About the Society of Australian Systematic Biologists
The Society of Australian Systematic Biologists is for people who are committed to using the science of biological systematics as a basis for the study and understanding of nature. The Society is a non-profit inter-disciplinary organisation whose purposes are to promote the scientific study of biological systematics and to disseminate scientific and educational information related to its fields of interests.
The first meeting of the Society of Australian Systematic Biologists was held on the 4th October 1996 at the University of Melbourne, in conjunction with the "Beyond the Floras" conference organised by the Australian Systematic Botany Society (ASBS). Approximately 40 people attended.
An Organising Group was arranged to formally set-up and run the Society. The First General Meeting of the Society was held on the 2nd October 1997 at the University of Adelaide, in conjunction with the "Systematics: Advancing Knowledge and Conservation of Australia's Biodiversity" conference organised in collaboration with ASBS. Annual general meetings have been held since then.
Aims
The aims of the Society are as follows:-
- To represent the activities of all systematic and evolutionary biologists in Australia;
- To lobby government agencies and granting agencies for improved funding, training, etc.;
- To foster the training of systematists;
- To hold meetings that deal with general scientific issues (e.g. biogeography, biodiversity, phylogenetics, molecular systematics, data-basing, evolutionary biology, etc.).
Communication
All communication within the Society is via email, and the Society also maintains a World Wide Web Home Page. The email server and Web pages are currently housed on facilities provided by the Faculty of Science at the University of Technology, Sydney. Most of the business of the Society, including correspondence, referenda and minutes, can be viewed on the Society Business page.
Society Structure
There are currently more than 350 members of the Society, mainly in Australia but also from throughout the world.
The Council of the Society currently (2008 - 2009) has the following executive officers:-
- President – Lyn Cook (University of Queensland)
- Vice-President – vacant
- Secretary – Andrew Thornhill (Australian National University)
- Treasurer – Steve Cooper (South Australian Museum)
- Newsletter Editor – Samuel Brown (Lincoln University)
- Councillor – Chris Lambkin (Queensland Museum)
- Councillor – Michael Braby (Parks and Wildlife Service)
- Councillor – Mike Crisp (Australian National University)
- Councillor – Bob Mesibov (Queen Victoria Museum and Art Gallery)
Further details on becoming a member are available.
