The Australian Institute of Biology

The Australian Institute of Biology Incorporated (AIB) was formed to:

• represent and develop the biology profession in Australia,
• promote education and research in biology,
• improve communication between biologists, and
• speak on behalf of biologists and the biology profession to other organisations and to all levels of government.

The word "biology" includes all aspects of the science of living matter. Members enjoy a status similar to that of other professional organisations.
The Australian Institute of Biology was inaugurated in 1986 and incorporated in the ACT in 1987, as an independent Institute, replacing the Australian Branch of the UK Institute of Biology.

Benefits

• Membership of a professional institute dedicated to promoting the biology profession in Australia enables you to be part of the voice of biology in Australia.
• Use of the professional designations AMAIBiol, MAIBiol or FAIBiol.
• Access to an extended network of leading biologists in Australia and overseas.
• Opportunity to collaborate with other professional biologists in the Institute.
• Newsletters will keep members up to date on matters of professional interest.
• Opportunity to attend national and local AIB symposia and other events.

Activities

• Presentation of annual symposia and public lectures on biological topics of national importance.
• Maintenance of a Directory of members.
• Collaboration with the Australian Academy of Science and the Federation of Australian Scientific and Technological Societies.
• Publication of specialist books.
• The Annual General Meeting is held in one of the capital cities of Australia and usually combines a biological symposium with a business meeting and social activities. The AGM is a popular event, providing an opportunity for members to contribute to the development of the AIB, as well as to meet other members and officers of the Institute.
• Local activities organised by State branches of the AIB.
• Development of strategy and procedures for the professional accreditation of biologists and biological courses.

Membership

Membership is open to all professional biologists including those in education, veterinary science, agriculture, biochemistry, forestry, horticulture, microbiology, and the pre-clinical and clinical medical and dental sciences. The term "practising biologist" includes those working in, researching or teaching biology. The following examples are given as guides to the minimum requirements for the grades of Fellow, Member, Associate Member and Student Member.

FELLOW (FAIBiol)

• • High distinction in biology and at least ten years professional experience. Candidates for the class of Fellow are nominated by an existing Fellow and seconded by two other existing Fellows. Fellows are elected by the AIB Council on the recommendation of the Fellowship Committee. Please write to the Registrar for more information about the nomination procedure for Fellowship.

MEMBER (MAIBiol)

• Ph.D. in biology.
• Master’s degree in biology and engagement or employment as a practising biologist for one year.
• Ordinary degree and an honours degree and engagement or employment as a practising biologist for two years.
• Ordinary degree in biology and engagement or employment as a practising biologist for three years.
• Ordinary degree in education or science with biology as the principal component or a diploma in biology of a former college of advanced education, and engagement or employment as a practising biologist for three years.
• Recognised tertiary qualification in biology or in education or science with biology as the principal component and Associate Membership of the AIB for a continuous period of two years while engaged or employed as a practising biologist.
• None of the above qualifications but has made significant and original contributions to biology.

ASSOCIATE MEMBER (AMAIBiol)

• Recognised tertiary qualification in biology or in education or science with biology as the principal component but not engaged or employed as a practising biologist for the required period.
• No formal tertiary qualifications in biology but publications, reports or references showing that the main attribute of the applicant’s professional work or activity is of a biological nature.

STUDENT MEMBER

• Student studying biological subjects for one of the qualifications described above.
• Student studying biology full-time in a graduate course.
• Student studying full-time in a graduate course following a first degree in biology.

QUERIES

Biologists with other professional qualifications not covered by the examples above should write for advice to the Registrar.

APPLICATIONS

• An application form is available on this site. Please complete this form as fully as you can and forward it to the Registrar.
• You must supply with your application documentary evidence of all your listed qualifications. Students applying for Student Membership are exempted from this requirement. Please supply photocopies of any documents, not the originals, since the documents will be retained by the Institute.
• Include with your application the full fee for the membership grade for which you are applying. The scale of fees is given on the application form. Please make your cheque or postal order payable to the Australian Institute of Biology Inc..
• Applications are considered in confidence by the Credentials Committee of the Institute, which will determine the eligibility of each applicant for the grade of membership applied for. The Credentials Committee may recommend an alternative grade of membership in the light of the applicant’s academic qualifications and period of practice as a biologist. The Credentials Committee recommendations are passed to the AIB Executive Committee for ratification.
• When you are elected the fee will be used for your first year of membership. If your application is not successful your fee will be returned in full.
• Please post your completed application form, documents and appropriate fee to Registrar at the address given on the application form.

CODE OF CONDUCT

Those seeking election to membership of the AIB must agree to comply with the code of professional conduct of the Institute, as indicated in Clause 20 (1) of the Constitution, namely:

All members of the Institute shall at all times so order their conduct as to uphold the dignity and reputation of the profession of biology and to safeguard the public interest in matters of safety and public health and otherwise. They shall exercise their professional skills and judgement to the best of their ability and discharge their professional responsibilities with integrity