Honorary Membership Review Panel

Honorary Membership is offered by the Society’s Advisory Council to distinguished microbiologists who have made a significant contribution to the discipline of microbiology and/or the Society.

Nominations for Honorary Membership may be submitted by members of Advisory Council to the General Secretary from July to October every year. Advisory Council then considers whether to award Honorary Membership to each of these nominees at its in-person meeting in December.

The Honorary Membership Review Panel is convened only in the event that too large a number of nominations are received to be considered within a reasonable time at the December meeting.

The Honorary Member Review Panel is comprised of four members of Advisory Council (including the General Secretary in the Chair). Participants are not approached until after the initial receipt of nominations so as to avoid conflicts of interest between panel members and candidates. The panel is appointed to reflect the diversity of Advisory Council’s membership, particularly in relation to:

      a. Gender balance, and insofar as possible, other legal protected characteristics

      b. Spread of disciplinary expertise

      c. Inclusion of both appointed and elected members of Advisory Council

      d. Inclusion of both members who have served on a panel before and those who have not.

      e. Insofar as possible, balance of geographic spread of panel members, particularly in relation to the balance between members from the UK and Ireland. Where appropriate, the Panel may add additional members in order to secure geographic representation.

The panel meets remotely to discuss the nominations submitted and present a recommended shortlist to Advisory Council for discussion. 

A maximum of two Honorary memberships are awarded each year, with the expectation that in most years, there will be no more than one.