Robert Mokaya to head RSC in 2026

Professor Robert Mokaya OBE FRSC FRS, who has been elected as the future president of the Royal Society of Chemistry, will become the first Black chemical scientist to fill the role, which he will take up in the summer of 2026, succeeding Dr Annette Doherty upon completion of her two-year term. He is currently serving as president-elect, which started after Dr Doherty took over from former president Professor Gill Reid at the RSC’s Annual General Meeting held at the beginning of July.

After his victory, Prof Mokaya commended his two election rivals, Duncan Graham FRSC CChem FRSE and Annie Powell FRSC CChem and thanked voters for electing him to the position of president.

Already an appointed trustee and the chair of Inclusion and Diversity Committee, he said: "I am really humbled and also honoured at the same time. I'm very, very pleased to be given this opportunity to serve the Royal Society of Chemistry in this capacity.

"There's great history that goes with this position. I have been to Burlington House and I have seen the names of those who have been president over the last 180 years - these are people I read about when I was a little boy and was getting inspired to study chemistry. I have encountered these names throughout my career and to be seen and hopefully at some point in the future counted amongst those great people in chemistry is really an honour and also very inspiring."

Prof Mokaya's election victory came at a time of great change for him, since he became the Provost and Deputy Vice-Chancellor of the University of Sheffield on 17 June, leaving the University of Nottingham after 24 years.

He sees his current role as president-elect as more of a watching brief to start with but is already looking forward to the responsibility that comes with the presidency: “I will be spending a lot of time observing, getting to know more about the Royal Society of Chemistry and understanding where we need to be as we move forward. Essentially I want to prepare myself for my term as president when it comes in two years' time.

"It's a time of change and I think it's going to be challenging for me, but I love a challenge and I have wonderful people around me who I'm sure will support me through that process."

More information online