University of Glasgow Professor of Animal Architecture, Mike Hansell, will be awarded the prestigious Royal Society of Edinburgh's Neill Medal on 2 September 2005 at the Scottish Parliament. The medal is awarded only once every three years, and Professor Hansell will be the 63rd Scottish naturalist to receive the award since it was first established in 1859.

Two of his most recently published books, Birds Nest and Construction Behaviour (2000) and Animal Architecture (2005), are the basis on which he is to be honoured with the Neill Medal. However, these are only a small part of the achievements which have led to Professor Hansell being acknowledged as an authority in his field. His involvement in the organisation of a major exhibition on animal building in Barcelona (2003), the creation of the exhibition The Animal Construction Company, in the University's Hunterian Museum for Glasgow 1999, City of Architecture and Design, and his book Animal Architecture and Building Behaviour (1984) are no less proof of his qualification.

Professor Hansell explains: 'It was a great surprise to me to hear that my name was being put forward for The Royal Society of Edinburgh Neill Medal, and a great thrill to hear that I was to receive the award. Being the 63rd recipient of a medal first awarded in 1859 gives you a little place in history alongside some very distinguished Scottish scientists.

It is also nice to see my name added to former winners of the medal from the University of Glasgow, including the 1925 winner Professor Frederick Bower and 1904 winner Professor Sir John Graham Kerr, who were responsible respectively for the creation of the University Botany and Zoology buildings which now bear their names. '

The Neill Medal was established following a bequest received by the Royal Society of Edinburgh from the late Dr Patrick Neill, a distinguished Scottish Naturalist. It is awarded triennially for a work or publication, by a Scottish naturalist, preferably based in Scotland, on some branch of Natural History, completed or published within the last five years.

Kate Richardson (K.richardson@admin.gla.ac.uk)

For more information please contact the University Press Office on 0141 330 3535 or email pressoffice@gla.ac.uk

First published: 30 August 2005