{{Short description|Brazilian scientist}} {{Infobox scientist | name = Alexandre Antonelli | image = Alexandre Antonelli, professor i biologisk mångfald och systematik.jpg | birth_date = {{birth date|1978|08|15}} | birth_place = Campinas, Brazil | fields = Biodiversity, systematics, evolution, conservation | workplaces = Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew<br>University of Gothenburg<br>University of Oxford<br>Harvard University | education = Universidade Estadual de Campinas<br>University of Geneva | alma_mater = University of Gothenburg (MSc, PhD) | thesis_title = Spatiotemporal Evolution of Neotropical Organisms: New Insights into an Old Riddle | thesis_year = 2009 | known_for = Director of Science at Kew Gardens, neotropical biodiversity research, state of the World's Plants and Fungi reports; The Hidden Universe (2022) | awards = Web of Science Highly Cited Researcher (2020–2023) | spouse = | children = 3 | website = }} '''Alexandre Antonelli''' (born 15 August 1978)<ref>{{Cite web |title=Alexandre Antonelli (44 år) Västra Frölunda {{!}} Ratsit |url=https://www.ratsit.se/19780815-Alexandre_Marcos_Antonelli_Vastra_Frolunda/2zxwJeiwixrSOP_Km0kYMJUOeXKKnfzJG2EOuvPbUeA |access-date=2023-06-07 |website=www.ratsit.se |language=sv-se}}</ref> is Executive Director of Science at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew,<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |title=Professor Alexandre Antonelli {{!}} Kew |url=https://www.kew.org/science/our-science/people/alexandre-antonelli |access-date=2022-07-13 |website=www.kew.org |language=en}}</ref> UK, Professor of Biodiversity and Systematics at the University of Gothenburg,<ref>{{Cite web |title=Alexandre Antonelli {{!}} University of Gothenburg |url=https://www.gu.se/en/about/find-staff/alexandreantonelli |access-date=2022-07-13 |website=www.gu.se |language=en}}</ref> Sweden, and Visiting Professor at the University of Oxford.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Professor Alexandre Antonelli |url=https://www.biology.ox.ac.uk/people/professor-alexandre-antonelli |access-date=2023-06-07 |website=www.biology.ox.ac.uk |language=en}}</ref> He is a biodiversity scientist working to understand the diversity, evolution and distribution of life on Earth and how best to protect and sustainably use it.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Antonelli Lab |url=https://antonelli-lab.net/ |access-date=2023-06-07 |website=antonelli-lab.net}}</ref> His first popular science book, ''The Hidden Universe: Adventures in Biodiversity'', was published in July 2022.<ref name=":0">{{Cite book |last=Antonelli |first=A. |title=The Hidden Universe: Adventures in Biodiversity. |publisher=Witness Books, Penguin |year=2022 |isbn=978-1-5291-0916-0}}</ref> It served as inspiration for the founding of two non-profits under the umbrella of the Hidden Universe: Biodiversity, or HUB Initiative,<ref>{{Cite web |title=Hidden Universe: Biodiversity |url=https://www.hu-b.org/ |access-date=2025-09-12 |website=Hidden Universe: Biodiversity |language=en-US}}</ref> hosting the Atlantic Forest Research and Conservation Alliance.<ref>{{Cite web |title=HOME {{!}} Araca Project |url=https://www.projeto-araca.org/ |access-date=2025-09-12 |website=ARAÇÁ Project |language=en}}</ref>
