Dr Joanne Porter, Lecturer in Marine Biology in the School of Life Sciences, has been elected to the council as Zoological Representative for the Linnean Society.
This role will involve advising on issues pertinent to the Society such as biodiversity conservation and climate change.
The Linnean Society of London is the world's oldest active biological society. It aims to promote the study of all aspects of the biological sciences, with particular emphasis on evolution, taxonomy, biodiversity and sustainability. It is driven by a single purpose as outlined in its first charter, 200 years ago which is 'the cultivation of the Science of Natural History in all its branches.'
Founded in 1788, the Society takes its name from the Swedish naturalist Carl Linnaeus (1707-1778) whose botanical, zoological and library collections have been in its keeping since 1829. Sir James Edward Smith, the first President of the Society purchased Linnaeus' botanical and zoological collections in 1783. They are now held at Burlington House in London. The collections include:
- 14,000 plants
- 158 fish
- 1,564 shells
- 3,198 insects
- 1,600 books
- 3,000 letters and documents