Welcome to the regional pages for Wessex. Full details of national and local events are available on our events pages.

Upcoming branch events

Wednesday 29 July, 18:00-18:45

View from the frontline in the COVID-19 pandemic

A panel discussion sharing how a health system responded to the COVID crisis.

Visit the reports section to find out about past events the branch have run.

Social media

Visit the Wessex branch Facebook page for more branch news.

Our members

Visit the branch map and branch demographics to see the numbers and locations of our members (Dated January 2020).

Committee

Chair: Dr Hilary Otter FRSB
Vice-Chair: Mr Jack Coughlan CBiol FRSB
Secretary: Carine Fixmer
Treasurer: Martin Taylor CBiol MRSB

Members: Dr Liz Evesham CBiol FRSB

Join us

The Wessex branch are currently recruiting for new committee members! Why not check out what it involves and send a quick application to wessex@rsb.org.uk

Contact details

Please get in touch by emailing us at wessex@rsb.org.uk

Our events

We have held a number of successful events over the last three years and have tried to spread them over our vast region (Dorset, Hampshire and the Isle of Wight, Channel Islands and Wiltshire). As part of our vision, Wessex aim to get more involved with education, promoting biology into schools and universities through volunteers giving talks and hosting local award ceremonies for the popular British Biology Olympiad.

Thank you for all your support in the past few years and we hope to see you at some of our events in the future.

Meet the committee

Hilary Otter FRSB CBiol

Hilary has taught biology at secondary and 6th form colleges for the past 20 years. In that time, she has been a head of science and is currently head of biology at St Swithun's School, Winchester. She obtained a zoology degree and went on to do research into invertebrate nervous system, during which time she gained a PhD and taught a large number of undergraduates. Hilary's particular interest is in engaging school age students. She is particularly keen to introduce them to the wide range of applications that the biological sciences have in the 21st century. Hilary also writes peer reviews for the Association for Science Education and has been a member of the Royal Society of Biology for 30 years.

Jack Coughlan CBiol MRSB

Jack is a marine biologist, now "more or less retired", having worked in operations, planning and marine research for the electricity generating industry and latterly as a consultant in cooling water issues. His first job involved mass culture of unicellular algae, with carbon capture at Poole Power Station and was invited to join IoB during the 1963 symposium "The Better Use of the World's Fauna for Food". Jack served on the Environment Committee and, from time to time, on the (original) Wessex branch committee. He is a trustee of the Hampshire and IoW Wildlife Trust and an advocate of their conservation and education work.