Awards

The Mary Anning medal is awarded to avocational palaeontologists and is named for the pioneering fossil collector and dealer Mary Anning (1799–1847) of Lyme Regis. This award is conferred on a palaeontologist who is not professionally employed within the discipline but who has made an outstanding contribution to palaeontology. Such contributions may range from the compilation of fossil collections and their care and conservation, to published studies in recognized journals.

Who can nominate?
Requires nomination by two members of the Association

Deadline: 31st March

The Gertrude Elles Award is awarded for amateur or institutional public engagement projects that promote palaeontology. The award is named for Gertrude Lilian Elles MBE (1872–1960), Vice Principal of Newnham College and Reader at the University of Cambridge (UK), who made seminal contributions to the taxonomy and biostratigraphy of graptolites of the British Isles. The award recognizes high-quality public engagement in the field of palaeontology. Nominated projects can include museum displays and exhibitions, outreach programmes to schools and/or communities, art/science collaborations, digital initiatives, or any other programme that falls broadly under the heading of public engagement with palaeontology.

Who can nominate? 
Nomination by one or more individuals. Individuals do not need to be members of the Association. Can self-nominate. 

Deadline: 31st March

Recognizes outstanding research and science communication in palaeontology among members of the Association. 

Who can nominate?
Self-nomination 

Deadline: 15th of November

Awarded for the best poster(s) at the Annual Meeting. 

Who qualifies?
All student members of the Association, and all members of the Association who are early-career researchers within one year of the award of a higher degree (PhD or MSc). N/A

Deadline: N/A

Awarded for the best talk(s) at the Annual Meeting. 

Who qualifies?
All student members of the Association, and all members of the Association who are early-career researchers within one year of the award of a higher degree (PhD or MSc). 

Deadline: N/A

• 2000 - Prof. Harry B. Whittington FRS
• 2002 - Sir Alwyn Williams FRS
• 2004 - Prof. James Valentine
• 2005 - Prof. William G. Chaloner FRS
• 2006 - Prof. A. (Dolf) Seilacher
• 2007 - Prof. Anthony Hallam
• 2008 - Prof. Charles H. Holland
• 2009 - Prof. Bruce N. Runnegar
• 2010 - Dr L. R. M. (Robin) Cocks OBE
• 2011 - Prof. Richard J. Aldridge
• 2012 - Prof. Euan N.K. Clarkson
• 2013 - Prof. Dianne Edwards FRS
• 2014 - Prof. Richard A. Fortey OBE FRS FRSL
• 2015 - Prof. Jennifer Clack FRS
• 2016 - Dr Adrian W.A. Rushton
• 2017 - Prof. Stefan Bengtson
• 2018 - Prof. Derek J. Siveter
• 2019 - Prof. Derek E.G. Briggs FRS
• 2020 - Dr Andrew B. Smith FRS
• 2021 - Dr Angela C. Milner
• 2022 - Prof. Moya Meredith Smith
• 2023 - Prof. Else Marie Friis
• 2024 - Prof. Michael J. Benton OBE FRS

• 2008 - Dr Paul Upchurch
• 2009 - Dr Kevin Peterson
• 2010 - Dr Nicholas Butterfield
• 2011 - Dr Gregory Edgecombe
• 2012 - Dr Harry Dowsett
• 2013 - Prof. Charles H. Wellman
• 2014 - Prof. Philip C.J. Donoghue
• 2015 - Prof. Graham Budd
• 2016 - Prof. Paul M. Barrett
• 2017 - Prof. Jennifer C. McElwain
• 2018 - Prof. Emily J. Rayfield
• 2019 - Dr Mark D. Sutton
• 2020 - Prof. Xu Xing
• 2021 - Prof. Anjali Goswami
• 2022 - Dr Zerina Johanson
• 2023 - Prof. Richard J. Butler
• 2024 - Prof. Daniela N. Schmidt

