Royal Society of London for Improving Natural Knowledge

From WikiCorporates
Jump to navigation Jump to search

The Royal Society of London for Improving Natural Knowledge, originally founded as "The President, Council and Fellows of the Royal Society of London for Improving Natural Knowledge", was founded in Nov.1660 as a "learned society", and is the oldest national scientific institution in the world. It was granted a royal charter by King Charles II as "The Royal Society"; Her Majesty the Queen approved a Supplemental Charter in 2012.ref
The society is the UK's and Commonwealth of Nations' Academy of Sciences, and fulfils a number of roles: promoting science and its benefits, recognising excellence in science, supporting outstanding science, providing scientific advice for policy, fostering international and global co-operation, education and public engagement.

Notorious Members

John Browne, former chairman of Cuadrilla, who "served" as a non-executive minister at the Cabinet Office under David Cameron. Browne was single-handedly responsible for placing ref


Funding

Income for 2017 totalled £98.3 million, of which £76.1 million was from the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy. ref, p.25 This supports work on scientific excellence and innovation, science and mathematics education, international activities and science communication activities. The grant represents that share in the Science budget - voted annually since 1849 by Parliament - which is administered by the Society. The grant is negotiated with BEIS and is used by the Society for a variety of agreed purposes. Expenditure is subject to review and examination by BEIS and the National Audit Office.ref
Gifts from foundations, corporations and individual donors, as well as legacies in the form of bequests and contributions received in the memory of others.

Structure

The society is governed by its Council, which is chaired by the Society's President. The members of Council and the President are elected from and by its Fellows, the basic members of the society, who are themselves elected by existing Fellows.
As at Mar.31.2018, there were 1,462 Fellows and 170 Foreign Members from over 30 different countries, including 74 Nobel Laureates. Fellows may use the postnominal title FRS (Fellow of the Royal Society), with up to 52 new fellows appointed each year. There are also royal fellows, honorary fellows and foreign members, the last of which are allowed to use the postnominal title ForMemRS (Foreign Member of the Royal Society). ref