== Biography == Antonelli was born and raised in Campinas, Brazil, and began his undergraduate studies in biology in Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Brazil and the University of Geneva, Switzerland.<ref name="antonelli-lab.net" /><ref>{{Cite web |title=Alexandre Antonelli: At the forefront of science in royal gardens |url=https://revistapesquisa.fapesp.br/en/alexandre-antonelli-at-the-forefront-of-science-in-royal-gardens-2/ |access-date=2023-06-07 |website=revistapesquisa.fapesp.br |language=en-US}}</ref> From there, he went on to complete an MSc in Biology at the University of Gothenburg, Sweden, which was awarded in 2003.<ref name="antonelli-lab.net" /> He remained at the university to pursue a PhD entitled ''Spatiotemporal Evolution of Neotropical Organisms: New Insights into an Old Riddle'', awarded in 2009.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Antonelli |first=Alexandre |url=https://gupea.ub.gu.se/handle/2077/17695 |title=Spatiotemporal Evolution of Neotropical Organisms: New Insights into an Old Riddle |date=2008-11-07 |publisher=Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, University of Gothenburg |isbn=978-91-85529-21-6}}</ref> Since then, he has held a number of prestigious scientific positions, including postdoctoral fellow at the Institute of Systematic Botany, University of Zurich, Switzerland,<ref name="antonelli-lab.net" /> Associate Professor and Senior Lecturer at the University of Gothenburg,<ref>{{Cite web |title=Alexandre Antonelli {{!}} University of Gothenburg |url=https://www.gu.se/en/about/find-staff/alexandreantonelli |access-date=2023-06-07 |website=www.gu.se |language=en}}</ref><ref name="antonelli-lab.net" /> Cisneros Visiting Scholar at Harvard University, USA,<ref name="harvard.edu">{{Cite web |title=DRCLAS Announces 2017-2018 Visiting Scholars and Robert F. Kennedy Visiting Professors |url=https://drclas.harvard.edu/news/drclas-announces-2017-2018-visiting-scholars-and-robert-f-kennedy-visiting-professors |access-date=2023-06-07 |website=drclas.harvard.edu |language=en}}</ref><ref name="antonelli-lab.net" /> Science Advisor at the Universeum Science Centre, Gothenburg, and Scientific Curator at Gothenburg Botanical Garden.<ref name="antonelli-lab.net" /> In 2017, Antonelli founded the Gothenburg Global Biodiversity Centre<ref>{{Cite web |date=2016-12-29 |title=New Centre for Biological Diversity {{!}} University of Gothenburg |url=https://www.gu.se/en/news/new-centre-for-biological-diversity |access-date=2023-06-07 |website=www.gu.se |language=en}}</ref> and was the Director until 2019 when he moved to the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, to take up his current position as Director of Science.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Kew appoints Prof. Alexandre Antonelli as new Director of Science {{!}} Kew |url=https://www.kew.org/press-and-media/kew-appoints-professor-antonelli-new-director-of-science |access-date=2023-06-07 |website=www.kew.org}}</ref> He was also the founder and chairman (2015-2020) of knowme.earth, a mobile platform for logging, identifying, and sharing information about all species on Earth.<ref name="antonelli-lab.net" />
Antonelli met his Swedish wife Anna while they were both living in Honduras. They have three children together.<ref name="antonelli-lab.net" /><ref name=":0" />
== Research == Antonelli studies the diversity, distribution, evolution, threats and sustainable uses of species and develops methods to speed up scientific discovery and innovation.<ref name="antonelli-lab.net">{{Cite web |title=People |url=https://antonelli-lab.net/people/ |access-date=2023-06-07 |website=antonelli-lab.net}}</ref> His work focuses on the tropics, where most species occur and the threats are most acute.<ref name="antonelli-lab.net" /> He is also known for his work illuminating the links between climate, geology, and biodiversity, with a particular focus on the origins, evolution and maintenance of mountain diversity.