• 2001 - Dr Ivan J. Sansom & Dr Patrick J. Orr
• 2002 - Dr Matthew Wills & Dr Graham Budd
• 2003 - Dr Charlotte Jeffery
• 2004 - Dr Heather Wilson
• 2005 - Dr Philip C.J. Donoghue
• 2006 - Dr Paul Barrett & Dr Guy Harrington
• 2007 - Dr Shanan Peters
• 2008 - Dr Bridget Wade
• 2009 - Dr Emily Rayfield
• 2010 - Dr Thijs Vandenbroucke
• 2011 - Dr Richard Butler
• 2012 - Dr Jakob Vinther
• 2013 - Dr Matthew Friedman
• 2014 - Dr Maria E. McNamara
• 2015 - Dr Roger B.J. Benson
• 2016 - Dr Susannah C.R. Maidment & Dr Robert S. Sansom
• 2017 - Dr Stephen L. Brusatte
• 2018 - Dr Xiaoya Ma
• 2019 - Dr Silvia Danise
• 2020 - Dr Erin E. Saupe
• 2021 - Dr Russell J. Garwood
• 2022 - Prof. Allison C. Daley
• 2023 - Prof. Rachel C.M. Warnock
• 2024 - Dr. Emilia Jarochowska 

• R. J. Aldridge*
• H. A. Armstrong
• S. A. Baldwin
• M. G. Bassett*
• D. J. Batten*
• J. H. Callomon*
• W. G. Chaloner*
• E. N. K. Clarkson*
• L. R. M. Cocks*
• J. E. W. Cope
• Sir Peter Crane
• D. Edwards
• R. A. Fortey*
• A. Hallam*
• C. H. Holland*
• J. D. Hudson
• P. D. Lane
• J. W. Murray*
• T. J. Palmer
• C. R. C. Paul
• W. D. I. Rolfe
• M. Romano
• G. Sevastopulo*
• P. W. Skelton
• A. B. Smith
• S. Stouge*

*Deceased
 

[*prior to 1999 this was known as the “Award to Amateur Palaeontologists” or the “Amateur Palaeontologist Award”]

• 1990 - Alan Dawn
• 1991 - Mr R. Williams
• 1992 - Felix Whitham
• 1993 - Steve Etches
• 1994 - Bob Chandler
• 1995 - Ced Connolly
• 1996 - Carl Horrocks
• 1997 - William Fone & John Tilsley
• 1999 - Mr R. Davidson
• 2000 - Mr R. Forrest
• 2001 - Joseph S.H. Collins
• 2002 - Frederick Hotchkiss
• 2003 - Michael J. Newman
• 2004 - Phil Bennett & Bjørn Funke
• 2005 - Steve Etches & Andrew Yule
• 2006 - Robert Chandler
• 2007 - Jompa Ahlgren
• 2008 - David J. Ward
• 2009 - Magne Hoyberget
• 2010 - Daniel Vizcaïno
• 2011 - David Brockhurst & Dr Christopher Duffin
• 2012 - Alice Rasmussen
• 2013 - Dr Hans Hess
• 2014 - Dr Christoph Bartels
• 2015 - Lutz Koch
• 2016 - Dugald Ross
• 2017 - Mohamed Ben Moula
• 2018 - Nick Chase
• 2019 - Dr Hans Hagdorn
• 2020 - Dr Maggie Wood
• 2021 - Peter Tarrant
• 2024 - Dr Louis Rulleau

[*prior to 2013 this was known as the “President’s Award”]

