Commemorative Sessions
This year we were saddened to lose two highly influential ecologists who both served as President’s of the British Ecological Society. At the Festival of Ecology we will run two special sessions to commemorate the work of Bob May and Georgina Mace.
A Celebration of the Life of Bob May 1936 – 2020
Organiser: Charles Godfray, Oxford Martin School, University of Oxford
Bob May (Robert, Lord May) died on April 28 2020 after a long illness. He was amongst the most influential ecologists of the 20th century and contributed to other fields from epidemiology to economics, as well as being a very influential science advisor to government. The session will be in two parts, the first consisting of three talks describing Bob’s enduring contributions to different areas of ecology. The second will be a discussion by a panel of people who knew Bob well and will talk about the fun of working with him at different stages of his career. Participants include Roy Anderson, Tim Coulson, Jennifer Dunne, Alison Galvani, Mike Hassell, John Krebs & Simon Levin.
Celebrating the work and life of Georgina Mace
Organiser: Andy Purvis, Natural History Museum
Georgina Mace, who died in September, was a ground-breaking conservation ecologist and sustainability scientist. This session will celebrate her achievements and her career. The first half will feature three short talks showing how her research, transcending disciplinary boundaries, has helped point the way to a future where people can live in harmony with nature. In the second half, a panel of people who worked with Georgina at different stages of her career will discuss what made her such an inspirational scientist, collaborator, friend and leader. Sandra Diaz, Stuart Butchart and Ian Bateman will be the speakers, with John Gittleman, Simon Stuart, Andy Purvis and Kate Jones joining the panel discussion.
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