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Hoorn |first1=C. |last2=Wesselingh |first2=F. P. |last3=ter Steege |first3=H. |last4=Bermudez |first4=M. A. |last5=Mora |first5=A. |last6=Sevink |first6=J. |last7=Sanmartín |first7=I. |last8=Sanchez-Meseguer |first8=A. |last9=Anderson |first9=C. L. |last10=Figueiredo |first10=J. P. |last11=Jaramillo |first11=C. |last12=Riff |first12=D. |last13=Negri |first13=F. R. |last14=Hooghiemstra |first14=H. |last15=Lundberg |first15=J. |date=2010-11-12 |title=Amazonia Through Time: Andean Uplift, Climate Change, Landscape Evolution, and Biodiversity |url=https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.1194585 |journal=Science |language=en |volume=330 |issue=6006 |pages=927–931 |doi=10.1126/science.1194585 |pmid=21071659 |bibcode=2010Sci...330..927H |s2cid=206528591 |issn=0036-8075|hdl=10261/167010 |hdl-access=free }}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Antonelli |first1=Alexandre |last2=Kissling |first2=W. Daniel |last3=Flantua |first3=Suzette G. A. |last4=Bermúdez |first4=Mauricio A. |last5=Mulch |first5=Andreas |last6=Muellner-Riehl |first6=Alexandra N. |last7=Kreft |first7=Holger |last8=Linder |first8=H. Peter |last9=Badgley |first9=Catherine |last10=Fjeldså |first10=Jon |last11=Fritz |first11=Susanne A. |last12=Rahbek |first12=Carsten |last13=Herman |first13=Frédéric |last14=Hooghiemstra |first14=Henry |last15=Hoorn |first15=Carina |year=2018 |title=Geological and climatic influences on mountain biodiversity |url=https://www.nature.com/articles/s41561-018-0236-z |journal=Nature Geoscience |language=en |volume=11 |issue=10 |pages=718–725 |doi=10.1038/s41561-018-0236-z |bibcode=2018NatGe..11..718A |s2cid=86856819 |issn=1752-0908}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Mountains, Climate and Biodiversity {{!}} Wiley |url=https://www.wiley.com/en-gb/Mountains%2C+Climate+and+Biodiversity-p-9781119159872 |access-date=2023-06-07 |website=Wiley.com |language=en-gb}}</ref> Antonelli has also written widely on the biodiversity of the tropical belt in the American continent, a region encompassing most of Latin America and the Caribbean called the Neotropics.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Antonelli |first1=Alexandre |last2=Zizka |first2=Alexander |last3=Carvalho |first3=Fernanda Antunes |last4=Scharn |first4=Ruud |last5=Bacon |first5=Christine D. |last6=Silvestro |first6=Daniele |last7=Condamine |first7=Fabien L. |date=2018-06-05 |title=Amazonia is the primary source of Neotropical biodiversity |journal=Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences |language=en |volume=115 |issue=23 |pages=6034–6039 |doi=10.1073/pnas.1713819115 |issn=0027-8424 |pmc=6003360 |pmid=29760058 |bibcode=2018PNAS..115.6034A |doi-access=free }}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |last=Antonelli |first=Alexandre |title=The rise and fall of Neotropical diversity |journal=Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society|year=2022 |volume=199 |pages=8–24 |doi=10.1093/botlinnean/boab061 |doi-access=free }}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Antonelli |first1=Alexandre |last2=Sanmartín |first2=Isabel |year=2011 |title=Why are there so many plant species in the Neotropics? |url=https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/tax.602010 |journal=Taxon |language=en |volume=60 |issue=2 |pages=403–414 |doi=10.1002/tax.602010|hdl=10261/167023 |hdl-access=free }}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Antonelli |first1=Alexandre |last2=Ariza |first2=María |last3=Albert |first3=James |last4=Andermann |first4=Tobias |last5=Azevedo |first5=Josué |last6=Bacon |first6=Christine |last7=Faurby |first7=Søren |last8=Guedes |first8=Thais |last9=Hoorn |first9=Carina |last10=Lohmann |first10=Lúcia G. |last11=Matos-Maraví |first11=Pável |last12=Ritter |first12=Camila D. |last13=Sanmartín |first13=Isabel |last14=Silvestro |first14=Daniele |last15=Tejedor |first15=Marcelo |date=2018-10-04 |title=Conceptual and empirical advances in Neotropical biodiversity research |journal=PeerJ |language=en |volume=6 |article-number=e5644 |doi=10.7717/peerj.5644 |pmid=30310740 |pmc=6174874 |s2cid=52962525 |issn=2167-8359 |doi-access=free }}</ref> In December 2022, he co-led two sister reviews in ''Science'' on the biodiversity of Madagascar.