Remembering an Australian science great

A memorial ceremony to celebrate the life of Professor Ralph Slatyer, Australia's first Chief Scientist, will be held at the University on Friday 7 September. Emeritus Professor Ralph Owen Slatyer, AC, FAA, FTSE, FRS, NAS, passed away on 26 July 2012, aged 83. Professor Slatyer was admired and respected for his contribution to Australia through his internationally recognised work as a scientist and environmentalist and for science policy leadership. Professor Slatyer was a Chief Research Scientist at CSIRO before coming to ANU in 1967 as founding Professor of Environmental Biology at the Research School of Biological Sciences (RSBS) and was Director of RSBS from 1984-89. He also served as Australian Ambassador to UNESCO (1978-81) and Australia's first Chief Scientist (1989-92). On his retirement in 1993 he became Distinguished Scholar in Residence at RSBS, now part of the Research School of Biology. Professor Slatyer was made an Officer of the Order of Australia in 1982 and a Companion of the Order of Australia in 1993 in recognition of his work.