Royal Society of New South Wales
 | |
| Formation | 27 June 1821 |
|---|---|
| Hauptsitz | Sydney, Australia |
Membership | 14 Fellows 350 Members |
President | Dr Donald Hector |
| Website | www.royalsoc.org.au |
The Royal Society of New South Wales is a learned society based in Sydney, Australia. It is the oldest such society in Australia and in the Southern Hemisphere. The Governor-General of Australia and the Governor of New South Wales are joint patrons of the Society.
The Society was established as the The Philosophical Society of Australasia on 27 June 1821. In 1850, after a period of informal activity, the Society was revived and its name became the Australian Philosophical Society. The Society was granted Royal Assent on 12 December 1866 and it was renamed the Royal Society of New South Wales.
Membership is open to any person interested in the promotion of studies in Science, Art, Literature and Philosophy. The Society is based in Sydney and has active branches in Mittagong in the Southern Highlands and in Orange in the Central West of NSW. Regular monthly meetings and other events are well attended by both members and visitors.
The Society publishes a peer-reviewed journal, the Journal and Proceedings of The Royal Society of New South Wales, the second-oldest peer-reviewed publication in the Southern Hemisphere.
History
The Royal Society of New South Wales, Australia traces its origins to The Philosophical Society of Australasia, established on 27 June 1821 and was the first scientific society in the then British Colony of New South Wales.
The Society was formed "with a view to enquiring into the various branches of physical science of this vast continent and its adjacent regions". On his arrival in Sydney late in 1821 the new Governor-General (as he was then called), Sir Thomas Brisbane, was offered and accepted the position of President.
Following a period of informal activity, the Society was revitalised and renamed the Australian Philosophical Society on 19 January 1850. On 12 December 1866, Queen Victoria granted Royal Assent to the Society and it was renamed again as The Royal Society of New South Wales. The Society was incorporated by Act of the New South Wales Parliament in 1881.
The rules of the Society provided that the Governor of New South Wales should be President ex officio. After the establishment of the Commonwealth of Australia in 1901, the Governor-General became Patron of the Society, and the Governor New South Wales the Vice-Patron. Since 1938, the Society has been under the joint patronage of the Governor-General of Australia and the Governor of NSW .
Throughout its history, the Society has done much to foster local research particularly in science, through meetings, symposia, publications and international scientific exchange, and has supported and fostered the endeavours of other organisations dedicated to the furtherance of knowledge.
The Society encourages "...studies and investigations in Science, Art, Literature and Philosophy" through the following activities:
- Publications of results of scientific investigations through its Journal and Proceedings;
- Awarding prizes and medals for outstanding achievements in research;
- Liaison with other similar bodies;
- Holding meetings for the benefit of members and the general public (special meetings are held for the Pollock Memorial Lecture in Physics and Mathematics, the Liversidge Research Lecture in Chemistry, the Poggendorf Memorial Lecture in Agriculture, the Clarke Memorial Lecture in Geology and the Warren Lecture and Prize in engineering, applied science and technology); and
- Maintaining a Library.
Journal
The Society's journal, the Journal and Proceedings of The Royal Society of New South Wales is one of the oldest peer-reviewed publications in the Southern Hemisphere. Much innovative research of the 19th and early 20th centuries (e.g. Lawrence Hargrave's work on flight) was first brought to the attention of the scientific world through the Journal and Proceedings of the Royal Society of New South Wales. In the last few decades specialist journals have become preferred for highly technical work but the Journal and Proceedings remains an important publication for multidisciplinary and transdisciplinary work.
The Journal and Proceedings are exchanged with hundreds of institutions worldwide. Currently issues are published around June and December each year.
The Society welcomes scholarly work to be considered for publication in the Journal. Preference is given to work done in Australia which has relevance to New South Wales. Intending authors must read the style guide, available via the Society’s web site (Journal), before submitting their manuscript for review.
Fellows of the Society
In 2009, the Society established the position of Fellow to recognise distinguished contributions to science, art, literature or philosophy. Fellows of the Society are entitled to use the postnominal FRSN. There can be up to 14 Fellows at any one time.
