Dr. Beyene is an Ethiopian archaeologist who has conducted fieldwork and research in France and Ethiopia. He is currently head of archaeology and paleontology at the Authority for Research and Conservation of the Cultural Heritage in the Ethiopian Ministry of Culture and Tourism, Addis Ababa. Dr. Beyene is the chief archaeologist on the Middle Awash project; his focus is on hominid stone-tool technology ranging from the present to 2 million years ago. He has authored numerous publications on archaeological sites in Ethiopia. Dr. Beyene was a key contributor to the recovery and analysis of the archaeology associated with the Homo sapiens idaltu fossils recovered in the Middle Awash in 1997 and published in 2003.