The Bernal Lecture is now incorporated into the annual Wilkins-Bernal-Medawar Lecture. Previously the Bernal Lecture was given triennially on some aspect of the social function of science.
The lectureship was established following a bequest by John Desmond Bernal FRS. The first lecture was given in 1971. The Wilkins-Bernal-Medawar Lecture was formed in 2006.