The Palaeontological Association ("PalAss" for short) is a charitable organisation based in the UK founded in 1957 for the promotion of the study of palaeontology.

Functions

It publishes two main journals, Palaeontology

Palaeontology (journal)

Palaeontology is one of the two scientific journals of the Palaeontological Association. It was established in 1957. It is published on behalf of the Association by Wiley-Blackwell. The editor-in-chief is David Batten. Palaeontology publishes articles on a range of palaeontological topics,...

 and Special Papers in Palaeontology. In addition, it publishes a regular Newsletter and field guides to important palaeontological biota

Biota

Biota may refer to:* Biota , the plant and animal life of a region* Biota , a superdomain in taxonomy* Biota , an evergreen coniferous tree, Platycladus orientalis* Biota , an avant-prog band from Colorado, USA...

s. An annual meeting, usually taking place in the UK, is held under its auspices. Worldwide membership is currently about 1000. The annual conference takes place in mid-December.

Awards

The Association confers a number of awards, including the President's Award, Hodson Fund for exceptional early-career achievement (under 35 years), President's Medal as a mid-career award, and the organisation's highest award for exceptional lifetime achievement, the Lapworth Medal

Lapworth Medal

The Lapworth Medal is the highest award of the Palaeontological Association, given to those who have made a significant contribution to the science by means of a substantial body of research.Recent winners are:*2010 - Dr Robin Cocks...

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Hodson Awardees

Year	Recipient
2010	Thijs Vandenbroucke
2009	Emily Rayfield Emily Rayfield Emily Rayfield is a British palaeontologist, who is currently a Lecturer of palaeobiology in the Department of Earth Sciences at the University of Bristol....
2008	Bridget Wade
2007	Shanan Peters
2006	Paul Barrett and Guy Harrington
2005	Philip Donoghue Philip Donoghue Philip Conrad Donoghue is a British palaeontologist, Reader in Geology at the University of Bristol.- Selected publications :Donoghue, P. C. J., and M. A. Purnell. 2005. Genome duplication, extinction and vertebrate evolution. Trends in Ecology & Evolution 20:312-319.Donoghue, P. C. J., S....
2004	Heather Wilson
2003	Charlotte Jeffrey
2002	Graham Budd Graham Budd Graham Edward Budd is a British palaeontologist, Professor of paleobiology at Uppsala University.Budd’s research primarily has focused on the anatomy and evolutionary significance of Paleozoic arthropods and in the integration of palaeontology into evolutionary developmental biology...  and Matthew Wills
2001	Patrick Orr and Ivan Sansom Ivan Sansom Ivan Sansom is a British palaeontologist, Senior Lecturer in Palaeobiology at the University of Birmingham. His research primarily has focused on the conodont palaeobiology and the early Palaeozoic radiation of vertebrates....