Insect researcher gains presidency

Dr Andrew Austin.
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Dr Andrew Austin.
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Tuesday, 1 August 2000

Entomologist Dr Andrew Austin has been elected president of the Australian Entomological Society.

Dr Austin, an Associate Professor with Adelaide University's Department of Applied & Molecular Ecology (Waite Campus), is well known for his work on insect systematics and biodiversity, including research into the biological control of European wasp.

He gained his Bachelor of Science (Honours) from Sydney University and a PhD at Adelaide before heading to Britain to work at the Museum of Natural History. A lecturer and researcher at Adelaide University for the past 15 years, Dr Austin is a previous winner of the Stephen Cole The Elder Prize for Excellence in Teaching.

Dr Austin was elected for a two-year term as president of the Australian Entomological Society at the society's recent national conference in Darwin.

He says he feels "humbled" by the appointment and was pleased a South Australian had been chosen to lead the society.

"The position is a great honour for me personally and for Adelaide University," Dr Austin says.

"The last South Australian to preside over the society was the late Professor Tom Browning in 1983-84 who was also from Adelaide University."

With more than 800 members, the Australian Entomological Society is one of the largest biological sciences groups in Australia, and is a significant power in lobbying the Federal government for research and training grants.

Dr Austin describes South Australia and Queensland as the "two university centres for excellence" in entomological studies in Australia.

He says he hopes to increase the prominence of the society, and has two main aims for his presidency:

"The first is to develop a national program to foster and help undergraduate and postgraduate training in entomology. The second is to set up an endowment fund to support the program and other society activities into the future."

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