Double recognition for marine scientist
A researcher from the University of Southampton's School of Ocean and Earth Science has received double recognition as a scientist and communicator.
Dr Jon Copley, a lecturer in marine ecology, received the Biosciences Federation Science Communication Award for 2008 at an awards ceremony in London.
Jon, 36, who is based at the National Oceanography Centre, Southampton, also features in the Courvoisier Future 500 list of up-and-coming 25 to 40 year-olds in ten categories ranging from Art and Design and Business, to Public Life and Sport.
He is included in this year's Science and Innovation listing and appears in this week's (30 November) Observer newspaper supplement, which profiles emerging talents across a range of fields as "ones to watch". In addition to this recognition, Jon joins an exclusive online network, gets an opportunity for business and professional mentoring, and also has access to The Future Bank, a potential source of funding for collaborations with other Future500 members. Jon is keen to identify possible partners for future deep-sea ventures, particularly those setting the agenda in the use of new media.
Commenting on his Biosciences Federation Award, Jon said: "I'm very grateful to the Biosciences Federation for the award, which included the opportunity to speak to their members about the benefits of communicating with wider audiences."
He added: "And through the Courvoisier Future 500 network, I hope to find partners to continue the tradition of scientists from Faraday to Feynman who engaged the public about their work, using the new media of the 21st century."
Jon received the Science Communication Award in the Established Researcher category from the Biosciences Federation, which is an umbrella organisation for bioscience societies. In addition to teaching and research, Jon gives public talks, visits schools and writes popular science articles, as well as training scientists to be better communicators. He also makes frequent media appearances.