Tim Flannery - a lifetime of achievement

  • Category
    Science
  • Published
    19 August 2014
  • Read time
    2 minutes

The Australian Museum Research Institute (AMRI) honours Inaugural Lecturer, Professor Tim Flannery, with a Lifetime Achivement Award.

Scientists, guests and staff members past and present gathered in our historic theatrette on Monday 11 August to hear acclaimed scientist (and former Australian Museum employee) Prof. Tim Flannery deliver AMRI's Inaugural Lecture.

The evening was MC'd by AM Director and CEO Kim McKay and concluded with a panel of current Australian Museum scientists discussing the role of museums with Prof. Flannery and science journalist Robyn Williams, a former president of the Australian Museum Trust.

The Lecture continued the official launch of AMRI that began earlier that day.

"The Australian Museum Research Institute sets a new direction for the Museum," said Ms McKay, "with a focus on biodiversity, pests and invasive species, wildlife genomics and DNA, and the impacts of climate change. Of course these are all areas which reflect the pioneering work of Prof. Tim Flannery."

"I first worked with Tim through his long association with National Geographic as well as through environmental projects linked with Clean Up Australia and always found him to be positive and willing to promote science to the public. An overwhelmingly popular choice amongst our staff to give the Inaugural AMRI Lecture, it was also our great honour to present him with AMRI’s first Lifetime Achievement Award for an outstanding contribution to science and the environment.”

In his keynote speech, Prof. Flannery spoke fondly of his time at the Museum and his career since then, as well as topics related to science, the environment, and the contribution museums are making now and into the future.

Australian Museum Trust President Catherine Livingstone presented the Lifetime Achievement Award to Prof. Flannery, which reads:

Presented by the Australian Museum Research Institute
in recognition of a lifetime of outstanding knowledge, contribution
and dedication to the environment and to museum sciences.

“It’s a huge honour,” Prof. Flannery said of the Award. “It’s really meaningful to be receiving the award from my old colleagues.”