President, Officers and Council

The Society is governed by a Council of 20 Members, including six Honorary Officers: President, Treasurer, and the Botanical, Zoological, Editorial and Collections Secretaries.

The current President, whose term began on 21st May 2009, is Dr Vaughan Southgate. Dr Southgate is a zoologist, specialising in research on schistosomes, the parasites which cause the human and veterinary disease schistosomiasis. He was formerly Head of the Biomedical Parasitology Division at The Natural History Museum, London, and on his retirement was appointed a Research Associate at the Museum. He has carried out extensive field studies in many African countries, and in Nepal, and India. He is a member of the World Health Organisation Expert Panel on Parasitic Diseases (Schistosomiasis).

The governance of The Linnean Society is set out in the Charters and Bye-Laws.

The Council is advised by a wide range of Committees. The membership of these committees is not confined to Fellows, and scientists and experts of all disciplines assist the work of the Society by freely and readily making their services available.

The Society aims to maintain a balance between the two main branches of biology so by convention the Presidency alternates between a zoologist and a botanist, as do several of the Society’s prizes.

The Society aims to be open and transparent in its elections. Full details of candidates for election to Council are published in the newsletter The Linnean and any member who has been admitted and attends the Anniversary Meeting can vote. Council members are carefully briefed on their duties as trustees and the Society is developing a Code of Conduct for Council members.

The Executive Secretary is happy to answer any questions about the governance of the Society.