▁contribution ▁to ▁the ▁study ▁of ▁the ▁history ▁or ▁bibli ography ▁of ▁natural ▁history . ▁More ▁than ▁one ▁medal ▁can ▁be ▁awarded ▁in ▁any ▁given ▁year . ▁ ▁The ▁John ▁Th ack ray ▁Medal ▁was ▁instit uted ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 0 ▁to ▁comm emor ate ▁the ▁life ▁and ▁work ▁of ▁John ▁Th ack ray , ▁Past ▁President ▁of ▁the ▁Society . ▁This ▁medal ▁is ▁awarded ▁for ▁a ▁significant ▁achiev ement ▁in ▁the ▁preceding ▁three ▁years ▁in ▁the ▁history ▁of ▁those ▁areas ▁of ▁interest ▁to ▁the ▁Society , ▁that ▁is ▁the ▁bi ological ▁and ▁earth ▁sciences ▁in ▁the ▁broad est ▁sense . ▁Rec ogn ition ▁may ▁be ▁for ▁a ▁piece ▁of ▁work ▁completed ▁( e . g . ▁the ▁catalog uing ▁of ▁an ▁archive ▁collection ), ▁a ▁publication ▁( book ▁or ▁journal ▁article ), ▁exhibition ▁etc . ▁Re cip ients ▁may ▁be ▁individuals , ▁teams ▁or ▁institutions . ▁ ▁The ▁Pat ron ' s ▁Prize ▁was ▁instit uted ▁in ▁ 2 0 1 1 , ▁where by ▁an ▁out standing ▁young ▁scholar , ▁nominated ▁by ▁Council , ▁is ▁invited ▁by ▁the ▁Society ’ s ▁Pat ron ▁to ▁write ▁a ▁review ▁that ▁adv ances ▁the ▁Society ' s ▁objects , ▁namely ▁“ the ▁historical ▁and ▁bibli ographical ▁study ▁of ▁the ▁growth ▁of ▁all ▁branches ▁of ▁natural ▁history ▁in ▁all ▁periods ▁and ▁cult ures ”. ▁The ▁current ▁patron ▁of ▁SH N H ▁is ▁Sir ▁David ▁Att en borough ▁O M ▁CH ▁F RS . ▁ ▁The ▁William ▁T . ▁Ste arn ▁Student ▁Ess ay ▁Prize