The premises of The Royal Society, who present the various awards, prize lectures and medals

The Royal Society presents numerous awards, lectures and medals to recognise scientific achievement.[1] The oldest is the Croonian Lecture, created in 1701 at the request of the widow of William Croone, one of the founding members of the Royal Society. The Croonian Lecture is still awarded on an annual basis, and is considered the most important Royal Society prize for the biological sciences.[2] Although the Croonian Lecture was created in 1701, it was first awarded in 1738, seven years after the Copley Medal, which is the oldest Royal Society medal still in use and is awarded for "outstanding achievements in research in any branch of science".[3]

Awards

Awards Created Description Recent winners Notes
Armourers and Brasiers' Company Prize 1984 Awarded biennially "for excellence in materials science and technology" the Armourers and Brasiers' Company Prize is sponsored by the Worshipful Company of Armourers and Brasiers and is accompanied by a £2000 gift. George Smith
2020		 [4]
GlaxoSmithKline Prize and Lecture 1976 Awarded biennially "for original contributions to medical and veterinary sciences published within ten years from the date of the award" the GlaxoSmithKline Prize and Lecture is both an award and a lecture, and is accompanied by a £2500 gift. The award was initially sponsored by the Wellcome Trust in 1986 but in 2002 was renamed the GlaxoSmithKline Prize. Andrew Hattersley
2016		 [5]
Michael Faraday Prize 1986 Awarded annually "for excellence in communicating science to UK audiences" the winner of the Michael Faraday Prize is expected to give a lecture, where he or she will be presented with the £2500 gift that accompanies the prize. David Spiegelhalter
2020		 [6]
Milner Award 2012 The Royal Society Milner Award, supported by Microsoft Research, is given annually for outstanding achievement in computer science by a European researcher. It replaces the Royal Society and Académie des sciences Microsoft Award and is named in honour of Professor Robin Milner FRS (1934–2010), a pioneer in computer science. Zoubin Ghahramani
2021		 [7]
Mullard Award 1967 Awarded "to an individual who has an outstanding academic record in any area of natural science, engineering or technology and whose work is currently making or has the potential to make a contribution to national prosperity in the United Kingdom" the Mullard Award is aimed at scientists and engineers in the early stages of their career and is accompanied by a £2000 gift. Hagan Bayley
2019		 [8]
Royal Society Africa Prize 2016 To recognise research scientists based in Africa who are making an innovative contribution to the biological sciences, including basic medical science, which contributes significantly to capacity building in Africa. The winner will receive an £11,000 grant towards her research project, a bronze medal and a gift of £1,000. Steven Runo
2020		 [9]
Royal Society Athena Prize 2016 Awarded biennially (in even years) for individuals and teams, working in UK academic and research communities, who have contributed most to the advancement of diversity in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) within their communities. The recipients of the prize receive a medal and a gift of £5,000. Beth Montague-Hellen,
Alex Bond
2020		 [10]
Royal Society Prize for Science Books 1988 Currently known as the Royal Society Insight Investment Science Book Prize, it is awarded annually to the book judged to be the previous year's best general science writing for a non-specialist reader. The winner receives £25,000. Andrea Wulf
2016		 [11]
Rosalind Franklin Award 2003 Awarded annually "for an outstanding contribution to any area of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM)" the Rosalind Franklin Award is accompanied by a £30,000 research grant and is awarded exclusively to women. Julia Gog
2020		 [12]
David Attenborough Award 2020 Awarded annually "to an individual for outstanding public engagement with science" the David Attenborough Award is accompanied by a gift of £2,500 Alice Roberts
2020		 [13]
Royal Society Hauksbee Award 2022 Awarded annually "for outstanding achievements in science to an individual or team whose work is mostly ‘behind the scenes’ or in support, including technicians, research office staff or other contributors who might not normally be recognised". The award winner or winners will be presented with a medal of silver gilt and a gift of £2000 Neil Barnes
2022		 [14]