• 1977 - Derek E.G. Briggs (University of Cambridge)
• 1978 - Alan T. Thomas
• 1979 - J. Alistair Crame and Andrew C. Scott
• 1980 - Andrew B. Smith
• 1981 - Jane E. Francis (University of Southampton)
• 1982 - Timothy Jefferson (British Antarctic Survey)
• 1983 - Dr Peter Crane (Field Museum, Chicago) & Anton Kearsley
• 1984 - Michael J. Benton
• 1985 - Rachel Wood
• 1986 - Peter A. Allison (University of Bristol)
• 1987 - Andy King
• 1988 - Sue Rigby (University of Cambridge)
• 1989 - Dr Michael I. Coates (University of Cambridge)
• 1990 - Liz Harper
• 1991 - Dr David Loydell (University of Wales, Aberystywth)
• 1992 - Clare Wilson
• 1993 - Dr Nigel C. Hughes
• 1994 - Sarah Gabbott
• 1995 - Phil Wilby (University of Bristol)
• 1996 - Philip C.J. Donoghue (University of Leicester)
• 1997 - Ms. J. Dean (University of Cambridge & Natural History Museum, London)
• 1998 - Kim Freedman (University of Leicester) & Michael Gudo (Forschungsinstitut Senckenberg)
• 1999 - Dr Mark D. Sutton
• 2000 - Joanna Snell (University of Birmingham)
• 2001 - Karen Henriksen (University of Copenhagen)
• 2002 - Jodie Howe (Univ. of Leeds) & Liam Herringshaw (Univ. of Birmingham)
• 2003 - Maria E. McNamara (University College Dublin)
• 2004 - Claire M. Belcher (Royal Holloway, London)
• 2005 - Maria E. McNamara (University College Dublin)
• 2006 - Vincent Williams (Univ. of Leicester) & Benjamin Fletcher (Univ. of Sheffield)
• 2007 - Laura Porro (University of Cambridge)
• 2008 - Robert Sansom (University of Leicester)
• 2009 - Russell Garwood (Imperial College, London)
• 2010 - Abigail Clifton (University of Leeds)
• 2011 - Alexander Liu (University of Cambridge)
• 2012 - Nicholas Longrich (Peabody Museum of Natural History, Yale)
• 2013 - John Clarke (University of Oxford)
• 2014 - David Button (University of Bristol & Natural History Museum, London)
• 2015 - Jack W. Oyston (University of Bath)
• 2016 - Joseph N. Keating (University of Bristol)
• 2017 - Dr Ross P. Anderson (University of Oxford) & Jordan Bestwick (University of Leicester)
• 2018 - Elsa Panciroli (University of Edinburgh & National Museums Scotland)
• 2019 - Dr Javier Luque (Yale University)
• 2020 - Alison Cribb (University of Southern California), Susana Gutarra Diaz (University of Bristol), Alex Xafis (University of Vienna)
• 2021 - Christopher Stockey (University of Leicester), Katherine Turk (Vanderbilt University), James Mulqueeney (University of Southampton; Natural History Museum, London)
• 2022 - Giovanni Mussini (University of Oxford), Andre Rowe (University of Bristol)
• 2023 - Mickaël Lheritier (Université Claude Bernard Lyon), Anna McGairy (University of Leicester), Aaron Quigley (University College Cork), Amy Shipley (University of Leeds) and Philip Vixseboxse (University of Cambridge).
• 2024 - Beatriz Carazo del Hoyo (UCC, Cork, Ireland),  Yan Feng (China University of Geosciences Wuhan and NHM Oslo, Norway), Princess Aira Buma-At (University of Cambridge), Emma Long (Natural History Museum, London), Elizabeth Steell (University of Cambridge), Die Wen (Nanjing University, China; University College London)

• 1997 - A. O’Dea (University of Bristol)
• 1998 - Peta Hayes (University of Leeds)
• 1999 - Ms A. Lane (University of Bristol)
• 2000 - Jodie Howe (University of Leeds)
• 2001 - Lauren Tucker (Univ. of Birmingham) & Sarah Stewart (Univ. of Glasgow)
• 2002 - Nicole Fraser (University of Southern California) & Marc Jones (University College London)
• 2003 - Jenifer England (Univ. of Glasgow) & James R. Wheeley (Cardiff University)
• 2004 - Jessica Pollitt (University of Bath) & Lucy Muir (The Natural History Museum)
• 2005 - Richard Callow (University of Oxford)
• 2006 - Xiaoya Ma (Yunnan and Leicester)
• 2007 - Martin Smith (University of Cambridge)
• 2008 - Heather Birch (Cardiff University)
• 2009 - Nicholas Crumpton (University of Bristol) & Laurent Darras (University of Leicester)
• 2010 - Tom Harvey (University of Cambridge)
• 2011 - Samantha Giles (University of Bristol)
• 2012 - Emma Locatelli (Yale University)
• 2013 - David Button (University of Bristol)
• 2014 - Jennifer Hoyal Cuthill (University of Cambridge) and Edine Pape (University of Leeds)
• 2015 - Christopher Nedza (University of Leicester)
• 2016 - Joseph Moysiuk (University of Toronto)
• 2017 - Christopher Nedza (University of Leicester)
• 2018 - Nuria Melisa Morales García (University of Bristol)
• 2019 - Emma M. Dunne (University of Birmingham)
• 2020 - Bethany J. Allen (University of Leeds), Susana Gutarra Diaz (University of Bristol),  Polly Spruce (University of Leeds), Laura Austin Sydes (University of Manchester)
• 2021 - Eloise S. E. Hunt (Natural History Museum), Nicole Barnes (University of Bristol), Charlotte Bird (University of Birmingham)
• 2022 - Iacopo Cavicchini (University of Birmingham), Alison Cribb (University of Southern California), Anna McGairy (University of Leicester)
• 2023 - Neil Adams (Natural History Museum, London), Daniel Cirtina (University College Cork), Zishan Fu (University of Edinburgh), Luke Meade (University of Birmingham).
• 2024 - Amy Shipley (Unviersity of Leeds), Isaak Eijkelboom (Naturalis, Leiden), Erick MiguelDíaz de León-Muñoz (University of Tubingen)

