The Bicentenary Medal

Awarded to an early-career scientist, in recognition of excellent research in the natural sciences.

Struck in silver to commemorate the 200th anniversary in 1978 of the death of Linnaeus, the Bicentenary Medal is awarded annually in recognition of work done by a scientist with less than 10 years of research experience since their PhD.

The next round of nominations for this award will open in May 2025.

• Nominee must have fewer than 10 years of FTE research experience since the award of their PhD. This time period does not need to be continuous - the award is open to nominees who have taken career breaks or extended leave, e.g. parental or long-term sick leave.

• Open to any scientist of any nationality, in any field of the natural sciences (e.g. taxonomy, systematics, phylogenetics, evolution, ecology)
• For their excellent biological research, and contribution to the wider natural history community, e.g. editorial and/or committee/policy work/public engagement)
• Nominee cannot, at the time of nomination, be a member of Council
• Nominee does not need to be a Fellow of the Society
• We do not accept self-nominations

Professor Dr Anne-Claire Fabre

Professor Dr Anne-Claire Fabre is an evolutionary biologist and functional morphologist focusing on shape evolution in an ecological context across vertebrate animals. Involving both laboratory and fieldwork, Anne-Claire’s research provides novel applied and comparative perspectives on the understanding of what is shaping past and current diversity of organisms and how it relates to function. Anne-Claire is a dynamic early-career evolutionary functional morphologist and has obtained several prestigious grants to conduct her research. Her research, particularly on aye-aye behaviour, has been featured in news and media outlets all over the world, including The Guardian, BBC, CNN, Daily Mail and Scientific American.