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Written by SPA Inc
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Monday, 01 June 2009 15:37 |
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 Professor Tim Flannery is one of Australia's best-known scientists as well as being one of our best-selling writers. His views are often provocative, both intellectually and socially.
Tim was for a number of years the Principal Research scientist at the Australian Museum in Sydney. He started out, though, doing a degree in English. After graduating, he found a temporary job at the Museum of Victoria in their Vertebrate Paleontology department. This led him to a second degree in Earth Sciences, and from there to a doctorate with the Zoology department at UNSW.
He is renowned academically for his research into the mammals of Melanesia, publishing several acclaimed books on the subject…but he's best known by the broad public as the author of The Future Eaters, one of the best-selling non-fiction books in Australia and New Zealand. That book won a shelf-load of prizes, including the Age book of the year in 1995 and the inaugural South Australian premier's literary award in 1996. His interests aren't restricted to biology, though. Tim has a deep interest in early Australian history which has also informed his understanding of the way the Australian environment has been used, and often abused. He edited and reissued 1788, A Complete Account of the Settlement of Port Jackson, by Watkin Tench. This was first printed in 1789 and is the first published account of the earliest European settlement in Australia. Flannery's book became another bestseller. Since then he has published another about early Australian history.
Tim appears regularly on radio and is often called on as expert commentator on a wide range of environmental and social issues. He's made numerous television appearances and made a 6-part television series for ABC TV based on The Future Eaters. He has written articles for a broad range of journals from literary magazines to specialist scientific journals and mass-circulation magazines.
In 1988 he was Visiting Professor of Australian Studies at Harvard University and on his return to Australia took up the position as Director of the South Australian Museum. Tim Flannery was named Australian of the Year on 25th January 2007. On 1 August 2007 he took up a new position as Professor in Division of Environmental and Life Sciences at Macquarie University in Sydney.
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Last Updated ( Sunday, 30 August 2009 09:41 )
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Population Quotes
For too long have we supposed that technology would solve the "population problem." It won't. I first became fully aware of this hard truth when I wrote my essay "The Tragedy of the commons," ... Never have I found anything so difficult to work into shape. I wrote at least seven significantly different versions before resting content with this one, ... . It was obvious that the internal resistance to what I found myself saying was terrific. As a scientist I wanted to find a scientific solution; but reason inexorably led me to conclude that the population problem could not possibly be solved without repudiating certain ethical beliefs and altering some of the political and economic arrangements of contemporary society. Garrett Hardin: Preface of "Exploring New Ethics for Survival" (1972)
ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING - MELBOURNE 2010
DATE- MARCH 20th 2010 at 2.00 p.m.
VENUE
University of Melbourne
Trinity College Royal Parade Parkville
Evan Burge Building
Buzzard lecture Theatre
Enter Gate A (next to Janet Clarke Hall)
Guest speaker:
Dr Bob Birrell, Reader in Sociology at Monash University.
Full Details
Media Release - SEQ Water Strategy - 10 Feb.
South East Queensland Water Strategy reveals SEQ population growth is unsustainable
High energy consuming desalination plants underpinning future water security for South East Queensland shows that the region’s population growth is unsustainable, say environmentalists.
“Detailed planning for desalination facilities at Lytton and Marcoola will commence in 2010, however, a desalination plant at Lytton shows a total disregard for the Moreton Bay Marine Park and its internationally listed values,” said Mr Simon Baltais, Vice President of the South East Queensland Branch of Sustainable Population Australia. Read On. ..
Discover biodiversity - every day
Biodiversity is the backbone of all life on earth, and its conservation lies at the very core of IUCN’s work. ‘Species of the Day’ has been launched as part of IUCN’s involvement in the International Year of Biodiversity.
With mounting scientific evidence of a serious extinction crisis, it’s time to take action. “The latest analysis of the IUCN Red List shows the 2010 target to reduce biodiversity loss will not be met,” says Jane Smart, Director of IUCN’s Biodiversity Conservation Group. “It’s time for governments to get serious about saving species and make sure it’s high on their agendas for next year, as we’re rapidly running out of time.”
Each day of 2010 will see a different species featured on the IUCN website, with information on the threats it faces. The 365 species selected represent the entire range of taxonomic groups and cover all regions. We have started by featuring some better known species, including the Polar Bear and will move on to cover plants, fungi, invertebrates and more. Both charismatic and obscure species will be featured, providing an insight into the astonishing level of biodiversity that exists.
If you would like to access the archived list of species go to www.iucnredlist.org/species-of-the-day/archives
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