Ayele Bekerie received his BSc from Addis Ababa University in 1976 and his MSc and MPS from Cornell university in 1978 and 1989 respectively.  He earned his PhD in African American Studies at Temple University in 1994.  He has written and published in scholarly journals, such as ANKH: Journal of Egyptology and African Civilizations, Journal of the Horn of Africa, Journal of Black Studies, the International Journal of Africana Studies, and the International Journal of Ethiopian Studies.  Bekerie is also the creator of the African Writing System web site, which is widely used throughout the world.  Bekerie is an Assistant Professor at the Africana Studies and Research Center at Cornell university.  He has also served as the director of undergraduate studies at the Center for seven years.  Bekerie, who is the author of an award-winning book Ethiopic, An African Writing System: Its History and Principles (The Red Sea Press, 1997), is also a contributing author in the highly acclaimed book, ONE HOUSE: The Battle of Adwa 1896-100 Years, published by Nyala Publishing in 1996.  Bekerie's most recent published work includes "The Idea of Ethiopia: Ancient Roots, Modern African Diaspora Thoughts," in Power and Nationalism in Modern Africa, published by Carolina Academic Press in 2008 and "The Ancient African Past and Africana Studies" in the Journal of Black Studies in 2007.  Bekerie appears frequently on the Amharic Service of Voice of America and Radio Germany.  He is a regular contributor of historical essays and book reviews to Ethiopian American electronic magazines.  His current book project is on the "Idea of Ethiopia."

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