▁was ▁instit uted ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 7 ▁to ▁comm emor ate ▁the ▁work ▁of ▁late ▁William ▁T . ▁Ste arn , ▁a ▁scholar ▁whose ▁work ▁contributed ▁much ▁to ▁the ▁field ▁of ▁bot any ▁and ▁to ▁the ▁Society . ▁The ▁prize ▁is ▁awarded ▁to ▁the ▁best ▁original , ▁un pub lished ▁ess ay ▁in ▁the ▁history ▁of ▁natural ▁history . ▁The ▁competition ▁is ▁open ▁to ▁under grad uate ▁and ▁post grad uate ▁students ▁in ▁full - ▁or ▁part - time ▁education . ▁ ▁Pres idents ▁ ▁Arthur ▁Mac G reg or ▁ 2 0 1 5 – present ▁ ▁Hugh ▁Tor r ens ▁ 2 0 1 2 – 2 0 1 5 ▁ ▁P . ▁Geoff rey ▁Moore ▁ 2 0 0 9 – 2 0 1 2 ▁ ▁Arthur ▁Lucas ▁( ac ade mic ) ▁ 2 0 0 6 – 2 0 0 9 ▁ ▁J . ▁C ain ▁ 2 0 0 3 – 2 0 0 6 ▁ ▁John ▁Edwards ▁ 2 0 0 0 – 2 0 0 3 ▁ ▁John ▁C . ▁Th ack ray - 1 9 9 9 ▁ ▁W . ▁D . ▁Ian . ▁Rol fe ▁ 1 9 9 6 – 1 9 9 9 ▁ ▁David ▁M ab ber ley ▁ 1 9 9 3 – 1 9 9 6 ▁ ▁R ex ▁E . ▁R . ▁B anks ▁ 1 9 9 0 – 1 9 9 3 ▁ ▁A . ▁C . ▁Whe eler ▁ 1 9 8