Join us online for the Society Showcase and Annual General Meeting (AGM). Registered delegates can find information about joining the event below.
Society Showcase and AGM 2021 – joining instructions
Each year, the Society hosts a showcase event for early career members to come together, meet each other and interact with other members of the Society who are at different stages of their careers. The event allows us to recognise the excellent work that our community, including Committee members, Champions and Prize Winners have accomplished over the past year.
This year’s online event will feature the final of the Sir Howard Dalton Young Microbiologist of the Year Competition, featuring talks from scientists shortlisted from presentations given at Annual Conference Online 2021. The prize recognises and rewards excellence in science communication by a member who is either a postgraduate student, or a postdoctoral researcher within two years of gaining their PhD.
During the AGM, members are invited to be part of the approval process of Society matters, and to witness incoming and outgoing members of Council and Divisions.
The event will conclude with the announcement of the winner of the Young Microbiologist of the Year, followed by an outreach session, featuring a presentation with the winner of the Microbiology Outreach Prize 2021. This will be followed by a training session that will equip attendees with the skills to conduct successful science communication online.
This special online event promises to be a great celebration of the work of Society members, which everyone is invited to attend.
Further information will be announced in the build up to the event on our social media channels and you can follow us on Twitter @MicrobioSoc.
Image credit: Hana Veler
This year’s Showcase will be begin with the final of the Sir Howard Dalton Young Microbiologist of the Year Competition.
Each year, the Sir Howard Dalton Young Microbiologist of the Year Competition recognises and rewards excellence in science communication by a Microbiology Society member who is a postgraduate student or postdoctoral researcher, having gained their PhD in the last two years.
Finalists shortlisted from oral and poster presentations at Annual Conference Online 2021 will present their research to compete for the award, which will be judged by a panel chaired by Prof Jose Bengoechea, co-Chair of the Sustainability Committee, and comprising representatives of the Society’s Divisions.
The 2021 finalists are:
I am fascinated by predatory Bdellovibrio bacteria and the molecular mechanisms that facilitate the invasion of Bdellovibrio into its prey. More broadly, my interests lie in bacterial cell biology, particularly processes that occur at bacterial cell surfaces - for example cell envelope structure, morphology, pathogenesis, protein secretion and interbacterial interactions.
I’m interested in how respiratory viruses interact with one another at the cellular level during coinfection. I work with two clinically important respiratory viruses: Influenza A virus (IAV) and Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and use functional experiments combined with imaging to try and identify sources of virus-virus interactions.
Can we predict the evolution of bacteria? One major barrier to making accurate predictions is the event of mutation, which is often considered to be inherently unpredictable. My work is dedicated to elucidating the mechanisms that bias mutation, allowing for predictable evolutionary outcomes from the chance event that is mutation.
I am interested in identifying crucial host-microbe interactions that drive fungal and viral sepsis. In addition, I am also focused on the signalling pathways that are triggered during pathogenesis and developing novel therapeutics against these targets.
The life we see is eukaryotic and multicellular. However, all eukaryotes likely evolved from symbiosis between archaea and bacteria. In my research I explore archaeal cell biology, seeing that the biology conserved in both eukaryotes and archaea might offer evolutionary clues to the essential biochemistry of human life.
I am interested in molecular microbiology with particular fascination in the mechanisms employed by pathogenic bacteria to colonise and survive within the human host. I enjoy research that connects both bacterial and host factors to the disease process!
I’m broadly interested in host/vector/pathogen interactions. Specifically during my PhD I have been investigating Deformed wing virus, a pathogen of honey bees which is transmitted by the ectoparasitic mite Varroa destructor.
Image credit: Hana Veler
We are delighted to announce to all members of the Microbiology Society that we will be hosting our Annual General Meeting (AGM) online from 13:30 – 14:15 on Thursday 16 September 2021.
All members are welcome to register and participate in the online meeting. If you would like to discuss anything about the event, please contact us in advance at [email protected]
The virtual meeting room will open from 13:00 and the AGM will commence from 13:30.
The schedule of the AGM will be as follows:
Notice of the 2021 AGM
Minutes of the 2020 AGM
2020 Annual Report and Accounts
2022 Member Subscription Rates
Incoming Members of Council, Committees and Divisions
Outgoing Members of Council, Committees and Divisions
Image credit: Hana Veler
The day will conclude with an outreach session, featuring a presentation by the winner of the Microbiology Outreach Prize 2021, Dr Edward Hutchinson from University of Glasgow, Centre for Virus Research, who was awarded the prize for his project, Virus Snowflakes.
The Microbiology Outreach Prize is awarded annually by the Society to an individual or group of microbiologists who have demonstrated an outstanding outreach initiative.
Ed will deliver a presentation about the innovative Virus Snowflakes project, which is a low-cost, papercraft educational resource, explaining virus structures by repurposing traditional paper snowflake designs.
The virtual space is busier than ever so how do you stand out from the crowd? This interactive workshop, led by Dr Jamie Gallagher, will guide you through the world of online engagement looking at how we share our science stories in interesting, memorable and engaging ways. We will explore the different platforms and tools that can be used to create content and connect with people outside of our bubble. The session will also cover how to keep interactions positive and ensure your safety online.
Jamie is an award-winning freelance communicator and engagement professional with ten years’ experience in the delivery and evaluation of quality engagement projects. Working across dozens of institutions and subject areas he has helped improve the reach, profile and impact of research engagement in almost every discipline. He has delivered training and events around the world, he has also written a pop science book and appeared on numerous TV and radio programs. When not talking about science Jamie is works with universities, charities and museums helping them to demonstrate their impact and understand their audiences.
Twitter: @jamiebgall
Image credit: Hana Veler
To highlight the excellent work of the poster prize winners that presented at Annual Conference Online 2021, their posters will be available to view on the virtual event platform. A selection of flash poster presentations from the winner and runners up of the ‘People’s Choice Poster Prize’ and presenters that were awarded one the ‘Journals Most Promising Science Prize’ will also be available to access on demand anytime during the live event and for a period of 30 days afterwards.
Please note that there is one registration link to participate in all the activities throughout the day. Please tick the specific session(s) that you would like to attend when completing your registration.
Please see the programme for details of individual sessions.
| Member | Free |
| Non-Member | Free |
Upon registration, you should receive an automated confirmation email. Please contact [email protected] if after 24 hours this has not been received.
Once you have registered, please read the joining instructions below, which include information on how to access the virtual event platform, how to download the mobile app, and other details that will ensure your attendance at the event goes as smoothly as possible.
Society Showcase and AGM 2021 – joining instructionsPlease inform the conferences team if you can no longer attend the event after registering by contacting [email protected].
Image credit: Hana Veler
The Society Showcase and AGM will be held online on a virtual event platform, which will allow participants to navigate the event programme, access scientific content, gain access to live sessions and interact with other event attendees.
The event will also include an optional mobile event app. This can be downloaded for free to your smartphone or tablet and it is best used in conjunction with the event platform (that is accessed via your web browser).
A link and instructions on how to access the virtual event platform and details on how to download the mobile app are available in the joining instructions below.
Society Showcase and AGM 2021 – joining instructionsIt is highly recommended that event participants use Google Chrome as their internet browser when using the virtual event platform. It is also possible to use Microsoft Edge, although Safari is not supported.
Image credit: Hana Veler