Professor Jane Stout FRES has been appointed as the new President of the Royal Entomological Society (RES), taking over from Professor Jane Hill OBE Hon.FRES. Professor Stout, an internationally acclaimed expert in pollinator and pollination ecology, will lead the Society as it continues to champion the study and conservation of insects and their habitats.

Professor Stout, based at Trinity College Dublin, brings a wealth of experience and a distinguished career in ecology and biodiversity to her new role. Her research focuses on the impacts of land management practices, such as agriculture and urbanisation, on ecological processes and the benefits nature provides to human society. She leads the Plant-Animal Interactions Research group in the School of Natural Sciences, where she oversees a large team dedicated to understanding and promoting the sustainable management of ecosystems.

As a prominent advocate for biodiversity, Professor Stout has collaborated with a broad range of stakeholders, including public and private organisations, to influence environmental policy and practice. She co-founded the Irish Forum on Natural Capital, serving as Chair of its Board, and is a co-founder and deputy Chair of the All-Ireland Pollinator Plan, a key initiative aimed at conserving pollinators across the island of Ireland.

Professor Stout’s contributions to ecology and conservation have been widely recognised. In 2021, she received the award for the most cited review from the Ecological Society of Germany, Austria, and Switzerland (GFÖ). She was honoured with the British Ecological Society’s Ecological Engagement Prize in 2017 for her outstanding work in science communication and public engagement. Her election as a Fellow of the Royal Entomological Society in 2015 and as a Fellow of Trinity College Dublin in 2011 are testaments to her academic excellence and leadership in the field.

As President of the RES, Professor Stout is poised to continue advocating for the importance of entomological research and the vital role insects play in maintaining healthy ecosystems. Her leadership will be instrumental in driving the Society’s mission to support the science of entomology and promote the understanding and conservation of insect diversity in the face of global environmental challenges.