Royal Society of NSW Meeting Presentations—2022

This page provides access to content presented at meetings of the Royal Society of NSW in 2022, where permission to do so has been granted by the author. All content is made available under either a Creative Commons CC-BY (Attribution) licence or a YouTube standard licence, unless otherwise stated.

Such content includes:

• Video and audio presentations (with links to the Society’s YouTube Channel)
• Slides (in pdf format), presented at Society meetings, where these are of broad general interest.  Please note that in some cases it may have been necessary to split a slide deck into parts due to limitations imposed by the website's content management system. 

2022

	RSNSW Poggendorff Lecture 2021 — 30 November 2022 “A plant breeder’s perspective on food security and climate change” Professor Richard Trethowan Director, The Plant Breeding Institute University of Sydney
	1308th OGM and Open Lecture — 23 November 2022 “Most of our universe is missing! Adventures in the dark side of the cosmos” Professor Geraint Lewis FRSN FLSW Professor of Astrophysics University of Sydney
	1307th OGM and Open Lecture — 5 October 2022 “The Global Economy and Australia's Outlook: Geoff Harcourt's contribution to the theory of productivity growth” (1) Dr Don Russell (2) Ms Jane Drake-Brockman (3) Emeritus Professor Robert Marks FRSN (1) Chair, AustralianSuper, (2) Industry Professor, University of Adelaide, and (3) Editor, RSNSW Journal and Proceedings
	1306th OGM and Open Lecture — 7 September 2022 “Is Fairweather an Australian artist? And does it matter?” (1) Associate Professor Claire Roberts FAHA and (2) Emeritus Professor Nicholas Jose (1) Associate Professor of Art History, University of Melbourne, and (2) Emeritus Professor of English, University of Adelaide
	Ideas@theHouse: August 2022 — 4 August 2022 “Manufacturing at the Atomic Scale” Michelle Simmons AO FRS DistFRSN FAA FTSE Scientia Professor, UNSW Sydney Director, ARC Centre of Excellence (CQC2T) Founder, Silicon Quantum Computing
	1305th OGM and Open Lecture — 3 August 2022 “Marsupials: Their secrets are all in their genes!” (1) Professor Kathy Belov AO FRSN FAA and (2) Dr Elizabeth Deane FRSN (1) Professor of Comparative Genomics, University of Sydney, and (2) Education Consultant
	1304th OGM and Open Lecture — 6 July 2022 “This is going to be different: Learning to live with Chinese Power” Professor Hugh White AO FASSA Emeritus Professor of Strategic Studies Australian National University
	RSNSW Clarke Memorial Lecture 2021 — 10 June 2022 “The changing tide of human populations: an infertility trap” Professor John Aitken FRSE FRSN FAA FAHMS Distinguished Emeritus Laureate Professor FRSE FRSN FAA FAHMS School of Environmental and Life Sciences University of Newcastle
	1303rd OGM and Open Lecture — 1 June 2022 “Federalism, borders, and National Cabinet — What has the pandemic taught us?” Professor Anne Twomey AO Professor of Constitutional Law University of Sydney
	Western NSW Branch Meeting 2022-2 — 18 May 2022 “Making a living on the plains — Stone tools and archaeology of Aboriginal societies” Dr Colin Pardoe FRSN Biological Anthropologist and Archaeologist
	RSNSW Poggendorff Lecture 2020 — 11 May 2022 “Are our weeds becoming new native species?” Professor Angela Moles FRSN Director, Evolution and Ecology Research Centre UNSW Sydney
	1302nd OGM and Open Lecture — 6 April 2022 “New frontiers in smart sensor technology for a healthier, safer and sustainable future” Professor Ben Eggleton FRSN FAA FTSE Director, University of Sydney Nano Institute and Co-Director, NSW Smart Sensing Network
	RSNSW Clarke Memorial Lecture 2020 — 17 March 2022 “From bulldozers, pests, and pathogens to climate change and urban futures: the tough life of plants” Distinguished Professor Michelle Leishman Macquarie University
	Western NSW Branch Meeting 2022-1 —  15 March  “Public Trust and Science in Times of Coronavirus” A public panel with: Robert Clancy AM FRSN, Michelle Grattan AO FASSA, Jane Quinn     facilitated by Mark Evans, Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research), Charles Sturt University
	1301th OGM and Open Lecture — 2 March 2022 “Royal Society of NSW 2021 Student Award Presentations” Zain Mehdi (1), Sajad Abolpour Moshizi (2), Harry Marquis (3), Kevin Chau (2) PhD and MSc Candidates (1) Australian National University (2) Macquarie University (3) University of Sydney
	Annual Meeting of the Four Societies 2022 — 16 February 2022 “Engineering and related challenges in decarbonising the electricity system” Professor Stephen Wilson The University of Queensland
	1300th OGM and Open Lecture — 2 February 2022 “Where next for higher education after COVID-19?” Professor Mark Scott AO FRSN Vice-Chancellor and Principal The University of Sydney

