Earth Sciences History Group (ASpecialist Group of the Geological Society of AustraliaInc.)
Email Bulletin No. 51 June 22 2016
AESC2016 Uncover Earth’s Past to Discover Our Future
Adelaide 26–30 June 2016
Website: www.aesc2016.gsa.org.au
Email: aesc2016@aomevents.com the official convention email address managed by All Occasions Events.
Late Registrations (2 weeks from convention)
Full Registration Member $925.00
As previously advised, in recognition of the ongoing remembrances marking the centenary of World War 1, the ESHG has convened a session on the war records of Australian geologists and their contributions to geology before, during or after their service The session entitled War Records of Australian Geologists will be part of the Geoscience and Society: Education, Integration and Translation of Earth Science for Societal Benefit theme. Four papers were received on T.W. Edgeworth David, Leslie Blake, Cecil Morton and Walter H Bryan. In addition another paper on Robert Bedford has been accepted, although not related to the theme of World War 1. The time allotted for the session is Thursday afternoon (30 June) of the AESC.
The Geotourism and Geological Heritage Standing Committees is also convening sessions Recent advances in Geotourism in Australia and beyond and Geoheritage under the Geoscience and Society theme.
ESHG
Business Meeting at the AESC
Time has been allotted to the ESHG on Wednesday 29 June from 2:30 to 3:30pm during the AESC. ESHG Reports for 2014 and 2015-16 follow. Full papers for the meeting, including the minutes of the previous meeting, will be emailed as a separate attachment
2014 Annual Report Earth Science History Group (ESHG)
Committee
2014 saw the transfer of the ESHG Committee from Western Australia to Queensland. The new committee is composed of Ian Withnall (Chairman), John Jell (Secretary), Paul Blake (Treasurer), John Draper (Newsletter Editor), Cec Murray (Assistant Editor) and regional representatives John Blockley (WA), David Branagan (NSW), Roger Pierson (VIC), Carol Bacon (TAS), JimJago (SA).
The Queensland Committee has held several committee meetings, transferred bank accounts/signatures and set up net-banking facilities with the NBA in Brisbane.
Membership
Current membership is similar to that of the previous year. There were 5 company and 101 individual members in 2014. At the end of March 2015, there were 5 company and 97 individual members of whom 13 are yet to pay (some of the latter pay by direct debit and are yet to be credited). There are 9 new members and it appears 13 did not renew their membership.
Finances
The Group's finances are in good order with cash reserves of $6350 at the end of March 2015. The committee decided to forego the year’s capitation fees as requested by Governing Council.
International Commission on the History of Geological Sciences (INHIGEO)
The committee has applied to INHIGEO for ESHG to become an affiliate of INHIGEO whose primaryobjective is the promotionof studies into the historyof the geological disciplines in an international context. Such affiliation will promote greater linkage between organisations with similar objectives.
Publications
Three Email Bulletins (Nos 45 – 47) have been distributed and calls for articles for this year’s ESHG Newsletter have been made.
It was decided not to proceed with the upgrading of the ESHG Newsletter to a refereed journal. The Committee is continuing to investigate changing the name from Newsletter to a more suitable term It has been pointed out that the name is confusing (considering that this emailed Bulletin could more appropriately be referred to as a ‘newsletter’ , and that ‘Bulletin’ might have been a more appropriate term for the ESHG Newsletter.
Death of David Oldroyd (1936–2014)
It was with sadness, that the Committee received notice of the death last year of TomVallance medal recipient, David Oldroyd, who was Honorary Professor, Universityof New South Wales. David died on 7 November 2014 in Sydney The medal recognised his outstandingcontributionsover many years to the evolutionof geological ideas. He was also active in INHIGEO and was past SecretaryGeneral and Vice President Oceania, David Oldroyd David made an enormous contribution to INHIGEO and to the historyof geology generallyvia papers, major editing contributionsand his several books that included The Highlands Controversy: Constructing Geological Knowledge through Fieldwork in Nineteenth-Century Britain and Thinking About the Earth: A History of Ideas in Geology
Acknowledgments
On behalf of ESHG, the current committee would like to sincerely thank the Western Australian Committee for their dedication and professionalism in the guidance of the group during their stewardship. The Committee would also like to acknowledge the assistance afforded by the Staff at Head Office
John Jell
Hon. Secretary
01.01.2015
2015-16 Annual Report Earth Science History Group (ESHG)
Committee
Chair Ian Withnall
Secretary John Jell
Treasurer Paul Blake
Newsletter Editor John Draper
Assistant Editor Cec Murray
WA representative John Blockley
NSW representative David Branagan
Victorian representative Roger Pierson
Tasmanian representative Carol Bacon
SA representative Jim Jago
The Queensland members of the Committee held several meetings during the year.
