PATRON and COUNCIL

History of the RSSA

Patron: His Excellency the Governor of South Australia,
Hieu Van Le, AO
President: S Dittmann MSc, PhD
Vice-President:
Past President: J. Long BSc (Hons), PhD
Secretary: K. Critchley BVSc, MAM
Treasurer: W. Harvey, BSc, MSc, PhD
Editor: T. Worthy BSc, MSc, PhD, DSc
Librarian: K. Critchley BVSc, MAM
Associate Librarian: J. Evans
Program Secretary: A. Clement  BSc PhD
Membership Secretary: E. Sherratt. BSc, PhD
Communications Officer:
Members of Council:
P. Hudson BSc (Hons), PhD
N. Souter BSc, PhD

Administration:

The Royal Society of SA can be traced back to 1834 when the South Australian Literary and Scientific Association was formed in Adelphi Chambers, London. Amongst the members present were men such as Gouger, Hanson, Giles, Wakefield, Morphett, Torrens, and Hindmarsh. A library chest of books destined for the SA Literary and Scientific Association eventually arrived in South Australia, but meetings of the Association soon ceased. These books formed the basis of what was eventually to become the State Library.

On 10th Jan 1853, the Philosophical Society of Adelaide was founded for "the diffusion and advancement of the Arts and Sciences". One of the early matters discussed was the formation of a Museum to illustrate the natural history of the Colony. By1859 the Philosophical Society was incorporated under the SA Institute Act. However it foundered to some extent until the establishment of the University of Adelaide, which apparently revitalised the Society.

In 1880, the Philosophical Society received royal patronage and became the Royal Society of SA. At the same time, its journal became the Transactions of the Royal Society of South Australia. In 2004, the South Australian Museum and the Royal Society of South Australia became partners in Southern Scientific Press, leading to the amalgamation of their two professional journals. The Transactions of the Royal Society of South Australia now incorporates the Records of the South Australian Museum.

The Transactions are currently published by Taylor and Francis and can be accessed electronically. Earlier volumes are also accessible through the Biodiversity Heritage Library.