SASB History and Councillors

2020-2021

President - Kevin Thiele, Taxonomy Australia

Vice-President - Michael Rix, Queensland Museum

Secretary - Erinn Fagan-Jeffries, The University of Adelaide

Treasurer - Mark Harvey, Western Australian Museum

Councillor - Ethan Briggs, University of Queensland

Councillor - Michelle Guzik, The University of Adelaide

Councillor - David Juszkiewicz, Curtin University

Councillor - Bryan Lessard, CSIRO

Councillor - Kate Sanders, The University of Adelaide

Councillor - Nik Tatarnic, Western Australian Museum

Councillor - Simon Tierney, University of Western Sydney

Councillor - Jeremy Wilson, Griffith University

2017-2019

President - Michael Rix, Queensland Museum

Vice-President - Andy Austin, The University of Adelaide

Secretary - Jeremy Wilson, Griffith University

Treasurer - Mark Harvey, Western Australian Museum

Councillor - Kym Abrams, University of Western Australia

Councillor - Shane Ahyong, Australian Museum

Councillor - Lyn Cook, University of Queensland

Councillor - Steve Cooper, South Australian Museum

Councillor - Michelle Guzik, The University of Adelaide

Councillor - Penelope Mills, University of Queensland

Councillor - Thomas Semple, Australian National University

Councillor - Nikolai Tatarnic, Western Australian Museum

Councillor- Simon Tierney, The University of Western Sydney

Councillor - Nerida Wilson, Western Australian Museum

2015-2017

President - Nerida Wilson, Western Australian Museum
Vice-President - Andy Austin, The University of Adelaide
Secretary - Michael Rix, Queensland Museum
Treasurer - Simon Tierney, The University of Adelaide
Councillor - Kym Abrams, University of Western Australia
Councillor - Shane Ahyong, Australian Museum
Councillor - Lyn Cook, University of Queensland
Councillor - Steve Cooper, South Australian Museum
Councillor - Penelope Mills, University of Queensland
Councillor - Thomas Semple, Australian National University

Conference at The University of Adelaide, 26-29 November 2017, Adelaide, Integrating Systematics for Conservation and Ecology, in conjunction with the Australasian Systematic Botany Society and the Invertebrate Biodiversity and Conservation group. GM at conference venue. Minutes PDF (239 kb).

Conference at The Esplanade Hotel, Fremantle, Perth, December 2015.

GM at conference venue, December 2015. Officers and Councillors were elected unopposed.

2013-2015
President - Andy Austin, University of Adelaide
Vice-President - Penny Mills, University of Queensland
Secretary - Andrew Thornhill, Australian National University
Treasurer - Simon Tierney, University of Adelaide
Councillor - Shane Ahyong, Australian Museum
Councillor - Lyn Cook, University of Queensland
Councillor - Steve Cooper, South Australian Museum
Councillor - Bob Mesibov, Queen Victoria Museum and Art Gallery
Councillor - Andrew Mitchell, Australian Museum
Councillor - Michael Rix, University of Adelaide
Councillor - Nerida Wilson, Western Australian Museum

Conference at University of Sydney, 1-5 December 2013, in conjunction with Australasian Systematic Botany Society and Invertebrate Biodiversity and Conservation group.

GM at conference venue, 3 December 2013. Officers and Councillors were elected unopposed. Minutes PDF (115 kb).

2011-2013
President - Steve Cooper, South Australian Museum
Vice-President - Penny Mills, University of Queensland
Secretary - Andrew Thornhill, Australian National University
Treasurer - (vacant)
Councillor - Andy Austin, University of Adelaide
Councillor - Catherine Byrne, Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery
Councillor - Lyn Cook, University of Queensland
Councillor - Laxmikant B. Dama, D.B.F. Dayanand College of Arts and Science (Solapur, India)
Councillor - Bob Mesibov, Queen Victoria Museum and Art Gallery
Councillor - Andrew Mitchell, Australian Museum
Councillor - Kevin Thiele, Western Australian Herbarium

Conference at St Marys College, University of Melbourne, 4-7 December 2011, in conjunction with Invertebrate Biodiversity and Conservation group.

GM at conference venue, 5 December 2011. Officers and Councillors were elected unopposed. Minutes PDF (91 kb).

2009-2011
President - Bob Mesibov, Queen Victoria Museum and Art Gallery
Vice-President - Penny Mills, University of Queensland
Secretary - Andrew Thornhill, Australian National University
Treasurer - Steve Cooper, South Australian Museum
Councillor - Michael Braby, Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory
Councillor - Lyn Cook, University of Queensland
Councillor - Mike Crisp, Australian National University

Conference at Holiday Inn, Darwin, 25-28 September 2009, in conjunction with Australian Entomological Society, Invertebrate Biodiversity and Conservation group and Australian Coral Reef Society.

GM at conference venue, 25 September 2009. The seven persons listed above were the only nominees for Council and were declared elected unopposed. Minutes PDF (82 kb).

