The Royal Society has acknowledged the controversy, confirming a debate on March 3 to address the "principles around public pronouncements and behaviors of fellows." While the institution has not officially named Musk in its statements, the meeting is widely understood to be centered on his membership.
This is not the first time Musk's status within the Royal Society has sparked division. Last November, University of Oxford psychologist Dorothy Bishop resigned in protest, stating that she could no longer be part of an institution that honored Musk.
"I just feel far more comfortable to be dissociated from an institution that continues to honor this disreputable man," Bishop said, accusing Musk of modeling himself after a "Bond villain."