Sir Paul Nurse praises Wales's "high quality" science

Nobel Prize Winner and President of the Royal Society, Sir Paul Nurse, met yesterday with some of Wales's most eminent scientists at an event hosted by Cardiff University.

For the first time in its history, the Royal Society Regional Fellows Meeting convened in Wales's capital to give Welsh Royal Society Fellows (FRS) an opportunity to showcase their research and help shape the Society's agenda. The Society is the oldest scientific academy in continuous existence and includes Isaac Newton, Charles Darwin, Albert Einstein and Professor Stephen Hawking among its past and present members.

During a number of meetings which punctuated the day, Welsh FRS discussed with their President the Society's ongoing activities and learnt of one another's research developments. Throughout his visit, Sir Paul also met with the Edwina Hart MBE, the Minister for Business Enterprise, Technology and Science, to discuss scientific research in Wales.

Among the other luminaries to have met with Sir Paul were Cardiff University's Vice Chancellor, Colin Riordan; Nobel Prize Winner and Cardiff University Chancellor, Sir Martin Evans; as well as President of the Learned Society of Wales, Sir John Cadogan.

President of the Royal Society, Sir Paul Nurse, said: "I was very pleased to hear about the high quality science being carried out in Wales and hope very much that strong support for science will continue to be a priority for the Welsh government."

Pro Vice-Chancellor, Professor Hywel Thomas FRS, said: "It has been an honour to have welcomed Sir Paul here at Cardiff University, and an invaluable opportunity for Wales's Royal Society Fellows to exhibit to him their world class research."

Sir John Cadogan, President of the Learned Society of Wales, said: "The fact that Sir Paul Nurse and his Royal Society colleagues are holding their Regional Meeting in Cardiff University today recognises the importance to the nation's science base – and, therefore, to our economy - of the excellent research carried out in Wales's universities. I am especially pleased that, during their visit, Sir Paul and his colleagues are able to meet with their counterparts in the Learned Society of Wales in order to discuss how the two Societies can work together for the good of Science in Wales and hence of the UK."

The meeting with Sir Paul forms part of a wider programme of the Royal Society's activities known as the Fellowship programme. The remit of the programme is to ensure that the Fellowship of the Royal Society at large has the fullest opportunity to help shape the Society's agenda.

The Fellowship programme is designed to be representative of all Fellows, to promote scientific fellowship among Fellows and Foreign Members, and to combine Royal Society business with scientific meetings.