Annual Meeting Council Flash Talk Prize

Years were the annual meeting has flash or lightning talks, this prize is awarded as well. 

• 2020 - Dr Emma M. Dunne (University of Birmingham), Euan Furness (Imperial College, London),  Dr Candela Blanco Moreno (Universidad Autónoma de Madrid), Jane Reeves (University of Manchester)
• 2022 - Miriam A. Slodownik (University of Adelaide), Kiersten K. Formoso (University of Southern California)

• 1997 - A. O’Dea (University of Bristol)
• 1998 - Peta Hayes (University of Leeds)
• 1999 - Ms A. Lane (University of Bristol)
• 2000 - Jodie Howe (University of Leeds)
• 2001 - Lauren Tucker (Univ. of Birmingham) & Sarah Stewart (Univ. of Glasgow)
• 2002 - Nicole Fraser (University of Southern California) & Marc Jones (University College London)
• 2003 - Jenifer England (Univ. of Glasgow) & James R. Wheeley (Cardiff University)
• 2004 - Jessica Pollitt (University of Bath) & Lucy Muir (The Natural History Museum)
• 2005 - Richard Callow (University of Oxford)
• 2006 - Xiaoya Ma (Yunnan and Leicester)
• 2007 - Martin Smith (University of Cambridge)
• 2008 - Heather Birch (Cardiff University)
• 2009 - Nicholas Crumpton (University of Bristol) & Laurent Darras (University of Leicester)
• 2010 - Tom Harvey (University of Cambridge)
• 2011 - Samantha Giles (University of Bristol)
• 2012 - Emma Locatelli (Yale University)
• 2013 - David Button (University of Bristol)
• 2014 - Jennifer Hoyal Cuthill (University of Cambridge) and Edine Pape (University of Leeds)
• 2015 - Christopher Nedza (University of Leicester)
• 2016 - Joseph Moysiuk (University of Toronto)
• 2017 - Christopher Nedza (University of Leicester)
• 2018 - Nuria Melisa Morales García (University of Bristol)
• 2019 - Emma M. Dunne (University of Birmingham)
• 2020 - Bethany J. Allen (University of Leeds), Susana Gutarra Diaz (University of Bristol),  Polly Spruce (University of Leeds), Laura Austin Sydes (University of Manchester)
• 2021 - Eloise S. E. Hunt (Natural History Museum), Nicole Barnes (University of Bristol), Charlotte Bird (University of Birmingham)
• 2022 - Iacopo Cavicchini (University of Birmingham), Alison Cribb (University of Southern California), Anna McGairy (University of Leicester)
• 2023 - Neil Adams (Natural History Museum, London), Daniel Cirtina (University College Cork), Zishan Fu (University of Edinburgh), Luke Meade (University of Birmingham).
• 2024 - Amy Shipley (Unviersity of Leeds), Isaak Eijkelboom (Naturalis, Leiden), Erick MiguelDíaz de León-Muñoz (University of Tubingen)

