European Society for Evolutionary Biology

The European Society for Evolutionary Biology (ESEB) was founded in 1987 in Basel (Switzerland) with around 450 evolutionary biologists attending the inaugural congress. It is an academic society that brings together more than 1500 evolutionary biologists from across Europe and beyond. The founding of the society was closely linked with the launch of the society's journal, the Journal of Evolutionary Biology with the first issue appearing in 1988. ESEB aims at supporting the study of evolution. Beside publishing the journal and co-publishing Evolution Letters, the society organises a biannual congress and supports other events to promote advances in evolutionary biology. ESEB also supports activities to promote a scientific view of evolution in research and education.

Its objectives are to "Support the study of organic evolution and the integration of those scientific fields that are concerned with evolution: molecular and microbial evolution, behaviour, genetics, ecology, life histories, development, paleontology, systematics and morphology."

ESEB supports young researchers through sponsoring the annual EMPSEB (European Meeting of PhD Students in Evolutionary Biology) research conference for Ph.D. students.

Presidents
Source: ESEB
 * 1987–1989 : Arthur Cain (first president)
 * 1989–1991 : Bengt Bengtsson
 * 1991–1993 : John Maynard Smith
 * 1993–1995 : John L. Harper
 * 1995–1997 : Wim Scharloo
 * 1997–1999 : Stephen Stearns
 * 1999–2001 : Godfrey Hewitt
 * 2001–2003 : Deborah Charlesworth
 * 2003–2005 : Rolf Hoekstra
 * 2005–2007 : Paul Brakefield
 * 2007–2009 : Isabelle Olivieri
 * 2009–2011 : Siv Andersson
 * 2011–2013 : Brian Charlesworth
 * 2013–2015 : Roger Butlin
 * 2015–2017 : Laurent Keller
 * 2017–2019 : Nina Wedell
 * 2019–2021 : Ophélie Ronce