e-bulletin – January 2008

Scottish Bioinformatics Forum (SBF) As from 1 January 2008, the SBF has been operating under the governance of the RSE Scotland Foundation, the Society's connected charitable Trust. SBF staff, Dr Chris Janssen and Sandra Borthwick have joined us on secondment and are based at the Society where they will continue to deliver the Forum's work which initially began in 2006. The SBF is funded through the Scottish Bioinformatics Research Network and its aim is to enhance knowledge and understanding of bioinformatics technology in both the bioinformatics and life sciences communities. Further details of the Forum's activities can be found on its web-site – www.sbforum.org or by contacting Chris or Sandra – [email protected] – 0131 240 2783

Final call – nominations for the Royal Medal – closing date 4 February 2008 Full details and nomination forms are available from Anne Fraser – [email protected] – 0131 240 5013 or see www.royalsoced.org.uk/research_fellowships/prizes/prize_noms.htm

RSE Fellows Honoured The RSE offers its congratulations to the following Fellows who were honoured in Her Majesty The Queen’s New Year Honours List: Knights Bachelor – Professor Timothy Michael Martin O’Shea; Professor John Stewart Savill; Professor Ian Wilmut OBE; Order of the British Empire; Commander (CBE) – Professor Michael Anthony John Ferguson

Fellow Deceased It is with much regret that we report the death of John Christopher Bartholomew. The Fellowship Office is grateful for offers of Obituary Writers in response to previous notifications of deceased Fellows; if you can assist with these or suggest an obituary writer for Mr Bartholomew, please contact Dr Lesley Campbell – [email protected] – 0131 240 5012

Diary Dates New Fellows’ Induction – Friday 25 April 2008 Annual Statutory Meeting – Monday 6 October 2008 A full list of dates for Council and Executive Board meetings for the year can be found at: www.royalsoced.org.uk/fellowship/meeting_dates.htm The next RSE Ordinary Meeting will take place before the Gannochy Trust Innovation Prize Lecture on Monday 3 March 2008 at 5.30 pm.

Fellows’ Golf Outing This year’s Fellows’ golf outing will take place at the Golf House Club, Elie, on Thursday 1 May. It has been arranged in response to a suggestion that there should be a match between the various Sector groups of Fellows within the Society, namely: Life Sciences; Physical Sciences; Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences; and, Economics, Business and Industry. It will be a pleasant social occasion and anyone wishing to participate should contact Dr Lesley Campbell – [email protected] – 0131 240 5012

Fellows’ Coffee Meetings Coffee is available in the Fellows’ Room on Tuesday mornings from 10.30 am throughout the year. Once a month, between October and March, these take the form of a discussion on a topic introduced by a speaker in the Wellcome East Room. These are informal and friendly occasions, open to Fellows only, and if you are able to attend, you will be made most welcome. 5 February 2008 The place of the victim and the victim’s family in criminal proceedings. The Rt. Hon. Lord Cameron of Lochbroom QC, PC 4 March 2008 Science and conservation: their influence on livestock farming in Scotland. Dr James Irvine

Pakistan Reception The RSE hosted a reception on 17 January in the Society’s rooms to tie in with a conference organised by the University of St Andrews. The conference brought together leading figures from Pakistan’s top universities to finalise a new postgraduate PhD partnership. If successful, the University of St Andrews hopes the model will allow other Scottish universities to forge similar partnerships with HE institutions across Pakistan.

International Exchange Programme for Fellows and non-Fellows The next deadline for applications is 30 April. Bilateral and Open applications are invited for this deadline to support research collaboration in all areas between Scottish and overseas researchers. Please ensure your colleagues are made aware of this and encourage them to apply. Please note that applications for exchanges with India and Pakistan are invited at any time, not just at the quarterly deadlines. For further information, please see www.royalsoced.org.uk/international/exchanges/ or contact Morven Chisholm – [email protected] – 0131 240 5018

Research Awards – closing dates for 2008 Lloyds TSB Foundation for Scotland Research Fellowships and PhD Studentships – 22 February 2008 Robert Cormack Vacation Scholarships – 25 February 2008 J M Lessells Travel Scholarships – 14 March 2008 Scottish Government Research Fellowships – 17 March 2008 BP Research Fellowships – 28 March 2008 For further information please contact Tracy Rickard – [email protected] – 0131 240 5023

RSE Events For tickets and information about RSE events, please visit the Society's website, www.royalsoced.org.uk/events, or contact [email protected], or the events ticketline – 0131 240 2780. Unless stated otherwise, events are held at the RSE. Registration is required for all RSE events. Tickets are available as follows:

James Scott Prize Lecture – Security, Insecurity, Paranoia and Quantum Mechanics. Professor Stephen Barnett FRS, FRSE, Professor of Quantum Optics, Department of Physics, University of Strathclyde. Monday 4 February 2008 at 5.30 pm. This lecture is full and a waiting list is in operation.

ECRR Peter Wilson Lecture – Science, Innovation, Education: The Challenge to Society. Professor Geoffrey Boulton OBE, FRS, FRSE (General Secretary of the RSE), Vice-Principal and Regius Professor of Geology and Mineralogy, University of Edinburgh. Tuesday 12 February 2008 at 5.30 pm.

Cultural Flagships Series Discussion Forum – Music and Opera. Speakers include: Jonathan Mills, Festival Director and Chief Executive, Edinburgh International Festival and Roy McEwan, Managing Director, Scottish Chamber Orchestra. Further speakers to be announced. Thursday 21 February 2008 at 6 pm. This event is full and a waiting list is in operation.

Fellows’ Discussion Supper – The Howie Report Revisited. Speakers include: Professor John Howie CBE, FRSE and Graham Donaldson, HM Chief Inspector, Post-School Education. Wednesday 27 February 2008 at 6.30pm. An attendance fee of £25 applies. To register please contact Duncan Welsh – [email protected] – 0131 240 5027

Gannochy Trust Innovation Award Prize Lecture – New Antibiotics from the Sea Bed to the Hospital Bed. Dr Andrew Mearns Spragg, CEO, Aquapharm BioDiscovery Ltd. Monday 3 March 2008 at 5 pm.

Lecture – Optos: The Design Challenges and Business Tribulations. Douglas Anderson, Executive Director, Optos plc. Monday 10 March 2008 at 5.30 pm (Joint Lecture with the Royal Academy of Engineering).

Fellows’ Discussion Dinner – Is Public Spending Stifling Economic Growth? Speakers include: Sir John Ward CBE, FRSE, FIET, Chairman Scottish Enterprise and Professor Brian Ashcroft FRSE, Professor of Economics, Fraser Allander Institute, University of Strathclyde. The event will be chaired by Professor Gavin McCrone CB, FRSE. Monday 10 March 2008 at 7 pm (following the lecture). Tickets for the dinner are £32. Please note, spaces are limited. To download a booking form please go to: www.royalsoced.org.uk/events/conf2008/fells_disc_din.pdf or contact the Events Team – 0131 240 2780

Staff News Angela Nicholson joined the RSE team on Monday 7 January as part-time Records Project Management Officer.

Update of mailing list The Fellows’ monthly e.bulletin is sent out in electronic and paper format and some Fellows are receiving it in both forms. If you would like now only to receive it once, please inform us, indicating which is your preferred method of receipt. Contact Jenny Liddell – [email protected] – 0131 240 5019. As always, any other comments about the bulletin are also welcome. In order that we can keep our mailing lists up-to-date for all communication with Fellows, we invite you to tell us which items you wish to receive and to which address. This information can be submitted electronically at any time via: www.royalsoced.org.uk/fellowship/mailing_items.htm