• 2015 - Steven M. Holland & Mark E. Patzkowskyn for "The Stratigraphy of Mass Extinction" (https://doi.org/10.1111/pala.12188)
• 2016 - A. Zacaï, A. Brayard, J.-L. Dommergues, C. Meister, G. Escarguel, R. Laffont, B. Vrielynck, E. Fara for "Gauging scale effects and biogeographic signals in similarity distance decay analyses: an Early Jurassic ammonite case study" (https://doi.org/10.1111/pala.12250)
• 2017 - Laura C. Soul and Matt Friedman for "Bias in phylogenetic measurements of extinction and a case study of end-Permian tetrapods" (https://doi.org/10.1111/pala.12274)
• 2018 - Roger B.J. Benson,  Gene Hunt, Matthew T. Carrano, Nicolás Campione for "Cope's rule and the adaptive landscape of dinosaur body size evolution" (https://doi.org/10.1111/pala.12329)
• 2019 - Serjoscha W. Evers and Roger B.J. Benson for "A new phylogenetic hypothesis of turtles with implications for the timing and number of evolutionary transitions to marine lifestyles in the group" (https://doi.org/10.1111/pala.12384)
• 2020 - Roger D. K. Thomas, Bruce Runnegar and Kerry Matt for "Pelagiella exigua, an early Cambrian stem gastropod with chaetae: lophotrochozoan heritage and conchiferan novelty" (https://doi.org/10.1111/pala.12476)
• 2021 - Joshua B. Zimmt, Steven M. Holland, Seth Finnegan and Charles R. Marshall for "Recognizing pulses of extinction from clusters of last occurrences" (https://doi.org/10.1111/pala.12505)
• 2022 - Corentin Gibert, Axelle Zacaï, Frédéric Fluteau, Gilles Ramstein, Olivier Chavasseau, Ghislain Thiery, Antoine Souron, William Banks, Franck Guy, Doris Barboni, Pierre Sepulchre, Cécile Blondel, Gildas Merceron and Olga Otero for "A coherent biogeographical framework for Old World Neogene and Pleistocene mammals" (https://doi.org/10.1111/pala.12594)
• 2023 - Susana Gutarra, Thomas L. Stubbs, Benjamin C. Moon, Beatrice H. Heighton and Michael J. Benton for "The locomotor ecomorphology of Mesozoic marine reptiles" (https://doi.org/10.1111/pala.12645)

• 2015 - Leonid E. Popov, Lars E. Holmer, Nigel C. Hughes, Mansoureh Ghobodi Pour & Paul M. Myrow for "Himalayan Cambrian Brachiopods"
• 2016 - E. Świerczewska-Gładysz for "Early Campanian (Late Cretaceous) Pleromidae and Isoraphiniidae (lithistid Demospongiae) from the Łódź-Miechów Synclinorium (central and southern Poland): new data and taxonomic revision" (https://doi.org/10.1002/spp2.1037)
• 2017 - L. Leuzinger, G. Cuny, E. Popov, E. and J. Billon-Bruyat for "A new chondrichthyan fauna from the Late Jurassic of the Swiss Jura (Kimmeridgian) dominated by hybodonts, chimaeroids and guitarfishes" (https://doi.org/10.1002/spp2.1085)
• 2018 - Cheng Ji, Hugo Bucher for "Anisian (Middle Triassic) ammonoids from British Columbia (Canada): biochronological and palaeobiogeographical implications" (https://doi.org/10.1002/spp2.1222)
• 2019 - William J. Foster,  Daniel J. Lehrmann , Jaime A. Hirtz,  Mackenzie White,  Meiyi Yu,  Ji Li,  Rowan C. Martindale for "Early Triassic benthic invertebrates from the Great Bank of Guizhou, South China: systematic palaeontology and palaeobiology" (https://doi.org/10.1002/spp2.1252)
• 2020 - Jeffrey R. Thompson, Georgy V. Mirantsev, Elizabeth Petsios and David J. Bottjer for "Phylogenetic analysis of the Archaeocidaridae and Palaeozoic Miocidaridae (Echinodermata, Echinoidea) and the origin of crown group echinoids" (https://doi.org/10.1002/spp2.1280)
• 2021 - Pedro L. Godoy, Giovanne M. Cidade, Felipe C. Montefeltro, Max. C. Langer and Mark A. Norell for "Redescription and phylogenetic affinities of the caimanine Eocaiman cavernensis (Crocodylia, Alligatoroidea) from the Eocene of Argentina" (https://doi.org/10.1002/spp2.1339)
• 2022 - Jun Zhao, Imran A. Rahman, Samuel Zamora, Ailin Chen and Peiyun Cong for "The first edrioasteroid echinoderm from the lower Cambrian Chengjiang biota of Yunnan Province, China" (https://doi.org/10.1002/spp2.1465)
• 2023 - Roy E. Plotnick, Graham A. Young and James W. Hagadorn for “An abundant sea anemone from the Carboniferous Mazon Creek Lagerstätte, USA" (https://doi.org/10.1002/spp2.1479)