Domestic lectures

Lecture Created Description Recent lecturers Notes
Bakerian Lecture 1775 Given annually "on such part of natural history or experimental philosophy, at such time and in such manner as the President and Council of the Society for the time being shall please to order and appoint" the Bakerian Lecture is named after Henry Baker and is the premier lecture of the Royal Society for the physical sciences. James Hough
2020		 [15]
Clifford Paterson Lecture 1975 Given biennially "on any aspect of engineering" the Clifford Paterson Lecture was created in 1975 by a donation from the General Electric Company plc in honour of Clifford Paterson. It is aimed at early to mid-level scientists and is accompanied by a £500 gift. Jacqueline Cole
2020		 [16]
Crick Lecture 2003 Given annually on a topic "in any field of the Biological Sciences, but preference will be given to the general areas in which Francis Crick himself worked: genetics, molecular biology and neurobiology" the Crick Lecture is named after Francis Crick and normally given by a scientist under the age of 40, or with a career stage similar to that of a scientist under 40. Gregory Jefferis
2019		 [17]
Croonian Lecture 1701 Given annually on "the advancement of natural knowledge on local motion, or (conditionally) of such other subjects as, in the opinion of the President for the time being, should be most useful in promoting the objects for which the Royal Society was instituted" the Croonian Lecture is named after William Croone, a founding member of the Royal Society, and is the oldest lecture maintained by the Society; it is also the most prestigious lecture in the biological sciences. Edward Boyden
2020		 [2]
Ferrier Lecture 1928 Given triennially "on a subject related to the advancement of natural knowledge on the structure and function of the nervous system" the Ferrier Lecture is named for David Ferrier. Raymond Dolan
2019		 [18]
Leeuwenhoek Lecture 1948 Given triennially "to recognise excellence in the [fields] of microbiology... bacteriology, virology, mycology, parasitology and microscopy" the Leeuwenhoek Lecture is named after Antonie van Leeuwenhoek and is accompanied by a £500 gift. Geoffrey L. Smith
2020		 [19]
Wilkins-Bernal-Medawar Lecture 2005 Given annually on "some aspect of the social function of science" the Wilkins-Bernal-Medawar lecture was created as a merger of the Wilkins, Bernal and Medawar lectures previously hosted by the Royal Society. Simon Schaffer
2019		 [20]

International lectures

Lecture Created Description Recent lecturers Notes
Rutherford Memorial Lectures 1952 The Rutherford Memorial Lecture is an international lecture of the Royal Society created under the Rutherford Memorial Scheme in 1952. It is held at universities in various countries in the Commonwealth, with a stipulation that at least one of every three lectures must be held in New Zealand. John Sulston
2013		 [21]