RSNSW Scholarships, Early Career, and Student Awards

Nominations for the Society's scholarships and student awards are called for annually.

Please note that the call for nominations for all awards opens on 1 July and closes on 30 September of each year.

RSNSW Bicentennial Postgraduate Scholarships (3)

Three scholarships, the value of which is determined annually by Council, plus a complimentary year of Associate Membership of the Society, are awarded each year to recognise outstanding achievements by young researchers in any academic field. Applicants must have completed an undergraduate degree within NSW or the ACT and must on 1 January of the year of nomination be enrolled as research students in the first or second year of their first higher degree at a university or other research institution in NSW or the ACT.

Winners will be expected to deliver a short presentation of their work at a general meeting of the Society in February or later of the year following that in which the award was made, and also submit a paper to the Journal and Proceedings of the Royal Society of New South Wales.

Scholarships were first awarded by the Royal Society of NSW in 1999 and in 2023 were redesignated by Council to commemorate the Society’s Bicentenary.

The application procedure for this award is described on the nomination form. Each nomination must comply with the conditions of award and will consist of a completed nomination form together with supporting documentation as specified on the form. Completed nominations should be sent to the email address listed on the nomination form.

RSNSW Bicentennial Early Career Research and Service Citations (3)

Three citations plus a complimentary year of Associate Membership of the Society, are awarded each year to recognise outstanding contributions to research and service to the academic and wider community.  Applicants must on 1 January of the year of nomination be no more than 5 years after the award of their PhD or equivalent by a university or other research institution in NSW or the ACT.

Winners will be expected to deliver a short presentation of their work at a general meeting of the Society in February or later of the year following that in which the award was made, and also submit a paper to the Journal and Proceedings of the Royal Society of New South Wales.

Council established these Early Career Citations in 2023 to commemorate the Society’s Bicentenary.

The application procedure for this award is described on the nomination form. Each nomination must comply with the conditions of award and will consist of a completed nomination form together with supporting documentation as specified on the form. Completed nominations should be sent to the email address listed on the nomination form.

RSNSW Jak Kelly Postgraduate Award

Awarded for excellence in postgraduate research in physics annually. The winner is selected from presenters at each year’s Australian Institute of Physics, NSW Branch Postgraduate Awards, as advised to the Awards Committee of the Royal Society of New South Wales.

The Jak Kelly Award honours Jak Kelly (1928-2012), Professor and head of Physics at the University of NSW (1985-1989), Honorary Professor at The University of Sydney (2004), and President of the Royal Society of NSW (2005-2006). It was first awarded in 2010. Additional information about the establishment of the Jak Kelly Award is available from the preceding link.

There is no nomination form for this award.

RSNSW Internal and Discretionary Awards

Please note that the call for nominations for relevant awards opens on 1 July and closes on 30 September of each year.

Notes relating to Internal and Discretionary Awards

1. For Internal Awards, the nominator and seconder must be either a current Member or a current Fellow of the Royal Society of NSW.
2. Selection of these Awards is made by the Council of the RSNSW, excepting for the Archibald Ollé Award.