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Antonelli |first1=Alexandre |last2=Smith |first2=Rhian J. |last3=Perrigo |first3=Allison L. |last4=Crottini |first4=Angelica |last5=Hackel |first5=Jan |last6=Testo |first6=Weston |last7=Farooq |first7=Harith |last8=Torres Jiménez |first8=Maria F. |last9=Andela |first9=Niels |last10=Andermann |first10=Tobias |last11=Andriamanohera |first11=Andotiana M. |last12=Andriambololonera |first12=Sylvie |last13=Bachman |first13=Steven P. |last14=Bacon |first14=Christine D. |last15=Baker |first15=William J. |date=2022-12-02 |title=Madagascar's extraordinary biodiversity: Evolution, distribution, and use |url=https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.abf0869 |journal=Science |language=en |volume=378 |issue=6623 |article-number=eabf0869 |doi=10.1126/science.abf0869 |pmid=36454829 |s2cid=254150822 |issn=0036-8075|hdl=20.500.11820/85e8a9e4-0125-4115-83e0-d71ad39eba93 |hdl-access=free }}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Ralimanana |first1=Hélène |last2=Perrigo |first2=Allison L. |last3=Smith |first3=Rhian J. |last4=Borrell |first4=James S. |last5=Faurby |first5=Søren |last6=Rajaonah |first6=Mamy Tiana |last7=Randriamboavonjy |first7=Tianjanahary |last8=Vorontsova |first8=Maria S. |last9=Cooke |first9=Robert S. C. |last10=Phelps |first10=Leanne N. |last11=Sayol |first11=Ferran |last12=Andela |first12=Niels |last13=Andermann |first13=Tobias |last14=Andriamanohera |first14=Andotiana M. |last15=Andriambololonera |first15=Sylvie |date=2022-12-02 |title=Madagascar's extraordinary biodiversity: Threats and opportunities |url=https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.adf1466 |journal=Science |language=en |volume=378 |issue=6623 |article-number=eadf1466 |doi=10.1126/science.adf1466 |pmid=36454830 |s2cid=254150735 |issn=0036-8075|hdl=20.500.11820/7803575f-aa4c-406f-b47c-3ba1f3f020cd |hdl-access=free }}</ref> As part of his mutlidisciplinary research, he has been exploring the application of machine learning techniques for biodiversity research and conservation.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Silvestro |first1=D. |last2=Goria |first2=S. |last3=Sterner |first3=T. |author-link3=Thomas Sterner |last4=Antonelli |first4=A. |date=22 March 2022 |title=Improving biodiversity protection through artificial intelligence |journal=Nature Sustainability |volume=5 |issue=5 |pages=415–424|doi=10.1038/s41893-022-00851-6 |pmid=35614933 |pmc=7612764 |bibcode=2022NatSu...5..415S }}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Antonelli |first1=Alexandre |last2=Dhanjal-Adams |first2=Kiran L. |last3=Silvestro |first3=Daniele |title=Integrating machine learning, remote sensing and citizen science to create an early warning system for biodiversity |journal=Plants, People, Planet |year=2023 |language=en |volume=5 |issue=3 |pages=307–316 |doi=10.1002/ppp3.10337 |s2cid=253348223 |issn=2572-2611|doi-access=free }}</ref> In 2020 and 2023, Antonelli led the State of the World's Plants and Fungi report,<ref>{{Cite web |title=State of the World's Plants and Fungi {{!}} Kew |url=https://www.kew.org/science/state-of-the-worlds-plants-and-fungi |access-date=2023-06-07 |website=www.kew.org |language=en}}</ref> a major international collaboration with an associated symposium.<ref>{{Cite web |title=State of the World's Plants and Fungi Virtual Symposium |url=https://cms.botany.org/news/display/2020/9/24/state-of-the-worlds-plants-and-fungi-virtual-symposium/ |access-date=2023-06-07 |website=cms.botany.org |language=en}}</ref>
