The Royal Society of Victoria (RSV) is the oldest scientific society in Victoria, Australia.
Foundation
In 1854 two organisations formed with similar aims and membership, these being the Victorian Institute for the Advancement of Science (founded 15 June, 1854, inaugural president Justice Sir Redmond Barry) and the Philosophical Society of Victoria (founded 12 August, 1854, inaugural president Andrew Clarke). These two merged in July 1855 to form the Philosophical Institute of Victoria, with Clarke as the inaugural president. The Philosophical Institute received Royal Charter in 1859, and the first president of the freshly renamed Royal Society of Victoria was Ferdinand von Mueller (later Baron Sir Ferdinand von Mueller), then Victoria's Government Botanist. In 1860 the RSV organised the ill-fated Burke & Wills expedition under the Presidency of Victorian Governor Sir Henry Barkly.
Activities
The society has played an important role in the life of Melbourne and Victoria, including a foundational relationship with the Melbourne Museum, the Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria, the Melbourne Observatory and Victoria's National Parks. The society convened the first Australian Antarctic Exploration Committee in 1885, commissioned the Burke & Wills expedition and established the Victorian Institute of Marine Sciences in 1978 (now the Marine and Freshwater Discovery Centre in Queenscliffhttps://vfa.vic.gov.au/education/marine-and-freshwater-discovery-centre/ Marine and Freshwater Discovery Centre). Many long-standing community organisations concerned with nature and conservation have grown from an early association with the Royal Society of Victoria, such as the Victorian National Parks Association and the Field Naturalists Club of Victoria.
Located in its heritage-listed headquarters at 8 La Trobe Street, in the centre of Melbourne, the Society's modern role is to communicate and advocate for the important role of science in society, providing public lectures about the latest scientific work and thinking underway in Victoria, and convening forums with government and community to explore an evidence-based approach to issues facing the state.https://rsv.org.au/ The Royal Society of Victoria The Society conducts a state-wide program through management of the Inspiring Victoria program, a federally-funded initiative to engage communities with science and promote scientific literacy, including National Science Week.https://inspiringvictoria.org.au/ Inspiring Victoria
The Society edits and produces the Proceedings of the Royal Society of Victoria, one of Australia's longest-running regional science journals. Back issues from the 19th century through to the early 21st century are digitised and accessible from the State Library of Victoria's online catalogue, along with holdings of the Society's historical papers and archives.https://www.slv.vic.gov.au/ State Library of Victoria Issues published from 2009 are available online, open access through CSIRO Publishing.https://www.publish.csiro.au/rs/AbouttheJournal Proceedings of the RSV
Awards
The Society confers prizes, awards and medals to recognise high-achievement throughout a scientist's various career stages. RSV bursaries are provided to school students through annual sponsorship of the Science Talent Search run by the Science Teachers' Association of Victoria. Early career researchers are acknowledged annually through the Young Scientist Research Prizes and the Phillip Law Postdoctoral Award. Peak career achievements are recognised through the annual award of the RSV Medal for Excellence in Scientific Research. Distinguished lifetime contributions to science, in particular the public engagement with and understanding of science, are recognised through election as an RSV Fellow.
Fellows of the Royal Society of Victoria are entitled to the use of the professional postnominal FRSV; subscribed members of the RSV are entitled to use of the professional postnominal MRSV.https://rsv.org.au/how-to-join/ RSV Membership
Presidents
1859: Baron Sir Ferdinand von Mueller 1860–1863: Sir Henry Barkly 1864: Sir Frederick McCoy 1865: Rev. Dr John Ignatius Bleasdale 1866–1884: Robert L.J. Ellery 1885–1900: William Charles Kernot 1901: Dr James Jamieson 1902: Edward John White 1903: John Dennant 1904: Sir Walter Baldwin Spencer 1905: George Sweet 1906: Edward John Dunn 1907: Calder E. Oliver 1908–1909: Pietro P.G.E. Baracchi 1910–1911: Ernest Willington Skeats 1912–1913: John Shephard 1914–1915: Thomas Sergeant Hall 1916–1917: William A. Osborne 1918–1919: James A. Kershaw 1920–1921: Alfred James Ewart 1922–1923: Frank Wisewould 1924: Thomas H. Laby 1925–1926: Joseph M. Baldwin 1927–1928: Wilfred Eade Agar 1929–1930: Frederick Chapman 1931–1932: Herbert S. Summers 1933–1934: William J. Young 1935–1936: Norman A. Esserman 1937–1938: Samuel M. Wadham 1939–1940: Daniel J. Mahony 1941–1942: Reuben T. Patton 1943–1944: William Baragwanath 1945–1946: John King Davis 1947–1948: Dermot A. Casey 1949–1950: Philip Crosbie Morrison 1951–1952: John S. Turner 1953–1954: Frank Leslie Stillwell 1955–1956: Edwin S. Hills 1957–1958: Valentine G. Anderson 1959–1960: Geoffrey W. Leeper 1961–1962: Richard R. Garran 1963–1964: Richard T.M. Pescott 1965–1966: John H. Chinner 1967–1968: Phillip G. Law 1969–1970: Edmund D. Gill 1971–1972: Alfred Dunbavin Butcher 1973–1974: Sir Robert R. Blackwood 1975–1976: James D. Morrison 1977–1978: John F. Lovering AO 1979–1980: Lionel L. Stubbs 1980–1982: Gordon D. Aitchison 1983–1984: David M. Churchill 1985–1986: Dr Grisha A. Sklovsky 1986–1987: Dr Terence P. O'Brien 1987 (July–December): Dr Grisha A. Sklovsky 1988–1990: Dr William R.S. Briggs 1991–1992: Dr Graeme F. Watson 1993–1994: Dr John W. Zillman AO 1995–1996: Dr Maxwell G. Lay AM 1997–1998: Professor Em. Herbert H. Bolotin 1999–2001: Associate Professor Gordon D. Sanson 2001–2003: Associate Professor Neil W. Archbold 2006–2007: Associate Professor Bruce Livett 2007–2010: Professor Graham D. Burrows AO 2010–2012: Professor Lynne Selwood AO 2013–2017: Dr William D. (Bill) Birch AM 2017–2021: Mr David Zerman 2021– : Mr Robert Gell AM
Publication Proceedings of the Royal Society of Victoria. Melbourne : The Society, 1889- Semiannual. ISSN 0035-9211. Formerly the Transactions and Proceedings of the Royal Society of Victoria
References
Science and the making of Victoria. Presidents of the Royal Society of Victoria.
External links The Royal Society of Victoria The Royal Society of Victoria's web site. The Royal Society of Victoria Building Tour Virtual tour of the headquarters of The Royal Society of Victoria headquarters in Melbourne. CSIRO Publishing Current, open access editions of the Proceedings of the Royal Society of Victoria published online by CSIRO Publishing. State Library of Victoria, Digitised Collections Access to the digitised Transactions and Proceedings of the Royal Society of Victoria, together with those of its foundation societies. The RSV's Australian Eclipse Expedition to Cape York in 1871 An account of the RSV's Australian Eclipse Expedition to Cape York in 1871 in the Journal of Astronomy History and Heritage by Dr Nick Lomb. Burke & Wills Web A comprehensive website containing many of the historical documents relating to the Victorian Exploring (Burke & Wills) Expedition. Burke & Wills 150th A website recording the activities for the Commemoration of the 150th Anniversary of the Victorian Exploring Expedition (Burke and Wills). The Burke & Wills Historical Society The Burke & Wills Historical Society.