British Phycological Society


The British Phycological Society, founded in 1952, is a learned society based in the United Kingdom promoting the study of algae. Members interests include all aspects of the study of algae, including both natural biodiversity and applied uses. It is the largest learned phycological society in Europe. Its membership is worldwide, although predominantly within the UK.

Activities

The Society currently:
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 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, Margaret Trevena Martin, Mary Parke, Helen Blackler, Mr. F. T. Walker, and Harry Powell.
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. 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