Institute of Biology
The Institute of Biology (IoB) was a professional body for biologists, primarily those working in the United Kingdom. The Institute was founded in 1950 by the Biological Council: the then umbrella body for Britain's many learned biological societies. It received a Royal Charter in 1979 and it held charitable status. The headquarters of the Institute was originally located in Tavistock Square before moving to larger rented accommodation in Queensgate in Kensington, London, near to the Natural History Museum and Imperial College London. It then bought its own property nearby. During the early 1990s it bought the building next door, merging the two. In 2006, it moved to smaller accommodation in Red Lion Court (near the Royal Courts of Justice) in order to reduce costs. The IoB was not a trade union, nor did it have the regulatory power over its membership (like the General Medical Council though it did have the right to remove a member's Chartered status and was empowered by its Royal Charter to represent Britain's profession of biology. During October 2009, the IoB was merged with the Biosciences Federation (BSF) to form the Society of Biology (which boasts some 80,000 members).[1]
Role of the Institute
As the professional body representing biologists, the IOB was frequently consulted on biological issues by Government, Parliament, industry and other organisations. Due to its wide spread of members and affiliated societies, it prideed itself on producing a balanced response that reflected the views of the biological profession as a whole. At its peak of policy activity in the late 1990s the Institute was responding to over 40 consultations and organising half a dozen policy events and workshops a year in addition to its usual committee meetings.
The Institute's house journal was "Biologist" that featured news and book reviews as well as overview articles of biological topics. It also produced a specialist journal for biology teachers and university lecturers called the "Journal of Biological Education". In addtion to journals it has produced symposium proceedings and a range of in-house publications. In the Institute's 50-year history its most popular in-house publication was "Careers with Biology" that ran to several editions and tens of thousands of copies. Other highly successful titles have included "Saftey in Biological Fieldwork" (three editions) and "Biological Nomenclature" (four editions). From its second decade through to the end its fourth, the Institute was noted for its co-publishing ventures with commercial academic publishers. In particular its short book series 'Studies in Biology' with Edward Arnold beginning in 1960 ended up at the height of its popularity with 149 titles. This series now with Cambridge University Press. Over the years literally hundreds of thousands of copies from this series have been sold. Other successful publishing ventures in the 1980s and 1990s included those with Unwin Hyman, Chapman & Hall, Hobsons, and Westlake Publishing.
The Institute regularly organised scientific symposia. These were organised by either its regional branches or by its scientific committees that related to biomedicine, education, agriculture and environment (these last two were merged in 2007). Prior to 2000, these provided the raw material for the aforementioned 'proceedings'. The regional branches also regularly organised other scientific as well as social events.
During 2003, the IoB joined the Biosciences Federation (BSF) as part of "a single authority within the life sciences that decision-makers are able to consult for opinion and information to assist the formulation of public policy"[2]. The IoB participated in the formation of policy responses and statements with the BSF. For example, the IoB "contributed specific (or specialist) advice" in the formation of the policy statement Climate Change: Looking forward, in which the BSF states its agreement "that climate change is 'the world's greatest environmental challenge'." Additionally, the IoB also communicated policy advice independently of the BSF. For example, in regards to ecosystem services, they promoted, "putting an explicit value on the services that ecosytems contribute to human welfare, including such diverse items as flood protection, pollination, soil formation and aesthetic enjoyment."[3]
Membership of the Institute
Members agreed to uphold standards of professional behaviour contained in the Royal Charter:
- "Every member of the Institute shall at all times so order their conduct as to uphold the dignity and reputation of biology and to safeguard the public interest in matters of safety and health and otherwise. They shall exercise professional skill and judgement to the best of their ability and discharge professional responsibilities with integrity."
The IoB offered members a number of benefits, including subscriptions to in-house journals, Journal of Biological Education and The Biologist, its publications, discounts on third party products and services and also discounted use of the meeting facilities at the IoB headquarters in London.
There were several grades of membership, depending upon biological qualifications and experience. Members and Fellows were awarded Chartered Biologist (CBiol) status, the professional qualification for bioscientists. It demonstrated a high level of attainment in biological experience, personal integrity, professional attributes and academic qualifications. In addition to the grades listed below, there were also student and associate membership grades.
Membership
The Member grade was the main professional grade. Members were professional bioscientists with a standard of academic attainment equivalent to first or second class honours degree level in biological science and with post-graduate responsible experience in biological research or in the teaching or application of biological science. Members were entitled to use the letters C. Biol M.I.Biol
Fellowship
Fellowship of the Institute of Biologists was the senior professional grade. Bioscientists who have achieved distinction in biological research or the teaching or application of biological science were eligible. Fellows used the designation C.Biol F.I.Biol
Affiliated societies
The Institute was born out of the Biological Council. The Biological Council dissolved in the early 1990s and became the Affiliated Societies: this affiliation enabled the Institute to facilitate what its then President called "the voice of British biology". At their most there were 70 societies in 2002. This biological affiliation enabled issues of common concern (such as research assessment, science funding, career structure, bioethics) to be addressed as well as more specialist issues that affected only a subset of the affiliation.