Royal Society split over re-electing ex-president due to boys’ club’ image

A row has broken out among fellows of the Royal Society over the prospect of re-electing the former president Sir Paul Nurse as head of the institution.

- Nicola Davis

The Guardian understands the society's council has put forward Nurse, a geneticist and Nobel laureate, as its preferred candidate to take over after Sir Adrian Smith's term finishes next year.

Fellows of the UK's National Academy of sciences are now being asked to vote to accept or reject Nurse as president-elect, with the poll to close at the end of August. Nurse was head of the institution from 2010 to 2015.

However, fellows are divided over the prospect, with some arguing it gives an impression that the organisation, which claims to be the world's oldest independent scientific academy, is a "boys' club". The Royal Society has never had a female president.

One fellow, who wished to remain anonymous, said that while Nurse had an excellent record as a scientist, they were concerned that he had had too much power and influence over UK science.