ANNUAL DINNER & AWARDS
Date: Tuesday 16th March, 1999Venue: Royal Sydney Yacht Squadron, Kirribilli
An elegant setting, gustatory pleasure, and exponential conversation - these are the hallmarks of the Annual Dinner of our Society. And so it was with this year's dinner at the Royal Sydney Yacht Squadron on Tuesday evening 16th March, the Society's President, Dr. D.J. O'Connor, being in the Chair.
In due time between courses citations for three awards were read and the presentations made by the President. The Clarke Medal went to Emeritus Professor Richard L. Stanton AO, for continuing scientific distinction especially in the field of geology, while the Society's Medal for scientific merit and exceptional service went to former President Dr. David F. Branagan.
The Walter Burfitt Prize for outstanding scientific publications spanning the past six years went to Dr. Anthony K. Burrell (Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand), who personally received his prize in the presence of members of the Burfitt family.
Speaker for the evening was Professor Lesley Johnson, Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Research) and Professor of Cultural Studies, University of Technology, Sydney. Professor Johnson revealed her academic leaning towards the Humanities, but tempered that disclosure on this present occasion by describing an ongoing collaborative research she is conducting into the history of the PhD.
Perhaps surprisingly (she said) the emergence of the degree of Doctor of Philosophy is comparatively recent. The surge in scientific inquiry that accompanied advances in theoretical and experimental sectors from around the 1820's encouraged Universities (led by London University, founded in 1836) to add a research arm to their long-established teaching functions.
Professor Johnson gave a fascinating glimpse of these beginnings of a coveted accolade that nowadays nearly every University worldwide offers. In Australian Universities PhD degrees date from the late 1940's, and the speaker emphasized the place the University now holds in nurturing the destiny of the Australian nation. She strongly hinted in closing that new demands for worthwhile advances in applied and technological subjects would increasingly steer the Universities to align research more in that direction.
Associate Professor A.T. Baker (President-elect of the Society) proposed the vote of thanks to Professor Johnson, remarking on the succinct and insightful messages permeating her address. Members and assembled guests reflected these sentiments in their sincere applause.
(Our thanks once again are extended to Dr Edmund Potter for the provision of his report)