BMS Events
30 Nov 2024
BMS Autumn Open Meeting
The Autumn Open Meeting is held in-person at the Royal Botanic Gardens Kew, and features a morning of fascinating talks from invited speakers on a variety of topics.
Taking place in the Lady Sainsbury Lecture Theatre, Royal Botanic Gardens Kew.
Programme:
09:40-10:00: Entry via Jodrell Gate on Kew Road TW9 3DS.
09:55-10:00: Welcome, Martin Bidartondo, Imperial College London & Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
10:00-10:30: Jorinde Nuytinck, Naturalis Biodiversity Centre & U. of Ghent Taxonomist and evolutionary biologist investigating Mycena.
10:30-10:55: Brian Steidinger, University of Edinburgh
Ecologist investigating catastrophic shifts in symbioses.
10:55-11:20: Matthew Wainhouse, Natural England
Fungal conservation.
11:20-11:40 Short break
11:40-11:55: Jane Lawson, visual artist and activist inspired by fungi.
11:55-12:20: Ricardo Arraiano Castilho, University of Lausanne.
Ecologist investigating Swiss mycobiomes and ecosystem functioning.
12:20-12:50 David Mitchel, Northern Ireland Fungus Group.
Citizen scientist monitoring and databasing the UK's threatened grassland fungi.
12:50 Close of meeting.
12 Dec 2024
19:30 – 21:00
19:30 – 21:00
BMS Talk: Black things on sticks Field
For those of you who enjoy fungus forays, this BMS Talk is an introduction to lignicolous melanised fungi – those little black things on sticks - which can contribute to your fungal records. Better still, they give you a splendid reason to go out looking for fungi in the winter and spring!
Cameron Diekonigin is Chairperson of Edinburgh & Lothians Fungus Enthusiasts (ELFE) and a part time amateur mycologist who enjoys identifying microfungi, particularly members of the obsolete Pyrenomycetes (black Ascomycota that are most easily found on fallen wood and dung). Although he grew up in the South West of England, Cameron currently lives north of Edinburgh over the Firth of Forth in Kinross-shire where there are many species of black fungi growing on sticks.
14 Jul 2025 – 17 Jul 2025
Annual Scientific Meeting 2025 Research
The Annual Scientific Meeting and Student Research Conference will take place at Royal Holloway, University of London, Egham, Surrey, 14-17 July 2025.
Highlights include:
- 135 acres of parkland surround the historic Royal Holloway campus, close to Windsor, a short train journey from London, and with easy access from airports
- Student Reserach Conference - afternoon of Monday and morning of Tuesday, with opportunity for networking
- Annual Scientific Meeting - Tuesday afternoon until end of Thursday, with welcome social event and formal dinner on Wednesday evening
- Afternoon visit to the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, including tours of the fungarium
Local fungus groups
Fungus groups exist in many parts of the UK and are run on a voluntary basis by enthusiasts seeking to share their knowledge of fungi and improve identification skills. Groups offer a welcoming environment for newcomers and experts alike.
BMS Talks
Our online talks take place once a month and are open to everyone, at any level of interest or expertise in fungi. Speakers cover a variety of topics including scientific research, field mycology, art, history and cuture.
BMS grants
BMS offers a number of grants to support work, study, meeting attendance and other activities in fungal biology and field mycology.
Latest issue of Field Mycology - November 2024
On the cover: Hygrocybe punicea, our largest species of red Waxcap. (Photograph credit: Geoffrey Kibby.)
Fungal biology research articles
The BMS journals Fungal Biology, Fungal Ecology and Fungal Biology Reviews feature the latest scientific research papers and discussions.
Join the Society
Membership of the BMS is open to all who are interested in promoting, supporting and learning about the world of fungi.
Join now and your membership will be valid until 31 December 2025. Plus, we offer a discounted fee for the first year of a new, Full Membership.
BMS Award Winners 2024
The winners of this year's BMS Awards have been announced, recognising excellence in mycological research, education, field mycology, outreach and contributions to the Society.
Fungus-focused competition for secondary schools
MiSAC's 2025 competition for students in Key Stages 3 and 4 / Scotland S1/2 and S3/4 is sponsored by the BMS and focused on human fungal diseases and the emerging threat of antifungal drug resistance.
Students are invited to design an illustrated webpage for teenagers that describes the fungal pathogen, associated disease and treatments used, and also dicusses the factors contributing to anti-fungal resistance and ways of combatting this problem.
Closing date: 29 March 2025
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Membership of the BMS is open to all who are interested in promoting, supporting and learning about the world of fungi.
What's on
See the programme of BMS conferences, meetings and workshops and other selected mycology-focused events.