RSNSW President’s Award

Awarded at the discretion of the President and Council of the RSNSW to an individual whose distinguished work in any area has made an outstanding and eminent contribution to the State and people of New South Wales. The recipient may be resident in Australia or elsewhere.

Council established the Royal Society of NSW President’s Award in 2023 to reflect the full scope of the Society’s founding values.

There is no nomination form for this award.

RSNSW Citations (3)

The Royal Society of New South Wales Citations recognise an individual who has made significant contributions to the Society, but who has not been recognised in any other way.

The Royal Society of NSW Citation was first awarded in 2019. Council may make up to three Citations in any year at its discretion.

The application procedure for this award is described on the nomination form. Each nomination must comply with the conditions of award and will consist of a completed nomination form together with supporting documentation as specified on the form. Completed nominations should be sent to the email address listed on the nomination form.

RSNSW Medal

The Royal Society of New South Wales Medal recognises an individual who has made meritorious contributions to the advancement of knowledge in any field and also to the Society’s administration, organisation, and endeavours.

The Royal Society of NSW Medal was first awarded in 1884, revived in 1943, and has been awarded periodically thereafter. Council may award the Medal in any year at its discretion.

The application procedure for this award is described on the nomination form. Each nomination must comply with the conditions of award and will consist of a completed nomination form together with supporting documentation as specified on the form. Completed nominations should be sent to the email address listed on the nomination form.

RSNSW Archibald Ollé Award

Awarded to the author/s of the best paper submitted to the Society’s Journal and Proceedings in any year in which the Award is made.

The Archibald Ollé Prize was first awarded in 1956, established by a bequest from Mrs A. D. Ollé. The award of the Prize (currently $500) is determined by the Editor of the Society’s Journal, in consultation with the Editorial Board.

There is no nomination form for this award.

RSNSW Discipline Awards and Lectureships

Applications for the Society's discipline awards and lectureships will be called for annually.

These Awards are made on a three-yearly cycle, in Years A, B, and C, as indicated in the listing of the Awards, with Year A Awards commencing in 2023, Year B in 2024, and Year C in 2025.

Please note that the call for nominations for all awards opens on 1 July and closes on 30 September of each year.

For 2023, nominations will be sought for Year A Awards.

Notes:

1. Nominees for a Discipline Award may not have won a previous RSNSW Discipline Award for their work in the same discipline.
2. Where appropriate, Awards may recognise teams as well as individuals. Nominators are welcome to consult the Society for guidance before making a team nomination, noting that for Medals, one physical medal only is presented.
3. For Awards with Lectureships, winners are expected to publish their Lecture in the Society’s Journal.
4. For Awards without Lectureships, winners are invited to submit a review or other article about their work to the Society’s Journal.

Year A Awards — offered in 2023, 2026, 2029, ...

RSNSW Clarke Medal and Lectureship in the Earth Sciences

Awarded for distinguished research in any area of the sciences affecting the planet, excluding Medicine and Veterinary Science, and Agricultural and Environmental Science, conducted mainly in New South Wales. Recipients may be resident in Australia or elsewhere.

The Royal Society of NSW Clarke Medal honours Rev. William Branwhite Clarke, a geologist, and a significant figure in the history of the Royal Society of NSW, who served for a decade as a highly influential Senior Vice-President of the Society (in the early years, the Governor of NSW was the President of the Society). The Medal was first awarded in 1878 “for meritorious contributions to Geology, Mineralogy, and Natural History of Australasia.” The first Clarke Memorial Lecture was delivered in 1903. Since 2018, the Clarke Medal and Lectureship have been conjoined. Additional information about the establishment of the Clarke Medal is available at the preceding link.

The application procedure for this award is described on the nomination form. Each nomination must comply with the conditions of award and will consist of a completed nomination form together with supporting documentation as specified on the form. Completed nominations (ideally compiled into a single PDF file) should be sent to the email address listed on the nomination form.

RSNSW Walter Burfitt Award in Medical and Veterinary Sciences and Technologies

Awarded for distinguished research in any area of the Medical and Veterinary Sciences and Technologies, conducted mainly in New South Wales. Recipients may be resident in Australia or elsewhere.

