The award, which is given every two years, recognises Professor Mann’s distinguished work on biomineralisation and bioinspired chemistry. There are two winners of this award this year, the other being Professor Graham Hutchings from the University of Cardiff.

The Société Chimique de France is a learned society and professional association founded in 1857 to represent the interests of French chemists in a variety of ways in local, national and international contexts. The organisation was modelled on the British Chemical Society (the precursor of the Royal Society of Chemistry), and like its British counterpart, sought to foster the communication of new ideas and facts throughout France and across international borders.