Medals

Medal Created Description Recent recipients Notes
Buchanan Medal 1897 Originally awarded every five years, this award is now made biennially in recognition of distinguished contribution to the medical sciences generally and the silver gilt medal is accompanied by a gift of £1000. Doug Turnbull
2020		 [22]
Copley Medal 1731 Awarded annually for "outstanding achievements in research in any branch of science" the Copley Medal is the oldest and most prestigious award of the Royal Society and is accompanied by a gift of £25000. John B. Goodenough
2019		 [23]
Darwin Medal 1890 Awarded every second year for "work of acknowledged distinction in the broad area of biology in which Charles Darwin worked" the Darwin Medal is accompanied by a gift of £1000. Peter Holland
2019		 [24]
Davy Medal 1877 Awarded every year "for an outstandingly important recent discovery in any branch of chemistry" the Davy Medal is accompanied by a gift of £1000. Unlike many of the medals of the Royal Society that are silver the Davy Medal is bronze. Varinder Aggarwal
2019		 [25]
Gabor Medal 1989 Awarded every second year for "acknowledged distinction of interdisciplinary work between the life sciences with other disciplines" the Gabor Medal is accompanied by a £1000 gift and is targeted at scientists in the early or middle stages of their careers. Alison Noble
2019		 [26]
Hughes Medal 1902 Awarded annually "in recognition of an original discovery in the physical sciences, particularly electricity and magnetism or their applications" the Hughes Medal is accompanied by a £1000 gift. Unlike other medals such as the Copley Medal the Hughes Medal has never been awarded to the same individual more than once. Andrew Ian Cooper
2019		 [27]
Kavli Medal and Lecture 2012 Awarded biennially "for excellence in all fields of science and engineering relevant to the environment or energy" to a scientist in the early stages of his career, the Kavli Medal in bronze is accompanied by a £500 gift. Ian Chapman
2020		 [28]
King Charles II Medal 1998 Awarded to any foreign head of state, head of government, or holder of another position of similar eminence for their contribution to the promotion, advancement, or use of science for the benefit of society, normally at the Society on the occasion of a visit by the recipient. Nominations not invited, awarded at the discretion of Council. Tony Tan Keng Yam
2014		 [29]
Leverhulme Medal 1960 Awarded triennially "for an outstandingly significant contribution in the field of pure or applied chemistry or engineering, including chemical engineering" the Leverhulme Medal is accompanied by a £2000 gift and was created to mark the 300-year anniversary of the foundation of the Royal Society Frank Caruso
2019		 [30]
Royal Medal 1826 Awarded every year in threes the Royal Medal is given for two different reasons; two medals are awarded for "the most important contributions to the advancement of natural knowledge" and one for "distinguished contributions in the applied sciences". The Royal Medal is the only Royal Society medal to be awarded multiple times per year, and is also known as the Queen's Medal. Carol Robinson,
Michel Goedert,
Ann Dowling
2019		 [31]
Rumford Medal 1800 Awarded every second year for "an outstandingly important recent discovery in the field of thermal or optical properties of matter made by a scientist working in Europe" the Rumford Medal is accompanied by a £1000 gift. The first person awarded the medal was Count Rumford, who created it in the first place. Miles Padgett
2019		 [32]
Sylvester Medal 1901 Awarded every second year for "the encouragement of mathematical research" the Sylvester Medal is accompanied by a £1000 gift and is targeted at scientists in the early or middle stages of their careers. Peter Sarnak
2019		 [33]

