One of Britain’s best known scientists is giving a public lecture this month and being awarded a prestigious honour at the same time.
Professor Hugh Pennington is to receive the Lister Medal of the Society of Chemical Industry at a public lecture he is giving at King’s Conference Centre on Friday, November 20 at 5.30pm.
The Lister Medal is named after Sir Joseph Lister, the British surgeon who first introduced antisepsis - sterile conditions and infection control - into hospital routine. Sir Joseph pioneered the field of bacteriology in the late 19th Century.
The medal was first awarded to Sir Alexander Fleming, who discovered penicillin, in 1944. It has since been awarded a further 14 times to eminent scientists working at the interface of chemistry and medicine.
Professor Pennington, who was Chair of Bacteriology at the University of Aberdeen from 1979 until his retirement with Emeritus status in 2003, will receive the medal after his public lecture.
Learning Lessons is Hard; Making Predictions Difficultis the title of Professor Pennington’s talk which will focus on particular E.coli 0157outbreaks and influenza pandemics and look at how the treatment of these has been influenced by evolution and history.
Professor Russell Howe, Chair of Chemistry from the University of Aberdeen, is chair of the Scotland Section of the Society of Chemical Industry.
He said: “Professor Pennington is a renowned bacteriologist following in the footsteps of Joseph Lister, and as a media spokesperson he embodies the Society’s goals of relating the chemical sciences to industry, medicine, and the general public.
“An expert consultant to government on microbiology and food safety and a frequent public spokesperson on bacterial infection, Professor Pennington is an extremely worthy recipient of the Lister Medal.”
Professor Pennington added: “To receive and award which celebrates one of the truly great medical scientists, and whose first recipient was Sir Alexander Fleming, is a great honour.”
Professor Pennington’s lecture is free and all are welcome to attend.
For more details and to book your free place visit: http://www.abdn.ac.uk/events/details-4688.php