He has been named on the Web of Science / Clarivate 'Highly Cited Researchers' list, which identifies pioneering researchers in the top 1% of their field, every year since 2020.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Researcher Recognition |url=https://clarivate.com/webofsciencegroup/researcher-recognition/ |access-date=2022-07-13 |website=Web of Science Group |language=en}}</ref>
== Plant species named == Antonelli's taxonomic work has led to the scientific description of the following new plant species:
* ''Ciliosemina'' Antonelli (Rubiaceae)<ref>{{Cite web |title=Ciliosemina Antonelli {{!}} Plants of the World Online {{!}} Kew Science |url=http://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:77065716-1 |access-date=2022-07-13 |website=Plants of the World Online |language=en}}</ref> * ''Ciliosemina pedunculata'' (H.Karst.) Antonelli (Rubiaceae)<ref>{{Cite web |title=Ciliosemina pedunculata (H.Karst.) Antonelli {{!}} Plants of the World Online {{!}} Kew Science |url=http://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:77065717-1 |access-date=2022-07-13 |website=Plants of the World Online |language=en}}</ref> * ''Ciliosemina purdieana'' (Wedd.) Antonelli (Rubiaceae)<ref>{{Cite web |title=Ciliosemina purdieana (Wedd.) Antonelli {{!}} Plants of the World Online {{!}} Kew Science |url=http://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:77065718-1 |access-date=2022-07-13 |website=Plants of the World Online |language=en}}</ref> * ''Cordiera montana'' C. H. Perss., Delprete & Antonelli (Rubiaceae)<ref>{{Cite web |title=Cordiera montana C.H.Perss., Delprete & Antonelli {{!}} Plants of the World Online {{!}} Kew Science |url=http://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:77175930-1 |access-date=2022-07-13 |website=Plants of the World Online |language=en}}</ref>
Two species have also been named in his honour:
* ''Siphocampylus antonellii'' Lagom. & D. Santam. (Campanulaceae)<ref>{{Cite web |title=Siphocampylus antonellii Lagom. & D.Santam. {{!}} Plants of the World Online {{!}} Kew Science |url=http://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:77151883-1 |access-date=2022-07-13 |website=Plants of the World Online |language=en}}</ref> * ''Camaridium antonellii'' O.Pérez & Bogarín (Orchidaceae)<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Pérez-Escobar |first1=Oscar Alejandro |last2=Jaramillo |first2=Carlos |last3=Zuluaga |first3=Alejandro |last4=García-Revelo |first4=Santiago |last5=Dodsworth |first5=Steven |last6=Bogarín |first6=Diego |date=2021-12-17 |title=Two new orchid species (Camaridium: Maxillariinae; Lepanthes: Pleurothallidinae) from the Pacific slope of the Northern Andes, Colombia |url=https://revistas.ucr.ac.cr/index.php/lankesteriana/article/view/49471 |journal=Lankesteriana: International Journal on Orchidology |language=en |pages=351–362 |doi=10.15517/lank.v21i3.49471 |doi-broken-date=11 July 2025 |issn=2215-2067}}</ref> {{Botanist|Antonelli}}
== Distinctions and awards ==
