The Royal Society finds itself at the center of controversy after Oxford scientist Prof Dorothy Bishop resigned in protest over Elon Musk’s continued fellowship at the prestigious institution.

Calling Musk a “Bond villain,” Bishop accused the Tesla billionaire of using his immense wealth and influence to intimidate critics and promote political propaganda. Citing his controversial behavior on social media and views on climate change and medicine, Bishop stated that Musk’s presence in the society conflicts with its code of conduct.

Oxford scientist quits over Musk’s fellowship

Professor Dorothy Bishop, a developmental neuropsychologist and expert in 𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘥ren’s communication disorders, recently stepped down from her Royal Society fellowship. Explaining her decision to The Guardian, Bishop described it as a “gut reaction” and revealed she had a discussion with the Society’s leadership, including the president and chief executive, over her resignation. They emphasised the importance of procedural fairness concerning Musk’s fellowship.

Meanwhile, Elon Musk’s expanding political influence is drawing attention. Reports suggest he funneled billions for Trump’s presidential campaign, and as the administration takes shape, Musk’s role in candidate selections has drawn scrutiny. President-elect Trump has even entrusted Musk to spearhead the newly introduced DOGE initiative.

“I just started to think, you know, the Royal Society seemed to be set up to make it very, very difficult to ever get somebody to resign or to actually get thrown out, and given all I know about Musk, it felt grubby, to be honest,” prof. Bishop informed Guardian.

The Oxford emeritus shared that having Elon Musk in the Royal Society felt like a contradiction to everything the institution stands for, and she didn’t want to be associated with it. She pointed out the Royal Society’s code of conduct, which calls for fellows to treat each other with respect, but explained she couldn’t bring herself to be polite to Musk. In a blog post, Bishop admitted that she didn’t expect her resignation to make a difference, but it made her feel more at peace with her decision.

“Any pleasure I may take in the distinction of the honour of an FRS is diminished by the fact it is shared with someone who appears to be modelling himself on a Bond villain, a man who has immeasurable wealth and power which he will use to threaten scientists who disagree with him,” she wrote. She went on to criticise Musk’s controversial tweets, particularly one on Dr. Anthony Fauci, his use of social media to spread misinformation, and his stance on the climate crisis.

Elon Musk’s Royal society fellowship under scrutiny

Elon Musk was inducted as a fellow of the Royal Society in 2018, honoured for his contributions to the space through Space X project and electric vehicle sectors (Tesla). The Royal Society, a prestigious, self-governing fellowship, consists of some of the world’s leading scientists, engineers, and innovators, founded in 2005, and led by Swedish-𝐛𝐨𝐫𝐧 philosopher Nick Bostrom.

In August, The Guardian reported that several fellows had raised concerns over Musk’s controversial comments about unrest in the UK, leading to talks about the possibility of revoking his fellowship. Furthermore, the outlet reveals that Musk shared, then quickly deleted, a fabricated news report suggesting Keir Starmer was considering sending far-right rioters to “emergency detainment camps” in the Falklands. He allegedly also fueled the baseless claim that UK police are harsher on white far-right protesters compared to minority groups.

The Royal Society has defended its handling of the matter, stating that it has clear procedures in place to address concerns about the behavior of its fellows. Speaking of Professor Dorothy, a Society spokesperson said, “The Royal Society greatly regrets Dorothy Bishop’s resignation from the Fellowship.

She is an outstanding scientist and has contributed much to the Society over her years as a Fellow.” They added, “In the event of any concerns raised about the behaviour of a Fellow, the Society has a clear set of processes described in our code of conduct, which is published on our website along with relevant disciplinary regulations.