The Darwin Medal is one of the medals awarded by the Royal Society for "distinction in evolution, biological diversity and developmental, population and organismal biology".[1]
In 1885, International Darwin Memorial Fund was transferred to the Royal Society. The fund was devoted for promotion of biological research, and was used to establish the Darwin Medal.[2] The medal was first awarded to Alfred Russel Wallace in 1890 for "his independent origination of the theory of the origin of species by natural selection."[3][4] The medal commemorates the work of English biologist Charles Darwin (1809–1882).[5] Darwin, most famous for his 1859 book On the Origin of Species,[6] was a fellow of the Royal Society, and had received the Royal Medal in 1853 and the Copley Medal in 1864.[2]
The diameter of the Darwin Medal is 2+1⁄4 inch (5.7 cm). It is made of silver. The obverse has Darwin's portrait, while the reverse has a wreath of plants with Darwin's name in Latin, "Carolus Darwin". It is surrounded by the years of his birth and death in Roman numerals (MDCCCIX and MDCCCLXXXII). The general design of the medal was by John Evans, the president of the Royal Numismatic Society.[5]
Since its creation the Darwin Medal has been awarded over 60 times. Among the recipients are Francis Darwin, Charles Darwin's son, and two married couples: Jack and Yolande Heslop-Harrison in 1982 and Peter and Rosemary Grant in 2002. Initially accompanied by a grant of £100,[2] the medal is currently awarded with a grant of £2,000.[1] All citizens who have been residents of the United Kingdom, Commonwealth of Nations, or the Republic of Ireland for more than three years are eligible for the medal. The medal was awarded biennially from 1890 until 2018; since then it is awarded annually.[1]
"On account of his important contributions to the progress of systematic botany, as evidenced by the 'Genera Plantarum' and the 'Flora Indica'; but more especially on account of his intimate association with Mr. Darwin in the studies preliminary to the 'Origin of Species'."
"For his researches on the life history and societies of the Termitidae, and on the developmental relationship between Leptocephalus and the common eel and other muraenidae."
"For his numerous contributions to the exact study of heredity & variation contained in 'Hereditary Genius', 'Natural Inheritance', and other writings."
"In recognition of his long continued work for the advancement of marine biology, not only by his own researches but by the great influence he has exerted on very numerous investigations at Plymouth."
"For his contributions to the solution of problems bearing on the inter-relationships of the main groups of the Mammalia and on the phylogenetic history of the primates, a subject with which Charles Darwin himself was much concerned."
"In recognition of his researches on primitive fishes and amphibians which have much advanced the knowledge of the evolution of these groups of animals."
"In recognition of his distinguished contributions to the theory of natural selection, the concept of its gene complex and the evolution of dominance."
"In recognition of his distinguished contributions to general evolutionary theory, based on a profound study of palaeontology, particularly of vertebrates."
"In recognition of his distinguished and extensive contributions in the field of invertebrate zoology and to our understanding of general biological phenomena."
"In recognition of the basic concepts he has contributed to the study of animal ecology which, with his foundation of the Bureau of Animal Population, have had international impact."
"In recognition of his outstanding work on natural populations of butterflies, describing and explaining the operation of natural selection and demonstrating the genetic basis upon which selection operates."
"In recognition of their major contributions to plant physiology including fundamental studies on insectivorous plants, much of this research carried out jointly."
"In recognition of his outstanding success in combining mathematics with biology to enhance our understanding of evolution, in particular the evolution of sex."
"In recognition of his distinguished work on evolutionary theory. His contributions include the theory of kin selection to account for altruistic behaviour and the theoretical demonstration of a link between disease resistance and the evolution of sex."
"For his research on the population biology and evolution of plants which has greatly improved understanding of the adaptation of plants to their environment."
"In recognition of his analysis of pattern formation during insect segmentation, and of his contribution to understanding how genetic processes specify spatial information."
"In recognition of their work on cereal genome organisation and evolution which has revolutionised cereal genetics by showing that the genetics of all the different cereals can be considered in a common framework."
"In recognition of his distinguished work on selection in age-structured populations, extending the theory to the evolution of ageing, and testing the theories of mutation accumulation and pleiotropy, developing models for the evolution of genetic systems, including sex and recombination, inbreeding and outbreeding, separate sexes and sex chromosomes, segregation distortion and repetitive DNA."
"for their fundamental work on the ecology, breeding and evolution of Darwin's finches on the Galapagos islands. This work has become the classic example of Darwinian evolution in the wild."
"for their ground-breaking discoveries about the control of flower development. They have combined molecular and genetic approaches to answer some of Darwins key questions about the natural variation of floral form and the evolution of floral development."
"for his major and extensive contributions to evolutionary biology, by the application of sophisticated mathematical analysis but focussed on developing biological understanding rather than mathematical niceties."
"for his lifetime contribution to the foundations and development of behavioural ecology, in particular for understanding evolutionary adaptations and their consequences for natural populations."
"for his outstanding work on the diversity of animal societies and demonstration of their effects on the evolution of reproductive strategies, the operation of selection and the dynamics of populations."
"for her work addressing fundamental questions in the perception of temperature cues and how modifications in epigenetic mechanisms play an important role in adaptation."
"for outstanding contributions to genetics and epigenetics, including defining the role of RNA interference in inherited gene silencing and in genomic stability in the germ line."
"for major and fundamental contributions to the understanding of the how species originate, adaptive radiations develop, and geographical patterns of biodiversity emerge and are maintained."
"for his fundamental, paradigm-changing contributions to the understanding of mitochondrial endosymbiosis and the origins of eukaryotes in a new two-domain tree of life."
"for his pioneering contributions to somatic evolution, including some of the most creative and influential studies of evolution in cancer and normal tissues."
^Macaulay, James; Miller, William Haig; Stevens, William, eds. (1893). The Leisure Hour. Vol. 42. W. Stevens. p. 503. Archived from the original on 22 January 2022. Retrieved 22 January 2022 – via Google Books.
^"College Notes"(PDF). The Eagle. Vol. LXXI, no. 297. St John's College. 1989. p. 56. Archived(PDF) from the original on 8 February 2022. Retrieved 9 February 2022.