Above: Fredrick Manthi in the field in the Turkana Basin, northern Kenya
This post originally appeared on the College of Science website and was published May 7, 2025. This article is republished here with permission.
University of Utah adjunct professor Fredrick Kyalo Manthi has been elected to the prestigious National Academy of Sciences (NAS). Manthi, who serves in the Department of Geology & Geophysics and as Director of Antiquities, Sites and Monuments at the National Museums of Kenya, was formally inducted during a ceremony at NAS headquarters in Washington, D.C. on April 25. His election recognizes his significant contributions to the fields of vertebrate paleontology and human evolution research.
The National Academy of Sciences recognizes scientists who have made outstanding and ongoing contributions to original research. As one of science’s most prestigious distinctions, NAS membership represents an exceptional achievement in the scientific community. Current NAS membership totals approximately 2,700 members and over 500 international members, of which approximately 200 have received Nobel prizes. Manthi is the 16th faculty member from the College of Science to be elected to the NAS. He is also the only African scientist elected for 2024 and just the second Kenyan ever to receive this recognition.
“Fredrick Manthi’s election to the National Academy of Sciences is incredibly well-deserved and represents decades of meticulous field research and scientific dedication,” said Thure Cerling, Distinguished Professor of Geology & Geophysics and Biological Sciences at the University of Utah and fellow NAS member. “His pioneering work has advanced our understanding of early human evolution, and his connection to Utah has enriched our research community immensely.”
With a research career spanning nearly four decades, Manthi has established himself as a leading expert in East African paleontology. Since joining the National Museums of Kenya in 1986, he has conducted extensive fieldwork throughout the Lake Turkana Basin and other fossil sites across Kenya. Since 2003, Manthi directed numerous excavations at Plio-Pleistocene sites including Kanapoi, Lomekwi, Nariokotome, and several others in northern Kenya, collectively yielding over 12,000 fossil specimens, including rare hominid remains. His research on fossil and modern micro-vertebrate bone assemblages has provided valuable evidence for early hominin paleoecology. Manthi has also facilitated research opportunities for emerging Kenyan scientists and developed scientific infrastructure and training programs focused on the collections at the National Museums of Kenya, which serve as crucial resources for understanding human evolution.
“This recognition highlights the importance of international scientific collaboration, and I plan to use my NAS membership to strengthen research partnerships with the University of Utah and the National Museums of Kenya,” says Manthi. “To the young Africans and those from other parts of the world, I want to tell you that you can achieve high levels of success in your career paths through focus, resilience and hard work.”
The College of Science celebrates this prestigious recognition of one of its faculty members. “Fredrick Manthi’s groundbreaking research in paleontology and his commitment to nurturing the next generation of scientists are exemplary,” said Interim Dean Pearl Sandick. “His election to the National Academy of Sciences is a tremendous honor, reflecting the extraordinary quality and global impact of his research.”