A lifetime's research dedicated to the field of ecology is being honoured by the British Ecological Society, with the presentation of Honorary Membership to Professor Emeritus at the University of Dundee Janet Sprent.
Janet Sprent's research interests include nitrogen nutrition of plants, and she is a world authority in the field of legume nodulation and their benefits to developing countries. Legumes can be grown in adverse environments including extreme temperatures and low nutrient soils. Forage, food and shelter are just some of the long term benefits they provide for both humans and animals.
Honorary membership of the British Ecological Society (BES) is the highest honour that the Society gives. The primary criterion for honorary membership is great distinction in the science of ecology or its application. Other criteria, such as service to the BES, may be brought into play but would not normally merit the award without at least a very strong scientific record. The number of Honorary Members at anyone time is limited to approximately 1% of the total membership of the Society. The Society's Council is responsible for nominating and awarding honorary membership.
Professor Grace, President of the BES said "Janet's contribution has been immense. She is one of the world's leading authorities on nitrogen fixation in leguminous plants, a subject which has enormous world-wide economic importance but is of special significance in the tropics. Apart from her high research achievement, she has also served science well: she has never flinched from 'doing duty' on committees, and she has never failed to enrich the discussion with her sharp intellect and her insightful comments. The award of the Honorary Membership of the British Ecological Society is richly deserved".
Janet Sprent taught at the University of Dundee from July 1967 until her retirement in 1998 and still carries out research there. She held the offices of Head of Department of Biological Sciences, Dean of Science and Engineering and Deputy Principal. She has served on a number of major committees, such as the Scottish Higher Education Funding Council and the Natural Environment Research Council and was chairman of governors of the Macaulay Land Use Research Institute, Aberdeen and has recently been appointed to the Royal Commission on Environmental Pollution. She is a Board member of Scottish Natural Heritage and chairs their Scientific Advisory Committee.
Retirement for Janet provided the time to write and in 2001 her long awaited study "Nodulation in Legumes", explaining the ability of legume plants to act as natural soil fertilizers by fixing nitrogen, was published.
Throughout her career, Janet has supervised over 40 postgraduates students from 8 countries, has published more than 52 papers since 1995 and is author or co-author of 5 books.
In 1996 Janet was awarded an OBE for services to Science and to Education.
Janet will be presented her award, by the President of the BES, Professor John Grace, at the Annual General Meeting at the University of York, on Thursday, 19 December.
On hearing of her award Professor Sprent said "Like all awards, this one owes at least as much to others, - my many students and colleagues - as to me. The BES has not only done us a great honour, it has also legitimised me, - after many years of uncertainty as to what to call myself, I can now honestly claim to be an ecologist!"
By Jane Smernicki, Press Officer 01382 344768 j.m.smernicki@dundee.ac.uk