Monier Abd El-Ghani

Biography

1) Monier Mohamed Abd El-Ghani was born on 09 September 1955 in
Cairo, Egypt. In 1976, he graduated in Botany from the Faculty of Science,
Cairo University, Egypt. Received his M.Sc. and Ph.D. (Taxonomy and
Flora) from the same university in 1981 and 1985, respectively.
2) Studies of his M.Sc. and Ph.D. explored the vegetation structure and the
biodiversity of the alien plant species in the agro-ecosystems of the Oases
of the Western Desert of Egypt and the Faiyum region of the Nile land.
3) His research interest in the biodiversity in the arid regions of Egypt and
Saudi Arabia resulted in publications on alien plant communities, influence
of environmental parameters on plant distribution, island biography,
dynamics of the desert vegetation, host-parasite relationship and
desiccation tolerant plants. This resulted in four books, and 72 publications
in peer-reviewed (55) and national and local (13) journals.
4) As a co-author, he published in 1992 “The Plant Red Data Book of Egypt,
Part I. Woody Perennials” which represents a substantial contribution in
the field of threatened flora of Egypt. Outstanding presentation and
extensive knowledge about these plant species constitute an essential
precursor to any Red Data Book that is produced.
5) For two successive years (1997 & 1998), he obtained a research fellowship
granted from the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation in Germany. In
a worldwide competition, this fellowship is awarded to highly qualified
scholars who are distinguished in their careers. This fellowship (in the
Institute of Ecology, Technical University of Berlin) enabled him to resume
his studies on the biodiversity, biogeography and the vegetationenvironment
relations in the principal ecosystems of the Oases of the Western Desert and southern Sinai, and the Eastern Desert of Egypt. His encounter with his host-professor, colleagues and with institutions of
science in Germany provided him with most valuable and needed
experience, enhanced his capabilities and availed himself to modern
techniques and literature.
6) Holding a professorship at the University of Cairo in the year 2000, he
became the Director and Keeper of the Cairo University Herbarium,
thereafter he started to initiate the Cairo University Database Project. His
experience in this field is gained during his several visits (1980-1984) to
Herbaria of the Royal Botanic Gardens and the British Museum in
England, and (1997-1998) in the herbarium of the Botanisches
Museum and Botanischer Garten (Berlin, Germany).
7) His long-term record of research in the Western Desert of Egypt resulted in
his current emphasis on its phytogeography. He is currently involved, with
the German colleagues, in solving some critical problems of the plant
distribution patterns and phytogeographical analysis in western Egypt.
8) In 2000, he awarded the Encouragement State Prize in biological
sciences from the Egyptian Academy for Scientific Research and
Technology. Three years after, 2003, he awarded another Encouragement
Prize in biological sciences (applied and theoretical) from Cairo
University.
9) In April 2015, he awarded his D.Sc. (Doctor of Science) degree from the
Faculty of Science, Cairo University in the field of Plant Taxonomy
and Flora. He is the first to get that degree in this field.
10) In June 2015, he awarded The State Prize for Excellence in Basic
Science for 2014.
11) In June 2015, he awarded the prestigous Georg Forster Prize for
Scientific Research (Climatic Changes) that granted from The Alexander
von Humboldt Foundation in Germany.