Council
The Council is a body of 21 Fellows, including the Officers (the President, the Treasurer, two Secretaries — one from the physical sciences, one from life sciences — and the Foreign Secretary), one Fellow to represent each Sectional Committee and seven other Fellows. The Council is tasked with directing the Society's overall policy, managing all business related to the Society, amending, making or repealing the Society's Standing Orders and acting as trustees for the Society's possessions and estates. Members are elected annually via a postal ballot, and current Standing Orders mean that at least ten seats must change hands each year. The Council may establish (and is assisted by) a variety of Committees, which can include not only Fellows but also outside scientists. Under the Charter, the President, 2 Secretaries and the Treasurer are collectively the Officers of the Society. The current officers are:
- President: Sir Paul Nurse
- Treasurer: Sir Peter Williams
- Biological Secretary: Dame Jean Thomas
- Physical Secretary: Professor John Pethica
- Foreign Secretary: Martyn Poliakoff.
Read more about this topic: Royal Society, Structure and Governance
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