PhD Medals and Prizes

The Linnean Society’s medals and awards seek to recognise the passion, curiosity and dedication of all those making remarkable contributions to the understanding and protection of our natural world.

In that spirit our PhD medals and prizes celebrate the most outstanding doctoral research—conducted by those at the forefront of tomorrow’s scientific discovery—and judged through papers published in one of the Society’s four journals.

Spanning both botany—through the Irene Manton Prize—and zoology, with the John C. Marsden Medal, these awards honour work that forms part of a PhD thesis, normally with the doctoral researcher as first author. From time to time, the Society may also additionally highlight exceptional contributions through its occasional PhD Student Paper Prize, recognising excellence across the same remit.

If you would like to learn more—or if you are a PhD supervisor wishing to nominate a student—we invite you to explore the options on this page.