2008-2009
President - Volker Framenau, Western Australian Museum
(Acting President - Lyn Cook, University of Queensland)
Secretary - Andrew Thornhill, Australian National University
Treasurer - Steve Cooper, South Australian Museum
Councillor - Michael Braby, Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory
Councillor - Mike Crisp, Australian National University
Councillor - Chris Lambkin, Queensland Museum
Councillor - Bob Mesibov, Queen Victoria Museum and Art Gallery

2003-2008
Society records for this period are missing. What is known:

Christine Lambkin (Queensland Museum) was President in 2006-2007 and 2007-2008
Greg Rouse (South Australian Museum) was Secretary in 2004-2005 and 2005-2006
Michelle Guzik (University of Adelaide) was Secretary in 2006-2007 and 2007-2008
Steve Cooper (South Australian Museum) was Treasurer for the whole of this period
2003: no SASB-sponsored conference
2005: SASB conference and GM at Australian National University, Canberra, 5-9 December 2005, in conjunction with Australian Entomological Society and Invertebrate Biodiversity and Conservation group.
2007: SASB conference and GM at University of Queensland, Brisbane, 3-7 December 2007, in conjunction with Invertebrate Biodiversity and Conservation group

2002-2003
President - Mark Harvey, Western Australian Museum
Vice-President - Dan Faith, Australian Museum
Secretary - Greg Rouse, South Australian Museum
Treasurer - Steve Cooper, South Australian Museum
Councillor - Chris Lambkin, Australian National Insect Collection
Councillor - Mike Crisp, Australian National University

The six persons listed above were the only nominees for Council and were declared elected unopposed at the 2002 GM in Adelaide.

2001-2002
President - Steve Donnellan, South Australian Museum
Vice-President - Mark Harvey, Western Australian Museum
Secretary - David Morrison, University of Technology Sydney
Treasurer - Steve Cooper, South Australian Museum
Councillor - Jim Grimes, National Herbarium of Victoria
Councillor - Mike Crisp, Australian National University

Conference at University of Melbourne, Melbourne, 16-20 July 2001, in conjunction with Australasian Evolution Society. Workshops held on the new opportunities that digital publishing offers to taxonomic and systematic journals in Australia, on short-range endemism in the Australian biota and on the controversial Phylocode.

GM at conference venue, 18 July 2001. The six persons listed above were the only nominees for Council and were declared elected unopposed. Minutes PDF (81 kb).

2000-2001
President - Robin Wilson, Museum of Victoria
Vice-President - Winston Ponder, Australian Museum
Secretary - David Morrison, University of Technology Sydney
Treasurer - Steve Donnellan, South Australian Museum
Councillor - Muhammad Iqbal, University of Adelaide
Councillor - Dan Faith, Australian Museum

GM at Australian Museum, Sydney, 23 November 2000. The six persons listed above were the only nominees for Council and were declared elected unopposed. Minutes PDF (90 kb). A discussion paper on online publishing of systematics journals in Australia was tabled (PDF, 112 kb).

A referendum closed 15 June 2001 with 30% of 318 contactable members responding. Members overwhelmingly approved minor changes to the SASB Constitution and By-Laws.

1999-2000
President - Winston Ponder, Australian Museum
Vice-President - Robin Wilson, Museum of Victoria
Secretary - David Morrison, University of Technology Sydney
Treasurer - Steve Donnellan, South Australian Museum
Councillor - Chris Lambkin, University of Queensland
Councillor - Mike Crisp, Australian National University

Conference at WA State Library, Perth, 6-10 December 1999, in conjunction with Australian Systematic Botany Society, Invertebrate Biodiversity and Conservation group and Royal Society of Western Australia.

GM at conference venue, 7 December 1999. The six persons listed above were the only nominees for Council and were declared elected unopposed. Minutes PDF (92 kb).

1998-1999
President - Mike Crisp, Australian National University
Vice-President - Winston Ponder, Australian Museum
Secretary - David Morrison, University of Technology Sydney
Treasurer - Steve Donnellan, South Australian Museum
Councillor - David Yeates, University of Queensland
Councillor - Robin Wilson, Museum of Victoria

A referendum closed 23 October 1998 with 50% of 266 contactable members responding. Members unanimously approved minor changes to the SASB Constitution and By-Laws.

GM at Australian National University, Canberra, 26 November 1998. The six persons listed above were the only nominees for Council and were declared elected unopposed. Minutes PDF (71 kb).

1997-1998
President - Andy Austin
Vice-President - Mike Crisp
Secretary - David Morrison
Treasurer - Steve Donnellan
Councillor - Cheryl Grgurinovic
Councillor - Mark Harvey

SASB Organising Committee called for nominations for six executive positions. The six persons listed above were the only nominees as of 22 August 1997 and were declared elected unopposed.

Two referenda closed on 15 August 1997 with 61% of 208 contactable members responding. Members preferred the name Society of Australian Systematic Biologists (SASB) to Australian Society for Systematics (ASS), Australian Society of Systematic and Evolutionary Biologists (ASSEB), Australian Society of Systematists (ASS), Australian Systematic Society (ASS), Society for Australian Systematic Biology (SASB), Society of Australian Systematists (SAS), Systematic and Evolutionary Biology Society of Australia (SEBSA), Systematic Biology Society of Australia (SBSA), Systematics Society of Australia (SSA) and The Australian Systematics Association (ASA). In the second referendum, members preferred having a conference/meeting every second year, usually (but not always) in conjunction with another society.

First joint conference: University of Adelaide, Adelaide, 29 September - 3 October 1997, in conjunction with Australian Systematic Botany Society.

(First) General meeting at conference venue, 2 October 1997. Minutes PDF (90 kb).

A referendum closed 22 May 1998 with 47% of 246 contactable members responding. Members unanimously approved the initial SASB Constitution and By-Laws.

1996-1997

Inaugural meeting 4 October 1996 attended by ca 40 people at Australian Systematic Botany Society conference at University of Melbourne, Melbourne. Minutes PDF (61 kb).