BOTANICAL SOCIETY OF SCOTLAND Scotland's national botanical society Incorporating the Cryptogamic Society of Scotland Scottish Charity No. SC016283

Home Aberdeen Dundee Edinburgh Glasgow Inverness St. Andrews Greater Butterfly-orchid (Platanthera chloranthera) in flower at Beecraigs Country Park, West Lothian. ©C.E. Jeffree 2009 Secretary of the Botanical Society of Scotland: Dr Barbra Harvie, CECS, School of GeoSciences, University of Edinburgh, Crewe Building, King's Buildings, Edinburgh, EH9 3JU Tel: 0131 650 7211  e-mail: barbra.harvie@ed.ac.uk Local Secretary at RBGE: Dr Heather McHaffie Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, 20A Inverleith Row, Edinburgh, EH3 5LR Tel: 0131 552 7171 / 0131 248 2886  e-mail: h.mchaffie@rbge.ac.uk

STUDENT SYMPOSIUM 2009 AT THE ROYAL BOTANIC GARDEN EDINBURGH Tuesday 22^nd SEPTEMBER 2009 DOWNLOAD THE 2009 STUDENT SYMPOSIUM PROCEEDINGS The Student Symposium aims to provide an inspiring day with a varied program of talks from individuals at the start of their career in botany. With an increasing public interest in biodiversity, climate change and conservation, botany is more important than ever, yet the opportunity for young researchers to meet individuals from other institutes rarely exists. Talks and posters of a botanical nature from individuals in the early stages of their careers are welcomed. This includes undergraduates, masters students, PhD students and anyone else actively involved in botanical research and artwork. The Student Symposium provides the opportunity to present research findings for the first time in a less intimidating environment than the usual scientific meeting. Anyone with an interest in botany is invited to attend the symposium (not just students), and to learn about current botanical research. There will be a number of events throughout the day. Lunch, morning and afternoon tea are included in the cost of registration. Events As well as a range of talks and posters from individuals involved in botanical research, there is a range of other activities. A photography exhibition (see below) will showcase Scottish plants and wild habitats. There will also be the opportunity to see the research collections of living plants, which contain many exciting scientific specimens. Photographic competition Everyone (not just students) is invited to submit up to three photographs to the photographic competition, and a prize will be awarded at the meeting for the best photograph. These should be photographs of Scottish wild plants or habitats. Please bring these photos along to the meeting, where they will be displayed throughout the day. Maximum size of images is 20x15cm (8 x 6 inches). The Society reserves the right to publish the winning photographs in BSS News, but copyright will remain with the owner. Abstract submission Papers must be of a botanical theme, including taxonomy, ecology, evolution, conservation, climate change and related topics. Oral presentation of 15 minutes (including questions) or posters are welcomed. It is hoped that a range of the oral papers will be written up to be published in our international journal Plant Ecology and Diversity. A prize will be awarded for the best oral presentation and for the best poster. Please email questions to the symposium organizer, Alex Twyford: a.twyford@rbge.org.uk Further details of how to get to the Royal Botanic Gardens Edinburgh can be found at http://www.rbge.org.uk Sponsorship We are indebted to The Scotch Whisky Experience and Our Dynamic Earth for supplying prizes, and the Royal Botanic Gardens for providing facilities for the 2009 Student Symposium