World.

Research Areas: Poverty reduction, food security, agriculture, economics and sustainable development; water issues, culture and heritage, education, gender issues

Address: Director, Library of Alexandria, Chatby, Alexandria 21256, Egypt; [Tel: Off. (203) 4879993; Fax: (203) 4820450; Email: ismail.serageldin@bibalex.org; secretariat@bibalex.org]