Alemshet Addisalem (Alex) is a Ph.D. student at the Faculty of Law, University of Ottawa. His Ph.D research explores the intersection of big data governance, privacy rights and law in Africa, which mainly focuses on the case of the African Union. Alemshet holds a Master of Law (LLM) specializing in Law & Technology at the University of Ottawa (2021), where his thesis research examined the democratic legitimacy of the State-like power of social media platforms to regulate free speech rights. Alemshet holds another Master of Law (LLM) specializing in Human Rights Law in 2015  and a Bachelor of Law (LLB) in 2013 at the University of Gondar, Ethiopia.  

Alemshet has been involved in both academic and professional career life. He was a full-time law lecturer from August 2015 – May 2017, teaching undergraduate law students several law courses, including human rights law, public international law, and land law; and served as a dean of the Law School from July 2016 – May 2017 at Mizan-Tepi University, Ethiopia. Further, Alemshet has practiced law and appeared in various levels of courts, including the Supreme Court of the Amhara Regional State, in Ethiopia. 

Alemshet’s research interest include international human rights law, African human rights law, African Union, and law and technology (regulating innovation, big data governance, data protection and privacy rights). Also, Alemshet is a member of the University of Ottawa Human Rights Research and Education Center.