The Society's inaugural Fellows appointed in 2009 were presented with their Fellowships by the Society's Patron, the Governor-General of Australia, Her Excellency, Ms Quentin Bryce on 29 March 2010 at Admiralty House in Sydney.
At the Liversidge Research Lecture for 2010 held on 26 November, the President announced that the Society had created five new Fellows. They were presented with their Fellowships by the Society's Patron, the Governor of New South Wales, Her Excellency, Professor Maree Bashir on 18 February 2011 at the Society's Annual Dinner in Sydney.
Current Fellows of the Society
| Name | Discipline | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Professor Michael Archer AM FAA FRSN | Biology and paleobiology | Professor Archer is a distinguished biologist and palaeobiologist. |
| Professor Elizabeth Blackburn AC FRS FRSN | Biochemistry and Biophysics | Professor Blackburn was a 2010 Nobel Laureate (Medicine) 2010. She discovered the molecular nature of telomeres - the ends of eukaryotic chromosomes that serve as protective caps essential for preserving genetic information and the ribonucleoprotein enzyme telomerase. |
| Professor Robert Clark FAA FRSN | Physics | Professor Clark is Chief Scientist at the Australian Defence Science and Technology Organization. Previously he was Professor of Experimental Physics and was Director of the Centre of Excellence for Quantum Computer Technology at the University of New South Wales. |
| Professor David Craig AO FRS FAA FRSN | Chemistry | Professor Craig's research work was in several fields but was especially pioneering in the then new and very difficult field of excitons in molecular crystals. He also did major work in the field of molecular quantum electrodynamics. |
| Emeritus Professor Noel Hush AO DSc FRS FNAS FAA FRACI FRSN | Computational and theoretical quantum chemistry | Professor Hush is one of Australia's most distinguished and internationally renowned chemists with outstanding achievements in computational and theoretical quantum chemistry. |
| Professor Kurt Lambeck AO FRS FAA FRSN | Geophysics, geology, and glaciology | Professor Lambeck is internationally recognised as an expert on the interaction between ice sheets, oceans and the Earth and the impact of ocean levels resulting from climate change. |
| Emeritus Scientia Professor Eugenie Lumbers FAA FRSN | Medicine | Professor Lumbers is an internationally respected authority on foetal and maternal physiology. For many years she has worked in cardiovascular and renal physiology, with particular reference to blood pressure regulation in the renin-angiotensin system. |
| Professor Lord May of Oxford, OM AC Kt FRS FAA FRSN | Mathematics and zoolology | Lord May is one of Australia’s most distinguished mathematicians. He had a key role in the application of chaos theory to theoretical ecology through the 1970s and 1980s. |
| Professor Michelle Simmons FAA FRSN | Physics | Professor Simmons is a Federation Fellow and Director of the Atomic Fabrication Facility at the University of NSW. Her research in nanoelectronics combines molecular beam epitaxy and scanning tunnelling microscopy to develop novel electronic devices at the atomic scale. |
| Professor Richard Stanton FRSN | Geology | Professor Stanton is a distinguished geologist. He recognised the role of volcanism and sedimentation in the formation of new ore deposits, and the physics and chemistry involved in the concentration of copper, zinc and lead in volcanic lavas. |
| Professor Jill Trewhella FAAAS FLANL FRSN | Mathematics, physics, nuclear chemistry | Professor Trewhella gained an international recognition for her work at Los Alamos National Laboratory, in particular contributing to our understanding of the molecular communication that underpins healthy biological function. |
| Professor Bruce Warren FRCPath FRSN | Medicine, pathology | Professor Warren is a distinguished pathologist whose research interests concerned tumour biology and thrombosis. |
Past Fellows of the Society
| Name | Discipline | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Professor Gavin Brown FRSN (1942 - 2010) | Mathematics and education | Professor Brown was a distinguished mathematician and educator. He was Inaugural Director of the Royal Institution of Australia after 12 years as Vice-Chancellor and Principal of the University of Sydney. His research areas were broad, including measure theory and algebraic geometry and his contributions both to education and mathematics have been recognised world-wide. |
| Professor Jak Kelly FInstP (London) FAIP FRSN (1928 - 2012) | Physics | Professor Kelly established an internationally-renowned research centre on ion implantation and material defects at the University of New South Wales. He jointly invented a photovoltaic solar collector surface, which, at the time, was the world's most efficient and is now in mass production in China. |
Notable members
- Edward Wollstonecraft, a founding member of the original Philosophical Society of Australasia
- William Branwhite Clarke, geologist and long-time vice-president
- Philip Sydney Jones, surgeon. A member for 51 years
- James Charles Cox, conchologist
- William Scott (astronomer and clergyman)
- Robert Hamilton Mathews, (anthropologist and surveyor)
- Charles Anderson (mineralogist), mineralogist, paelontologist and president in 1924
Clarke Medal
The Clarke Medal is awarded by the Society for distinguished work in the Natural sciences. It was named in honour of the Reverend William Branwhite Clarke, one of the founders of the Society. The medal was to be "awarded for meritorious contributions to Geology, Mineralogy and Natural History of Australasia, to be open to men of science, whether resident in Australasia or elsewhere". The Medal is now awarded annually for distinguished work in the natural sciences (geology, botany and zoology) done in the Australian Commonwealth and its territories. Each discipline is considered every three years.