Historical awards and lectures

Lecture Created Description Recent lecturer/winner Notes
Bernal Lecture 1969 The Bernal Lecture was a Royal Society lecture given triennially "on some aspect of the social function of science". It was named after John Desmond Bernal and last given in 2004. It is now included in the Wilkins-Bernal-Medawar Lecture Michael Joseph Crumpton
2004		 [34]
Esso Energy Award 1974 The Esso Energy Award was created following a donation by Esso. It was awarded "for outstanding contributions to the advancement of science or engineering or technology leading to the more efficient mobilization, use or conservation of energy resources" and was given for the final time in 1999. Takeshi Uchiyamada
1999		 [35]
Florey Lecture 1981 The Florey Lecture was established in 1981 in collaboration with the Australian National University. It was held in Australia and the United Kingdom in alternate years and ceased when the collaboration period ended in 1992. Hugh Pelham
1992		 [36]
Kohn Award 2005 Was awarded annually "for excellence in engaging the public with science" the Kohn Award was one of the newest awards of the Royal Society having first been given in 2005, and was accompanied by a £2500 prize Peter Vukusic
2013		 [37]
Medawar Lecture 1985 The Medawar Lecture was established in 1985 after an anonymous donation of £5000. It was held triennially to honour Peter Medawar and last given in 2004; it is now included in the Wilkins-Bernal-Medawar Lecture. Peter Lipton
2004		 [38]
Philips Lecture 1980 The Philips Lecture was established in 1985 in collaboration with Philips for an initial five-year period; it was subsequently renewed in 1985. Held annually it was last given in 1992. C. Thomas Elliott
1992		 [39]
Pilgrim Trust Lecture 1938 The Pilgrim Trust Lecture was created in 1938 in collaboration with the Pilgrim Trust, who sponsored a series of lectures to be organised by the Royal Society and the United States National Academy of Sciences and to be held in Washington, D.C., and London in alternate years. The last lecture of the series was given in 1945. Hermann Joseph Muller
1945		 [40]
Tercentenary Lectures 1960 The Tercentenary Lectures were a series of lectures held at the tercentenary of the Royal Society of London in 1960 Vincent Wigglesworth
1960		 [41]
Wilkins Lecture 1947 The Wilkins Lecture was created in 1947 after a donation from JD Griffith Davies, the Royal Society secretary. It was named after John Wilkins, the first secretary of the Royal Society, and last given in 2006. It is now included in the Wilkins-Bernal-Medawar Lecture. John L. Heilbron
2006		 [42]
Microsoft Award 2006 The Microsoft Award was awarded annually to scientists who had made "a major contribution to the advancement of science through the use of computational methods". It was shared between the Royal Society and the French Academy of Sciences and accompanied by a grant of € 250,000, of which 243,000 was for research purposes and 7000 was a gift to the winner. Last given in 2009, the award has now been replaced by the Milner Award. Peer Bork
2009		 [43]
UK-Canada Rutherford Lecture 1982 The UK-Canada Rutherford Lecture was an international lecture of the Royal Society created following an agreement between the Royal Society and the Royal Society of Canada in 1982. It was held annually with the location alternating between Canada and the United Kingdom, and its stated purpose was "to strengthen links between the two societies and between scientists in Canada and the United Kingdom generally". John Earnest Walker
2010		 [44]
Blackett Memorial Lecture 1975 The Blackett Memorial Lecture was maintained by the Royal Society and the Indian National Science Academy, and was named after Patrick Blackett. Lectures were held biennially and alternated between locations in India (proposed by the Indian National Science Academy) and locations in the United Kingdom (proposed by the Royal Society). K. VijayRaghavan
2010		 [45]
Claude Bernard Lecture 1984 The Claude Bernard Lecture was (along with the Humphry Davy Lecture) one of two lectures created following an agreement between the Royal Society and the French Academy of Sciences in 1984. The lecture was named after Claude Bernard and was given annually by a senior French scientist on a visit to the United Kingdom Jean-Baptiste Leblond
2008		 [46]
Humphry Davy Lecture 1984 The Humphry Davy Lecture was (along with the Claude Bernard Lecture) one of two lectures created following an agreement between the Royal Society and the French Academy of Sciences in 1984. The lecture was named after Humphry Davy and was given annually by a senior British scientist on a visit to France David Baulcombe
2010		 [46]

