The British Phycological Society, founded in 1952, is a

learned society A learned society (; also learned academy, scholarly society, or academic association) is an organization that exists to promote an discipline (academia), academic discipline, profession, or a group of related disciplines such as the arts and s ...

based in the United Kingdom promoting the study of

algae Algae (; singular alga ) is an informal term for a large and diverse group of photosynthetic eukaryotic organisms. It is a polyphyletic grouping that includes species from multiple distinct clades. Included organisms range from unicellular mic ...

. Members interests include all aspects of the study of algae, including both natural biodiversity and applied uses. It is the largest learned

phycological Phycology () is the scientific study of algae. Also known as algology, phycology is a branch of life science. Algae are important as primary producers in aquatic ecosystems. Most algae are eukaryotic, photosynthetic organisms that live in a ...

society in Europe. Its membership is worldwide, although predominantly within the UK.

Activities

The Society currently: * Holds an annual meeting each January within Britain or Ireland * The scientific journals ''European Journal of Phycology'' and ''Applied Phycology'' are published by Taylor & Francis on behalf of the Society * Publishes the member's magazine ''The Phycologist'' * Provides financial support for research training and annual meeting attendance to members who are student and early career researcher * Annually awards the Irène Manton Prize for the best student presentation and the BPS Student Poster Prize at the annual meeting * Gives the Hilda Canter-Lund Award annually for phycological photography (since 2016, open to all) * Since its founding in 1952 the Society has supported recording and mapping of the marine algae around the British Isles. These are now th
Seaweed and Freshwater Algae Recording Site
and shared with the NBN Atlas. * Supports training in identification and survey of both freshwater and marine algae * Organises and funds annual field courses The Society is a member of the Federation of European Microbiological Societies. The Society is registered charity No. 246707 in England and Wales.

History

The society was founded in 1952, following a meeting of phycologists the previous year at

University College, Bangor , former_names = University College of North Wales (1884–1996) University of Wales, Bangor (1996–2007) , image = File:Arms_of_Bangor_University.svg , image_size = 250px , caption = Arms ...

in North Wales. As a result, a group of nine led the formation of the society. These were Kathleen Drew-Baker, Elsie M. Burrows, Sheila Lodge,

Elsie Conway Elsie Conway (née Phillips, 15 March 1902 – 22 July 1992) was a British phycologist. She served as president of the British Phycological Society from 1965 to 1967, and was one of the earliest women Fellows of the Royal Society of Edinburgh ...

Margaret Trevena Martin Margaret Trevana Martin (1905-2000) was a British botanist and phycologist noted for identifying several species of South African ''Rhodophyceae''. Career She worked at University College of North Wales, Bangor. In 1937 she was inducted into ...

Mary Parke Mary Winifred Parke, FRS, (23 March 1908 – 17 July 1989) was a British marine botanist and Fellow of the Royal Society (1972) specialising in phycology, the study of algae. Scientific work Mary Parke contributed a great deal to the study of ...

Helen Blackler Margaret Constance Helen Blackler (1902–1981) was a British phycologist, botanical collector and museum curator. Career Blackler was Assistant Keeper of Botany at Liverpool Museum between 1933 to 1945. She also had some temporary teaching po ...

, Mr. F. T. Walker, and Harry Powell.

Máirin de Valéra Máirin de Valéra MRIA (12 April 1912 – 8 August 1984) was an Irish phycologist. She was the first chair and professor of Botany at University College Galway. Early life and education Máirin de Valéra was born 12 April 1912 in Dublin, th ...

from

University College, Galway The University of Galway ( ga, Ollscoil na Gaillimhe) is a public research university located in the city of Galway, Ireland. A tertiary education and research institution, the university was awarded the full five QS stars for excellence in 201 ...

was also at the meeting in Bangor and was involved in the foundation of the new society. The first official meeting of the Society was in Edinburgh. From the beginning, the Society planned to eventually produce a comprehensive list of the British marine algal flora (also called

seaweed Seaweed, or macroalgae, refers to thousands of species of macroscopic, multicellular, marine algae. The term includes some types of '' Rhodophyta'' (red), ''Phaeophyta'' (brown) and ''Chlorophyta'' (green) macroalgae. Seaweed species such as ...

). To help with this, the Society's members planned structured records of the algal distributions as well as to add reference specimens to a national herbarium collection. Members were also interest in practical uses of algae and their products from the start of the Society. The new Society published a scientific journal, ''British Phycological Bulletin'' from 1952 until 1968, when it was renamed the ''British Phycological Journal''. In 1993 it underwent another change of name to ''European Journal of Phycology''.

Presidents

Has included: *1952

Kathleen Mary Drew-Baker Kathleen Mary Drew-Baker (6 November 1901 – 14 September 1957) was a British phycologist, known for her research on the edible seaweed '' Porphyra laciniata'' (nori), which led to a breakthrough for commercial cultivation. Kathleen Drew-Ba ...

*1957 John Lund *1961–1962 Gordon E. Fogg *1965 - 1967

*1983 - 1984 George Russell *1987 to 1988 Joanna M. Kain *2017 Gill Malin *2019 Graham Underwood *2020 Jason Hall-Spencer *2021 Jane Lewis *2022 Saul Purton

Vice-Presidents

Has included: *1957-1958 Elsie M. Burrows *1965 Paulette Gayral and

*1969

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:British Phycological Society 1952 establishments in the United Kingdom British biology societies Organisations based in the London Borough of Camden Science and technology in London Scientific organizations established in 1952