The Walter Burfitt Award honours the life and work of Walter F. Burfitt BA MB ChM BSc, an eminent Sydney surgeon in the early twentieth century. It was established as a prize with generous support from Dr Burfitt and his wife, and was first awarded in 1929. In 2004, funding for the prize was augmented by Dr Burfitt’s granddaughter, Dr Anne Thoeming. In 2023, Council designated it the Royal Society of NSW Walter Burfitt Award. Additional information about the establishment of the Walter Burfitt Award is available at the preceding link.

The application procedure for this award is described on the nomination form. Each nomination must comply with the conditions of award and will consist of a completed nomination form together with supporting documentation as specified on the form. Completed nominations (ideally compiled into a single PDF file) should be sent to the email address listed on the nomination form.

RSNSW Award in the Social and Behavioural Sciences

Awarded for distinguished research in any area of the Social and Behavioural Sciences including Economics, Management, Psychology (with the exclusion of clinical psychology which is included in the RSNSW Walter Burfitt Award in Medical and Veterinary Sciences and Technologies) and related disciplines, conducted mainly in New South Wales. Recipients may be resident in Australia or elsewhere.

Council established the Royal Society of NSW Social and Behavioural Sciences Award in 2023 to reflect the full scope of the Society’s founding values.

The application procedure for this award is described on the nomination form. Each nomination must comply with the conditions of award and will consist of a completed nomination form together with supporting documentation as specified on the form. Completed nominations (ideally compiled into a single PDF file) should be sent to the email address listed on the nomination form.

RSNSW Award in the History and Philosophy of Science

Awarded for distinguished research in the History and Philosophy of Science conducted mainly in New South Wales. Recipients may be resident in Australia or elsewhere.

The Royal Society of NSW History and Philosophy of Science Award was established by Council in 2013 to reflect the founding values of the Society and was first awarded in 2014.

The application procedure for this award is described on the nomination form. Each nomination must comply with the conditions of award and will consist of a completed nomination form together with supporting documentation as specified on the form. Completed nominations (ideally compiled into a single PDF file) should be sent to the email address listed on the nomination form.

Year B Awards — offered in 2024, 2027, 2030, ...

RSNSW Pollock Award and Lectureship in the Physical Sciences and Mathematics

Awarded for distinguished research in any area of the Physical Sciences and Mathematics, excluding the Chemical and Earth Sciences, conducted mainly in New South Wales. Recipients may be resident in Australia or elsewhere.

The Pollock Memorial Lectureship was first awarded in 1949, sponsored by The University of Sydney and the Society, in memory of J.A. Pollock, Professor of Physics at The University of Sydney (1899-1922) and a member of the Society for 35 years. In 2023, Council designated it the Royal Society of NSW Pollock Award and Lectureship.

The application procedure for this award is described on the nomination form. Each nomination must comply with the conditions of award and will consist of a completed nomination form together with supporting documentation as specified on the form. Completed nominations (ideally compiled into a single PDF file)  should be sent to the email address listed on the nomination form.

RSNSW Poggendorff Award and Lectureship in Agricultural and Environmental Sciences

Awarded for distinguished research in any area of the Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, conducted mainly in New South Wales. Recipients may be resident in Australia or elsewhere.

The Poggendorff Award and Lectureship honours Walter Poggendorff, an eminent biologist and noted plant breeder in the 1930s and 40s, and his bequest to the Society to support a Lectureship. It was first awarded in 1987 and in 2023 Council designated it the Royal Society of NSW Poggendorff Award and Lectureship. Additional information about the establishment of the Poggendorff Award is available at the preceding link.

The application procedure for this award is described on the nomination form. Each nomination must comply with the conditions of award and will consist of a completed nomination form together with supporting documentation as specified on the form. Completed nominations (ideally compiled into a single PDF file) should be sent to the email address listed on the nomination form.

RSNSW Award in the Humanities, Philosophy, and Law

Awarded for distinguished research in any area of the Humanities, Philosophy and Law, excluding the History and Philosophy of Science, conducted mainly in New South Wales. Recipients may be resident in Australia or elsewhere.