Membership
Membership declined slightly in 2015 to 96 compared with 101 in 2014. Membership details for 2016 had not been received at the time of writing.
Finances
The Group's finances had cash reserves of $6646 at the end of December 2015. Because no Newsletter was published, there were no expenses for the year and the committee agreed to forego the 2015 capitation grant as requested by Governing Council
International Commission on the History of Geological Sciences (INHIGEO)
The committee’s application for ESHG to become an affiliate of INHIGEO was accepted. Such affiliation will promote greater linkage between thetwoorganisations with their similar objectives.
Publications
Four Email Bulletins (Nos 46 – 49) were distributed since the last report, but in spite of calls for articles for the ESHG Newsletter, none were received. It is hoped that presentations made at the AESC on geologists who served in World War 1 may be converted to papers for the Newsletter.
AESC
In recognition of the ongoing remembrances marking the centenary of World War 1, the ESHG has convened a session on the war records of Australian geologists and their contributions to geology before, during or after their service. The session entitled War Records of Australian Geologists will be part of the Geoscience and Society: Education, Integration and Translation of Earth Science for Societal Benefit theme. Four papers were received and accepted on T.W. Edgeworth David, Leslie Blake, Cecil Morton and Walter H Bryan. An additional paper on Robert Bedford and the Adelaide Scientific Establishment was submitted and was accepted although it did not strictly adhere to the session theme.
Recognition
Four nominations for the Tom Vallance medal were received. The committee unanimously agreed that the 2016 medal, to be presented at the AESC in Adelaide, should be awarded to Tom Darragh.
Ian Withnall Chairman 10 April, 2016
Other Upcoming Conferences
41st INHIGEO Symposium - Cape Town, South Africa
The 41st INHIGEO Symposium will be part of 35th International Geological Congress scheduled in Cape Town, South Africa, 27 August–4 September 2016. The conference website is http://www.35igc.org/
Symposia
A “History of Geoscience” theme is listed under a Core Topic of “Geoscience and Society” with the INHIGEO Secretary General being the designated co-ordinator.
The historical symposia suggestions under the “History of Geoscience” theme for the 41st INHIGEO conference are listed as:
1. General contributions on the history of geology
2. Historical studies of Gondwana
3. Local (indigenous) understanding of geology
4. History of fossil man investigations
5. History of geology over the past 50 years
Field Trips
A one day pre Congress field trip is being planned around Cape Town by INHIGEO Vice President North America, Greg Good on Saturday 27 August 2016. It will cater primarily for INHIGEO members. The field trip will visit several historical sites near Cape Town visited by John Herschel and Charles Darwin in their geological fieldwork.
Otherwise a general day excursion for all Congress participants during the Congress will visit the historically important “Sea Point contact”.
Critical Dates
1 May 2016 -Accommodation bookings close
31 May 2016 - Early Bird Registrations close
1 July 2016 - Fifth Circular released - Preliminary Programme
Australian Mining History Association 22nd Annual Conference
Web: http://www.mininghistory.asn.au
Cobar Bowling and Golf Club
COBAR
16th October to 21st October 2016
For registration and details, follow the link
https://cloudstor.aarnet.edu.au/plus/index.php/s/THmnCMcPB7TnCbG
Contributions for the ESHG Newsletter
Although two articles have now been received for the ESHG Newsletter, so we are holding over publication until after the AESC, when hopefully we will be able to publish papers presented during the session on Australian geologists in World War 1. However, articles on other topics are still welcome and if you already have an article for the newsletter, you are welcome submit it to the Newsletter Editor, Mr John Draper at jdraper@hn.ozemail.com.au
ESHG Committee:
Chair Ian Withnall
Secretary John Jell
Treasurer Paul Blake
Newsletter Editor John Draper
Assistant Editor Cec Murray
WA representative John Blockley
NSW representative David Branagan
Victorian representative Roger Pierson
Tasmanian representative Carol Bacon
SA representative Jim Jago