For a complete list of medalists see Clarke Medal
Presidents
From 1850 to 1880, the President of the Society was the Governor of New South Wales. In 1881, when the Society was incorporated by an Act of the New South Wales Parliament, the Act provided that Presidents of the Society be elected by the members.
| Year/Years | Name | Discipline | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1821-2 | Sir Thomas Brisbane | Astronomy | Governor NSW, Hon. President |
| 1850-5 | Hon. E. Deas-Thomson | Öffentliche Verwaltung | Senior Vice-President. Clerk of both the Council of NSW and the Executive & Legislative Council |
| 1855-7 | Sir William Denison | Technik | Governor NSW, Hon. President |
| Sir Charles Nicholson | Medicine | Senior Vice-President | |
| 1858-60 | Sir William Denison | Technik | Governor NSW, Hon. President |
| Hon. E. Deas-Thomson | Öffentliche Verwaltung | Senior Vice-President. Clerk of both the Council of NSW and the Executive & Legislative Council | |
| 1861-5 | Sir John Young | Law | Governor NSW, Hon. President |
| Rev. W.B. Clarke | Geology | Senior Vice-President | |
| 1866-7 | Sir John Young | Law | Governor NSW, Hon. President |
| Rev. W.B. Clarke | Geology | Senior Vice-President | |
| 1868-71 | 4th Earl of Belmore | Öffentliche Verwaltung | Governor NSW, Hon. President |
| Rev.W.B. Clarke | Geology | Senior Vice-President | |
| 1872-8 | Sir Hercules Robinson | Öffentliche Verwaltung | Governor NSW, Hon. President |
| Rev. W.B. Clarke | Geology | Senior Vice-President | |
| 1879 | Lord Augustus Loftus | Diplomat | Governor NSW, Hon. President |
| Hon. J. Smith | Physics | Senior Vice-President | |
| 1880 | Hon. J. Smith | Physics | First elected President |
| 1881 | H.C. Russell | Astronomy | |
| 1882 | C. Rolleston | Statistics | Auditor-General |
| 1883 | Professor J. Smith | Physics | Second elected term |
| 1884 | H.C. Russell | Astronomy | Second term |
| 1885 | Professor A. Liversidge | Chemistry | Joint Secretary 1875-1884;1886-1888 |
| 1886 | C. Rolleston | Statistics | Second term |
| 1887 | C.S. Wilkinson | Geology | |
| 1888 | Sir Alfred Roberts | Medicine | |
| 1889 | Professor A. Liversidge | Chemistry | Second term |
| 1890 | Dr A.Leibius | Chemistry | Joint Secretary 1875-1885 |
| 1891 | H.C. Russell | Astronomy | Third term |
| 1892 | Professor W.H.Warren | Technik | Joint Secretary 1889-1891 |
| 1893 | Professor T.P. Anderson Stuart | Physiology | Joint Secretary 1892 |
| 1894 | Professor R. Threlfall | Physics | |
| 1895 | Professor T.W.E. David | Geology | Joint Secretary 1893-4 |
| 1896 | J.H.Maiden | Botany | Joint Secretary 1893-5; 1897-1913 |
| 1897 | HenryDeane | Technik | |
| 1898 | G.H.Knibbs | Mathematics | Joint Secretary 1896-7; 1899-1906 |