• 2018 - Emma M. Dunne and Ross Barnett for their work with the The Brilliant Club (https://thebrilliantclub.org/)
• 2019 - Elspeth Wallace for her high quality public engagement with the University of Manchester’s widening participation programme
• 2020 - John Murray for the The History of Life project at NUI Galway (https://youtu.be/0Y0RmQFb628)  

• 2004 - Institutional Award: The Echinoid Directory (http://www.nhm.ac.uk/research-curation/research/projects/echinoid-directory/). The echinoid directory is ostensibly a taxonomic resource for the scientific community in which the genera and higher taxa of echinoid can be simply and rapidly identified. There are currently over 350 pages of detailed information about echinoid taxa, including colour images of the highest quality. The site also provides an introduction to the anatomy, biology, ecology, ontogeny and phylogeny of echinoids, as well as a key to aid identification. The site has been designed and created by Andrew Smith of the Department of Palaeontology, Natural History Museum, London.
• 2005  - Amateur Award: Fossils of the Gault Clay and Folkestone Beds of Kent, UK (http://www.gaultammonite.co.uk/). This site is dedicated to the fossils of the Lower Cretaceous Albian (Gault Clay and Folkestone Beds) in the county of Kent, south-east England, providing a pictorial identification to the fauna. The colour photographic images are of the highest quality. The site is based on the work and collections (much of which has subsequently been donated to the Natural History Museum, London) of the late Jim Craig and is maintained by Fred Clouter.
• 2005 - trilobites.info (http://www.trilobites.info/) is one of a new breed of websites that is designed as an information service, in this case devoted to understanding trilobites. The site is eyecatching, well presented, and most importantly for the global community, contains a wealth of accurate and well-synthesysed information. The site is the work of Sam Gon III.
• 2006 - A Collection of Eocene and Oligocene Fossils (http://www.dmap.co.uk/fossils/). This impressive palaeontology website is run by Alan Morton and is dedicated to the Eocene and Oligocene fossils from southern Britain. The level of information presented in the website is excellent, and in particular the professional standard of the photographic illustrations make the site stand out from other websites. This site is a pleasure to visit and provides good palaeontological information for those visiting the the geological units covered.
• 2009 - 'Elasmo.com' (http://www.elasmo.com/). This information-rich site provides a wealth of carefully collated information related to fossil and living sharks, including searchable databases, fully references articles, and large number of images. It provides an excellent resource for anyone interested in shark fossils, morphology or evolution.
• 2010 - 'Recent and Fossil Bryozoa' (http://www.bryozoa.net/).This site provides a vast collection of Bryozoan related data and resources, and hosts the web-pages of the International Bryozoology Association to boot.
• 2011 - Four awards:
  • www.ultimateungulate.com (http://www.ultimateungulate.com/).
  • Links for Palaeobotanists  (http://www.equisetites.de/palbot1.html).
  • Burgess Shale Online Exhibition, Royal Ontario Museum (http://www.burgess-shale.rom.on.ca/).
  • www.ammonites.fr  (http://www.ammonites.fr/).
• 2013 - The Plesiosaur Directory (http://www.plesiosauria.com/).
• 2014 - Nannotax (http://www.mikrotax.org/Nannotax3/). More information...
• 2016 - PhyloPic (http://phylopic.org). This site provides free silhouette images of animals, plants, and other life forms, available for reuse under Public Domain or Creative Commons licenses.

• 2020 - Animal Origin and Morphology Lab, Lausanne, Switzerland. Entry: Palaeovision Lausanne entry - Anomalocaris.
• 2021 -  Palaeobiology Master's Program at FAU Germany. Entry Palaeovision FAU entry - Bele-mighty.
• 2022 - University of Birmingham, UK. Entry Palaeovision Birmingham entry - SexyPlac