BirdLife International’s Chief Scientist, Dr Stuart Butchart, has been elected as a Fellow of the Royal Society of London. This appears to be the first time a scientist working in a wildlife NGO has had this honour and it reflects well on both Dr Butchart himself and the overall science of the BirdLife family.
The Royal Society was established in 1660 and its distinguished elected fellows have included Isaac Newton and Charles Darwin. The new fellows elected each year, 90 this year, are chosen by the current fellows. I seem to recall that anyone can be nominated and their name stays on the ballot for a number of years but is then removed never to return – so the process of election requires your nominators to get their timing right and then to whip up enough support for you to beat top scientists from all over the world and across a wide range of scientific disciplines. Getting elected is, indeed, a big thing, and I’m very pleased for Stuart, and BirdLife, that he has been recognised in this way.
A few extra honorary fellows are appointed and they are sometimes controversial – Elon Musk’s FRS raised eyebrows at the time and even more in the years following.
Sir Paul Nurse, President of the Royal Society, said:
“I am delighted to welcome this newest group of exceptional scientists to the Fellowship of the Royal Society.
Their contributions reflect the highest standards of scientific endeavour. Whether advancing our understanding of vaccines or exploring the transformative potential of mathematics and computation, their work exemplifies the enduring value of curiosity, creativity and rigorous inquiry.
Our Fellowship is strengthened not only by individual distinction, but by the diversity of perspectives and experiences its members bring. This incoming cohort highlights the truly international character of contemporary science and underscores the vital role that plays in achieving breakthroughs that benefit us all.”
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