| 1899 | W.H.Hamlet | Chemistry | |
| 1900 | Professor A. Liversidge | Chemistry | Third term |
| 1901 | H.C.Russell | Astronomy | Fourth term |
| 1902 | Professor W.H. Warren | Technik | Second term |
| 1903 | F.B. Guthrie | Chemistry | Joint Secretary1907-1911 |
| 1904 | C.O. Burge | Technik | |
| 1905 | H.A. Lenehan | Astronomy | |
| 1906 | Professor T.P. Anderson Stuart | Physiology | Second term |
| 1907 | Henry Deane | Technik | Second term |
| 1908 | W.H. Hamlet | Chemistry | Second term |
| 1909 | H.D. Walsh | Technik | |
| 1910 | Professor T.W.E. David | Geology | Second term |
| 1911 | J.H. Maiden | Botany | Second term |
| 1912 | R.H. Cambage | Surveying | Joint Secretary 1914-1922; 1925-7 |
| 1913 | H.G. Smith | Chemistry | |
| 1914 | C.Hedley | Zoology | |
| 1915 | R. Greig-Smith | Bacteriology | Joint Secretary 1925-6 |
| 1916 | T.H. Houghton | Technik | |
| 1917 | Dr J.B. Cleland | Microbiology | |
| 1918 | William Sutherland Dun | Palaeontology | |
| 1919 | Professor C.E. Fawsitt | Chemistry | |
| 1920 | J. Nangle | Astronomy | |
| 1921 | E.C. Andrews | Geology | |
| 1922 | C.A. Sussmilch | Geology | Joint Secretary 1928-1933; 1936-7 |
| 1923 | R.H. Cambage | Surveying | Second term |
| 1924 | Dr C. Anderson | Mineralogy | Joint Secretary 1935-1942 |
| 1925 | Professor R.D. Watt | Agriculture | |
| 1926 | Dr Walter George Woolnough | Geology | |
| 1927 | Prof. J. Douglas Stewart | Veterinary Medicine | |
| 1928 | W. Poole | Technik | |
| 1929 | Professor L.A. Cotton | Geology | |
| 1930 | Professor O.U. Vonwiller | Physics | Joint Secretary 1927-8; 1948 |
| 1931 | Edwin Cheel | Botany | |
| 1932 | Asst.Prof. W.R. Browne | Geology | |
| 1933 | R.W. Challoner | Chemistry | |
| 1934 | Dr R.J. Noble | Agriculture | Joint Secretary 1933 |
| 1935 | A.R. Penfold | Chemistry | |
| 1936 | Major E.H. Booth | Physics | Joint Secretary 1934-6 |
| 1937 | Dr W.L. Waterhouse | Botany | |
| 1938 | Professor J.C. Earl | Chemistry | |
| 1939 | Dr H.S.H. Wardlaw | Biochemistry | |
| 1940 | Professor A.P. Elkin | Anthropology | Joint Secretary 1938-9; 1941-5 |
| 1941 | D.P. Mellor | Chemistry | Joint Secretary 1943-7 |
| 1942 | Professor Henry Priestley | Biochemistry | |
| 1943 | Dr A.B. Walkom | Palaeobotany | |
| 1944 | Dr G.D. Osborne | Geology | Joint Secretary 1953 |
| 1945 | Dr A. Bolliger | Medicine | |
| 1946 | Dr F. Lions | Chemistry | |
| 1947 | Dr J.A. Dulhunty | Geology | |
| 1948 | Dr Ronald Aston | Technik | |
| 1949 | Harley Wood | Astronomy | Joint Secretary 1948; 1951; 1958-1960 |
| 1950 | F.R. Morrison | Chemistry | Joint Secretary 1946-7 |
| 1951 | Dr R.C.L. Bosworth | Chemistry | Secretary 1948-50 |
| 1952 | Dr C.J. Magee | Agriculture | |