Council established the Royal Society of NSW Humanities, Philosophy and Law Award in 2023 to reflect the full scope of the Society’s founding values.

The application procedure for this award is described on the nomination form. Each nomination must comply with the conditions of award and will consist of a completed nomination form together with supporting documentation as specified on the form. Completed nominations (ideally compiled into a single PDF file) should be sent to the email address listed on the nomination form.

RSNSW Interdisciplinary Award

Awarded for distinguished research which spans across disciplines, conducted mainly in New South Wales. Recipients may be resident in Australia or elsewhere.

Council established the Royal Society of NSW Interdisciplinary Award in 2023 to reflect the full scope of the Society’s founding values.

The application procedure for this award is described on the nomination form. Each nomination must comply with the conditions of award and will consist of a completed nomination form together with supporting documentation as specified on the form. Completed nominations (ideally compiled into a single PDF file) should be sent to the email address listed on the nomination form.

Year C Awards — offered in 2025, 2028, 2031, ...

RSNSW Liversidge Award and Lectureship in the Chemical Sciences

 Awarded for distinguished research in any area of the Chemical Sciences, conducted mainly in New South Wales. Recipients may be resident in Australia or elsewhere.

The Liversidge Lectureship was established in 1931 by the Royal Society of NSW in conjunction with the Royal Australian Chemical Institute (RACI), in honour of Archibald Liversidge MA LLD FRS, Professor of Chemistry at The University of Sydney (1874-1907), and one of the Society’s Council members who sponsored its Act of Incorporation in 1881. In 2023, Council designated it the Royal Society of NSW Liversidge Award and Lectureship. Additional information about the establishment of the Liversidge Award is available at the preceding link.

The application procedure for this award is described on the nomination form. Each nomination must comply with the conditions of award and will consist of a completed nomination form together with supporting documentation as specified on the form. Completed nominations (ideally compiled into a single PDF file) should be sent to the email address listed on the nomination form.

RSNSW Warren Award in Engineering, Technology, Architecture, and Design

Awarded for distinguished research in any area of Engineering, Technology, Architecture and Design, conducted mainly in New South Wales. Recipients may be resident in Australia or elsewhere.

The Warren Award honours William Henry Warren, Foundation Professor of Engineering at The University of Sydney, establishing the first faculty of engineering in New South Wales in 1884. He was founding President of the Institution of Engineers, Australia, and twice President of the Royal Society of NSW. The Warren Prize (then medal) was first awarded in 2020 and in 2023 Council designated it the Royal Society of NSW Warren Award. Additional information about the establishment of the Warren Award is available at the preceding link.

The application procedure for this award is described on the nomination form. Each nomination must comply with the conditions of award and will consist of a completed nomination form together with supporting documentation as specified on the form. Completed nominations (ideally compiled into a single PDF file) should be sent to the email address listed on the nomination form.

RSNSW Award in the Creative and Performing Arts

Awarded for distinguished research in any area of the Creative Arts and/or Performance, conducted mainly in New South Wales. Recipients may be resident in Australia or elsewhere.

Council established the Royal Society of NSW Creative and Performing Arts Award in 2023 to reflect the full scope of the Society’s founding values.

The application procedure for this award is described on the nomination form. Each nomination must comply with the conditions of award and will consist of a completed nomination form together with supporting documentation as specified on the form. Completed nominations (ideally compiled into a single PDF file) should be sent to the email address listed on the nomination form.

RSNSW Award in the Life Sciences

Awarded for distinguished research in any area of the Life Sciences, excluding veterinary and medical sciences, conducted mainly in New South Wales. Recipients may be resident in Australia or elsewhere.

Council established the Royal Society of NSW Life Sciences Award in 2023 to reflect the full scope of the Society’s founding values.

The application procedure for this award is described on the nomination form. Each nomination must comply with the conditions of award and will consist of a completed nomination form together with supporting documentation as specified on the form. Completed nominations (ideally compiled into a single PDF file) should be sent to the email address listed on the nomination form.