* Elected to the WWF International Board of Trustees<ref>{{Cite web |title=WWF appoints two exceptional conservation leaders to its International Board |url=https://wwf.panda.org/wwf_news/?13015466/WWF-appoints-two-exceptional-conservation-leaders-to-its-International-Board |access-date=2025-03-24 |website=wwf.panda.org |language=en}}</ref> * Elected Member of Academia Europaea (2024-)<ref>{{Cite web |title=Academy of Europe: Acad Main |url=https://www.ae-info.org/ |access-date=2025-09-12 |website=www.ae-info.org}}</ref> * Elected Foreign Fellow of the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences (2023-lifetime)<ref>{{Cite web |title=Alexandre Antonelli |url=https://www.kva.se/en/contact/alexandre-antonelli/ |access-date=2025-09-17 |website=Kungl. Vetenskapsakademien |language=en-GB}}</ref> * Visiting Professor, Wuhan Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences (2023–2028)<ref name=":1" /> * Distinguished Scientist of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, President's International Fellowship Initiative (2023)<ref name="antonelli-lab.net" /> * Elected member of the Convention on Biological Diversity's Informal Advisory Group on Technical and Scientific Cooperation<ref>{{Cite web |title=Composition of the Informal Advisory Group on Technical and Scientific Cooperation |url=https://www.cbd.int/kb/record/notification/3246?RecordType=notification |access-date=2023-06-07 |website=www.cbd.int}}</ref> * International Advisory Panel on Biodiversity Credits (2023-)<ref>{{Cite web |title=HOME |url=https://www.iapbiocredits.org/ |access-date=2025-03-24 |website=www.iapbiocredits.org |language=en-US}}</ref> * Elected Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society (2023-)<ref name="antonelli-lab.net" /> * Awarded Senckenberg Prize for Nature Research (2022)<ref>{{Cite web |last=jayjay |title=30 |url=https://museumgoerlitz.senckenberg.de/de/pressemeldungen/senckenberg-prize-2022-the-world-of-forests/ |access-date=2022-07-13 |website=Senckenberg Museum für Naturkunde Görlitz |language=de-DE}}</ref> * Fellow of the Royal Society of Biology (2020-)<ref name="antonelli-lab.net" /> * Awarded 1st Prize (with collaborators) in the GBIF Ebbe Nielsen Challenge (2020 and 2021)<ref name="gbif.org">{{Cite web |title=Ebbe Nielsen Challenge |url=https://www.gbif.org/article/1G82GL7jw08kS0g6k6MuSa/ebbe-nielsen-challenge |access-date=2022-07-13 |website=www.gbif.org |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=ShinyBIOMOD wins 2020 GBIF Ebbe Nielsen Challenge |url=https://www.gbif.org/news/AcT155L4KYZ5RxsfDnGGt/shinybiomod-wins-2020-gbif-ebbe-nielsen-challenge |access-date=2023-06-07 |website=www.gbif.org |language=en}}</ref> and 2nd prize (2016)<ref name="gbif.org" /> * Cisneros Visiting Scholar, David Rockefeller Center for Latin American Studies, Harvard University (2018)<ref name="harvard.edu" /> * Named as one of Sweden's 100 coolest researchers (2017)<ref name="antonelli-lab.net" /> * Elected member of the Young Academy of Sweden (2016-2019)<ref name="antonelli-lab.net" /> * Elected fellow of the Royal Society of Arts and Sciences in Gothenburg (2016-)<ref name="antonelli-lab.net" /> * Future Research Leader, Swedish Foundation for Strategic Research (2016)<ref name="antonelli-lab.net" /> * Wallenberg Academy Fellow, Knut and Alice Wallenberg Foundation (2014) * Elected Fellow of the Young Academy of Europe (2013–2020) == References ==
{{reflist}} {{Authority control}} {{DEFAULTSORT:Antonelli, Alexandre}} Category:1978 births Category:Living people
{{Improve categories|date=October 2023}} Category:Brazilian scientists Category:Academic staff of the University of Gothenburg Category:21st-century Swedish biologists Category:University of Geneva alumni Category:People from Campinas Category:State University of Campinas alumni Category:University of Gothenburg alumni Category:Members of Academia Europaea Category:Fellows of the Royal Geographical Society Category:Fellows of the Royal Society of Biology