| 1953 | Dr Ida A. Browne | Palaeontology | First female President; Joint Secretary 1950-2; 1957-8 |
| 1954 | Dr R.S. Nyholm | Chemistry | |
| 1955 | Dr M.R. Lemberg | Biochemistry | |
| 1956 | F.D. McCarthy | Anthropology | |
| 1957 | F.N. Hanlon | Geology | Joint Secretary 1954-6 |
| 1958 | J.L. Griffith | Mathematics | Secretary 1955-7; 1966-8 |
| 1959 | A.F.A. Harper | Physics | |
| 1960 | H.A.J. Donegan | Chemistry | |
| 1961 | R.J.W. LeFevre | Chemistry | |
| 1962 | W.B. Smith-White | Mathematics | |
| 1963 | Howard McKern | Chemist | |
| 1964 | J.W. Humphries | Physics | |
| 1965 | Dr A.A. Day | Geology | Joint Secretary 1959-1960 |
| 1966 | A.H. Voisey | Geology | |
| 1967 | A.H. Low | Mathematics | Secretary 1963-5 |
| 1968 | A. Keane | Mathematics | |
| 1969 | J.W.G. Neuhaus | Chemistry | |
| 1970 | W.E. Smith | Mathematics | |
| 1971 | M.J. Puttock | Metrologist | |
| 1972 | J.C. Cameron | Geology | Secretary 1969 |
| 1973 | J.P. Pollard | Mathematics/Statistics | |
| 1974 | J.W. Pickett | Palaeontology | |
| 1975 | E.K. Chaffer | Geology | Secretary 1970-1 |
| 1976 | D.J. Swaine | Chemistry | Secretary 1986-8 |
| 1977 | W.H. Robertson | Astronomy | |
| 1978 | F.C. Beavis | Geology | |
| 1979 | D.H. Napper | Chemistry | |
| 1980 | G.S. Gibbons | Geology | |
| 1981 | B.A. Warren | Pathology | |
| 1982 | T.W. Cole | Technik | |
| 1983 | R.S. Vagg | Chemistry | |
| 1984 | R.S. Bhathal | Astronomy | Secretary 1989-91 |
| 1985 | J.H. Loxton | Mathematics | |
| 1986 | M.A. Stubbs-Race | Technik | |
| 1987 | F.L. Sutherland | Geology | |
| 1988 | D.E. Winch | Mathematics | |
| 1989 | H.S. Hancock | Geology | |
| 1990 | G.W.K. Ford | Nuclear Science | Secretary 1993- |
| 1991 | E.C. Potter | Chemistry | |
| 1992 | F.L. Sutherland | Geology | Second term |
| 1993 | R.A.L. Osborne | Geology | |
| 1994 | J.R. Hardie | Geology/Education | Secretary 1992 |
| 1995 | Dr D.F. Branagan | Geology | |
| 1996 | K.L. Grose | Ancient History | |
| 1997 | E.C. Potter | Chemistry | Second term |
| 1998 | D.J. O'Connor | Physics | |
| 1999 | A.T. Baker | Chemistry | |
| 2000 | P.A. Williams | Geology | |
| 2001 | D.A. Craddock | Aeronautics | |
| 2002 | D.A. Craddock | Aeronautics | Second term |
| 2003 | K. Kelly | Science Journalism | |
| 2004 | K. Kelly | Science Journalism | Second term |
| 2005 | Prof. J.C. Kelly | Physics | |
| 2006 | Prof. J.C. Kelly | Physics | Second term |
| 2007 | J.R. Hardie | Geology/Education | Second term |
| 2008 | J.R. Hardie | Geology/Education | Third term (not consecutive) |
| 2009 | J.R. Hardie | Geology/Education | Fourth term |
| 2010 | J.R. Hardie | Geology/Education | Fifth term |
| 2011 | J.R. Hardie | Geology/Education | Sixth term |
| 2012 | Dr D.C.A. Hector | Technik | Editor of Journal & Proceedings 2011-2012 |