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Our Champions Scheme allows members to promote microbiology and the Society in their local areas by providing funding and resources for a variety of activities. From October to December 2025, Champion, Damilola Adesuyi (One Health and Development Initiative, Nigeria), organised an outreach project, to promote World AMR Awareness Week (WAAW), the Society and our Knocking Out AMR project. Below, Damilola shares his insights and reflections on the activity.

South Asian Heritage Month takes place every July, to deepen understanding of South Asian heritage, promote intercultural dialogue and support a more equitable and inclusive society. To mark the awareness month this year, Society Champion, Dr Deepali Luthra (Stanford University, USA) reflects on her career in microbiology, this year's theme of ‘Unity in Diversity’ and what it means to build a career across countries, cultures and scientific disciplines.

World Refugee Day takes place annually on 20 June to honour the strength and courage of people who have been forced to flee their home country to escape conflict or persecution. This year, Members Panel member, Sara Albagir Abdalla Mohammed (University of Khartoum, Sudan) discusses her experience of being displaced due to conflict, to highlight some of the challenges students and academics face.

Following a successful Equality Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) session at Annual Conference 2026, organisers Arindam Mitra, Bruno Silvester Lopes, Catherine Lawler and Guerrino Macori reflect on learnings from the session’s workshop.

We are looking to appoint Editors to play a vital role in Access Microbiology, ensuring the publication of high-quality research and fostering engagement within the Microbiology community.

Global Accessibility Awareness Day highlights the importance of creating more accessible and inclusive digital and professional spaces for Disabled people, and those living with impairments. As part of this year’s awareness day, we spoke to Eukaryotic Division and Early Career Forum Executive Committee member, Abbie Storan, about their experiences navigating higher education, and a career in microbiology, as a researcher living with autism, Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD), dyspraxia and dyscalculia. From accessing support during their studies to building confidence within research spaces, Abbie reflects on the challenges, adjustments and opportunities that have shaped their journey in science.

International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia and Transphobia is an annual event that takes place on 17 May to raise awareness of the discrimination faced by the LGBTQ+ community and celebrates its diversity. To mark the occasion this year, we hear from member, Bracken Johnston, about his experience of attending the 5th LGBTQ+ Networking Event with Trans and Nonbinary pre-meet, as part of Annual Conference 2026.

Our Champions Scheme allows members to promote microbiology and the Society in their local areas by providing funding and resources for a variety of activities. In November 2025, Champion, Bamidele Odumosu (University of Lagos, Nigeria), organised an outreach activity for high school students, to promote World AMR Awareness Week (WAAW), the Society and our Knocking Out AMR project. Below, Bamidele shares his insights and reflections on the activity.

The Microbiology Society, together with the British Mycological Society, is delighted to announce Stephen Dolan and Shafi Mondal of Clemson University, USA, as the joint winners of the 2026 Tony Trinci Award. 

As we approach Annual Conference 2026, where members of our community come together from all over the world, Prokaryotic Division member, Prerna Vohra (University of Edinburgh, UK), reflects on the importance of names.

The Microbiology Society was saddened to learn of the death of former President Professor Robin Weiss FRS, who passed away at the end of last month.

Our Champions Scheme allows members to promote microbiology and the Society in their local areas by providing funding and resources for a variety of activities. In Autumn 2025, Society Champion Georgios Efthimiou (Hull York Medical School, UK) organised a spooky story competition to coincide with World AMR Awareness Week and promote microbiology to the general public. Below, Georgios reflects on organising the competition.

Our Champions Scheme allows members to promote microbiology and the Society in their local areas by providing funding and resources for a variety of activities. In November 2025, Champion Nkechi Egbe (Nigerian Defence Academy, Nigeria) organised an outreach activity for school children in her local area, to promote World AMR Awareness Week, the Society and our Knocking Out AMR project. Below, Nkechi reflects on organising the activity.

International Women’s Day takes place annually on 8 March with the aim of forging a gender equal world, free from bias, stereotypes and discrimination. This year, to mark the day, we caught up with a few of our Champions to discuss some of challenges of being a woman in science, as well as their biggest achievements.

Women’s History Month takes place every year throughout March. This year, to mark the occasion, we have an update and request from Champion, Dr Corrado Nai (Indonesia), who is creating a graphic novel about microbiology’s forgotten woman, Fanny Angelina Hesse (1850–1934). Fanny discovered that agar could be used to grow micro-organisms. You can read more about the idea behind the project in Corrado Nai’s previous blog: Creating a graphic novel about microbiology’s forgotten woman. 

The first Women Microbiologist Network session was held at Annual Conference 2025 as a member-led event hosted by Dr Enas Newire (Middlesex University, UK). The inaugural session, titled ‘Women Microbiologists in Academia: Challenges and Opportunities’ was well attended and received positive feedback from participants.  

5 December is International Volunteer Day and it’s a great opportunity for us to highlight why Microbiology Society volunteers have decided to become Champions and have generously given their time to promote microbiology and the Society in their local areas.  
 
This year, we want to show appreciation to Champions who contribute to the Society in many different ways. They have attended events on our behalf; organised their own events; taken part in interviews, written blogs and even helped the Society go viral on LinkedIn! Champions have also played a vital role in the Society’s focus on equality, diversity and inclusion by providing content for awareness days and organising social events for members of our community from historically marginalised groups.

International Day of Persons with Disabilities takes place every year on 3 December, during UK Disability History Month. Both look to highlight the challenges faced by Disabled people. Member, Iga Wieczorek, has provided insights on her personal experiences, those of others and what needs to change.

In his third blog, the Society’s President, Professor Gordon Dougan FRS, writes about his experiences as he approaches the end of his first year in the role.

LGBTQ+ STEM Day takes place annually on 18 November to celebrate and highlight the work and barriers of LGBTQIA+ people in science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM). 

This year, we caught up with Members Panel member, Liam Cremona. He shared his insights and journey as a Gay person working in STEM.