Biology Week
Flying Ant Survey – spread the word!
The weekend’s sunshine made it almost possible to imagine the summer flying ant season, so we’re gearing up for a second flying ant survey and are hoping to enlist even more support. We need data from multiple years to help us understand whether the pattern we saw in 2012 (two peaks in flying ant activity) … Continue reading
World Book Day
Karen Patel is in charge of awards and grants at the Society of Biology When was the last time you read a book? If you’re struggling to remember then you might be part of the 25% of UK adults who has not read a book in the past six months. To celebrate World Book Day, … Continue reading
It’s Darwin Day – a celebration for everyone
by Rebecca Nesbit, Society of Biology I arrived in the office this morning to the excellent news that three of our Fellows, including our President Dame Nancy Rothwell, made the top 20 of the Women’s Hour Power List. This was fantastic recognition of the contribution scientists make to our society, and appropriate on a day … Continue reading
Student BioSocs: working together is success
Guest bloggers Ioanna Sigalou and Rowan Watson, President and Secretary of the Staffordshire University Biology Society, describe how the society was set up. It’s no lie that every beginning is hard, especially when it comes to things that require people with different opinions coming together to share ideas! Things get hectic very quickly, which can … Continue reading
Ecological adventures during Biology Week
As we start to plan Biology Week 2013 here at the Society of Biology we take inspiration from some of the successes of 2012. Here Nick O’Connor, a teacher at Highcliffe School, describes his A level field course in Dorset The Year 13 A level Biologists spent a superb 3 days along the Jurassic Coast … Continue reading
Even chance favours the panda
Zara’s last blog introduced the “Save a Species” election that was held at our Parliamentary launch during Biology Week. I now share the highs and lows of my experience representing the spoon-billed sandpiper in an attempt to save this critically endangered bird from extinction. As a quick reminder: Six candidates were chosen, each to represent … Continue reading
Don’t forget fresh water
by Zara Gladman, Society of Biology Mid-way through Biology Week we held a launch night in Parliament, to highlight the importance of biology to decision-makers. The climax of the evening was our very own ‘Save a Species’ election. Six candidates – each representing a different endangered species – did their best to persuade the guests that … Continue reading
Is panda PR a good idea?
by Rebecca Nesbit, Press Officer, Society of Biology Panda conservation is not ‘greenwash’ read the headline of BBC Nature’s thought-provoking write-up of the Biology Week debate ‘should we save the panda’. This referred to the evening’s extensive discussion about the use (and misuse) of pandas in conservation PR. Whether or not you think it is … Continue reading
I promise you really said that!
By Rebecca Nesbit, Society of Biology As this blog goes live, a record attempt is taking place for the world’s largest memory game. This is the climax of Biology Week and involves hundreds of children and adults. It is designed to be fun, but also has a serious side, collecting data for Professor Bruce Hood … Continue reading
ScienceGrrl calendar launched
by Rebecca Nesbit, Press Officer at the Society of Biology Not only is this week a very successful first Biology Week, it is also a good week for gender equality in science. In 2010 UKRC/WISE reported that only 12.3% of the skilled workforce in science, engineering and technology are women, a disturbing figure. The problem … Continue reading