Earth Sciences History Group (A Specialist Group of the Geological Society of Australia Inc.) Email Bulletin No. 61 7 March 2023
Call for nominations for Tom Vallance Medal 2023 Nominations are now open for Tom Vallance Medal to be presented at AESC 2023 in Perth (27-30 June). The deadline for nominations for the award has been extended to Friday 7 April 2023. A nomination form will accompany this Bulletin as an email attachment, but it can also be downloaded from the ESHG website. Please note that Nominees, Nominators and the Supporters should all be GSA members. The Tom Vallance Medal was introduced in 2011 to recognise people who have made a significant contribution to researching, recording, investigating, documenting and/or publishing about people or places or events of historical importance to the geological sciences in Australia or Australasia. It is awarded biennially and presented at the biennial Convention of the Geological Society of Australia (or similar event). Dr Thomas George Vallance (1928–1993), geologist and historian of science, was formerly Associate Professor at the University of Sydney. Originally a petrologist, his work tracing geological expertise in Sydney during the late 18th and early 19th centuries shed unexpected light on scientific activity in our young colony and ignited his interest in the history of geology and early workers in the earth sciences. He researched and published many articles and papers on famous, infamous and little-known early pioneers in this field. His legacy was in the form of 3000 index cards of information, memorabilia and jottings on miners, geologists, surveyors, prospectors and mining engineers, which was compiled over a number of years and gathered from a wide variety of sources - especially from 19th century mining journals. After his death this rich resource was compiled into a database, which should prove invaluable for researchers. The 1994 meeting of INHIGEO was dedicated to the memory of Tom Vallance, a foundation member and for some years one of its Vice-Presidents. Past Tom Vallance Medal Recipients • • • • •
2021, Professor Barry Cooper, announced and presented virtually at the 2021 AESC in Hobart. 2018, Dr Susan Turner, announced at the AGC in Adelaide in October 2018, and presented privately to Susan in Brisbane. 2016, Tom Darragh, announced at AESC2016 in Adelaide and presented at a meeting of the Victorian Division on 28 July 2016. 2014, David Oldroyd, presented at AESC2014 in Newcastle. 2012, David Branagan, presented at the 34th IGC 2012.
ESHG Business meeting The Chair, Ian Withnall, is currently planning to attend the AESC in Perth and has approached the conference organisers about providing a time slot for a face-to-face ESHG Business meeting. Notice of the meeting will be given when a time and venue is confirmed, but it may also be possible to have a hybrid meeting with other ESHG members able to attend virtually. One item on the agenda will be the formation of a new committee as discussed below.
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