References

  1. ^ "Awards, medals and prize lectures". The Royal Society. Archived from the original on 9 February 2009. Retrieved 9 February 2009.
  2. ^ a b "Croonian Medal and Lecture". The Royal Society. Retrieved 16 June 2017.
  3. ^ "The Copley Medal (1731)". The Royal Society. Archived from the original on 12 February 2009. Retrieved 4 February 2009.
  4. ^ "The Armourers & Brasiers' Company Prize". The Royal Society. Retrieved 28 October 2020.
  5. ^ "The Royal Society GlaxoSmithKline Prize and Lecture". The Royal Society. Retrieved 19 November 2015.
  6. ^ "Royal Society Michael Faraday Award for excellence in communicating science to UK audiences". The Royal Society. Retrieved 28 October 2020.
  7. ^ "Royal Society Milner Award". Royal Society. Retrieved 16 June 2017.
  8. ^ "Royal Society Mullard Award". The Royal Society. Retrieved 16 June 2017.
  9. ^ "Royal Society Africa Prize | Royal Society". royalsociety.org. Retrieved 20 October 2020.
  10. ^ "Royal Society Athena Prize | Royal Society". royalsociety.org. Retrieved 28 October 2020.
  11. ^ "Past winners and shortlisted books". The Royal Society. Retrieved 16 June 2017.
  12. ^ "The Rosalind Franklin Award". The Royal Society. Retrieved 28 October 2020.
  13. ^ "The David Attenborough Award". The Royal Society. Retrieved 28 October 2020.
  14. ^ "Royal Society Hauksbee Award". The Royal Society. Retrieved 2 December 2022.
  15. ^ "Bakerian Medal and Lecture". The Royal Society. Retrieved 16 June 2017.
  16. ^ "The Clifford Paterson Lecture (1975)". The Royal Society. 2008. Retrieved 17 October 2012.
  17. ^ "Francis Crick Medal and Lecture". The Royal Society. Retrieved 13 September 2013.
  18. ^ "Ferrier Medal and Lecture". The Royal Society. Retrieved 7 February 2009.
  19. ^ "The Leeuwenhoek Lecture (1948)". The Royal Society. Retrieved 18 May 2012.
  20. ^ "The Wilkins-Bernal-Medawar Medal and Lecture". The Royal Society. Retrieved 16 June 2017.
  21. ^ "The Rutherford Memorial Lecture (1952)". The Royal Society. Retrieved 13 September 2013.
  22. ^ "The Buchanan Medal". Retrieved 20 November 2015.
  23. ^ "The Copley Medal". Retrieved 16 June 2017.
  24. ^ "Darwin Medal". The Royal Society. Retrieved 16 June 2017.
  25. ^ "The Davy Medal". The Royal Society. Retrieved 16 June 2017.
  26. ^ "The Gabor Medal". The Royal Society. Retrieved 20 November 2015.
  27. ^ "The Hughes Medal". The Royal Society. Retrieved 20 November 2015.
  28. ^ "The Hughes Medal". The Royal Society. Retrieved 16 June 2017.
  29. ^ "Royal Society King Charles II Medal". Royal Society. Retrieved 9 August 2016.
  30. ^ "The Leverhulme Medal". The Royal Society. Retrieved 16 June 2017.
  31. ^ "The Royal Society – The Royal Medal". The Royal Society. Retrieved 16 June 2017.
  32. ^ "The Rumford Medal". The Royal Society. Retrieved 16 June 2017.
  33. ^ "The Sylvester Medal". The Royal Society. Retrieved 16 June 2017.
  34. ^ "The Bernal Lecture (1969)". The Royal Society. Retrieved 7 February 2009.
  35. ^ "The Esso Energy Award (1974)". The Royal Society. Retrieved 7 February 2009.
  36. ^ "The Florey Lecture (1981)". The Royal Society. Retrieved 7 February 2009.
  37. ^ "Royal Society Kohn Award for Excellence in Engaging the Public with Science". The Royal Society. Retrieved 13 September 2013.
  38. ^ "The Medawar Lecture (1985)". The Royal Society. Retrieved 7 February 2009.
  39. ^ "The Philips Lecture (1980)". The Royal Society. Retrieved 7 February 2009.
  40. ^ "The Pilgrim Trust Lecture (1938)". The Royal Society. Retrieved 7 February 2009.
  41. ^ "The Tercentenary Lectures (1960)". The Royal Society. Retrieved 7 February 2009.
  42. ^ "The Wilkins Lecture (1947)". The Royal Society. Retrieved 7 February 2009.
  43. ^ "Royal Society and Académie des sciences Microsoft Award". The Royal Society. Retrieved 8 February 2009.
  44. ^ "The UK-Canada Rutherford Lecture (1982)". The Royal Society. Retrieved 7 February 2009.
  45. ^ "The Blackett Memorial Lecture (1975)". The Royal Society. Retrieved 7 February 2009.
  46. ^ a b "The Humphry Davy and Claude Bernard lectures (1984)". The Royal Society. Retrieved 7 February 2009.
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