Professor Mike Begon, Professor of Ecology at the University of Liverpool, has been awarded Honorary Membership of the British Ecological Society.
Honorary membership is the organisation’s highest honour, recognising exceptional contributions at international level to the generation, communication and promotion of ecological knowledge and solutions. Current holders include Sir David Attenborough, Dame Georgina Mace, Sir Charles Godfray and Sir John Lawton.
Professor Begon has spent his whole scientific career at the University of Liverpool, specializing in the population and community ecology of infectious diseases in wildlife. The book he wrote with Colin Townsend and John Harper, Ecology: From Individuals to Ecosystems is hailed by world leaders in ecology as the definitive textbook on all aspects of the discipline and it remains the mainstay of ecology students, university courses and practitioners worldwide.
On receiving the honour Professor Begon said: “I’m deeply grateful to the society, of which I’ve been a member all my working life, for this award. The British Ecology Society continues to punch way above its weight on the international stage. This makes me especially proud to be an Honorary Member.”
He is just one of just eleven distinguished ecologists recognised in the Society’s 2020 awards for the positive impact of their work on the scientific community and society in general.
Professor Jane Memmott, President of the British Ecological Society, said: “I am delighted to offer my congratulations to the winners of this year’s BES awards for their exceptional contributions to ecology. Each year these prizes recognise and celebrate the exceptional contributions of individuals to advancing ecology and communicating its importance for society.”