Biographical entry Bergersen, Fraser John (1929 - )

Summary

Fraser Bergersen is a highly regarded plant scientist who specialises in legume nutrition. He spent much of his working life with the CSIRO (Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation) Division of Plant industry in Canberra where he was leader of the Rhizobium Research Group (1964-1977), Chairman of the Microbiology Section (1966-1977) and Program Leader of the Nitrogen in Agriculture Project from 1979 to 1985. Bergersen was also involved in a number of national and international societies, holding several key positions.

Details

Events

1952

Education - Bachelor of Science (BSc) completed at the University of Otago in Dunedin, New Zealand

1952 - 1954

Career position - Researcher in the Department of Bacteriology at the University of Otago

1954

Education - Master of Science (MSc) completed at the University of Otago

1954 - 1972

Career position - Research Officer at the Division of Plant Industry at CSIRO (Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation) in Canberra

1958 - 1959

Career position - Research Associate in the Bacteriology Department at the University of Wisconsin, USA

1962

Education - Doctor of Science (DSc) received from the University of New Zealand

1972 - 1994

Career position - Chief Research Scientist at the CSIRO Division of Plant Industry

1981 -

Award - Fellow of the Royal Society (FRS)

1985 -

Award - Fellow of the Australian Academy of Science (FAA)

1987 - 1993

Career position - Council member of the Australian Academy of Science

1989 - 1993

Career position - Foreign Secretary of the Australian Academy of Science

1993 -

Career position - Australian correspondent of the Council of the Royal Society, London

1994 -

Career position - Visiting Fellow in the Division of Life Sciences at the Australian National University in Canberra

1994 -

Career position - Honorary Research Fellow at the CSIRO Division of Plant Industry

2000

Award - Member of the Order of Australia (AM)

Related entries

Archival resources

Adolph Basser Library, Australian Academy of Science

• Fraser John Bergersen - Records, 1952 - 1996, MS 197; Adolph Basser Library, Australian Academy of Science. Details

Published resources

Encyclopedia of Australian Science Exhibitions

• Smith, Ailie, Adolph Basser Library Manuscript Collection, eScholarship Research Centre, 2012, http://www.eoas.info/basser_browse.html. Details

Journal Articles

• Bergersen, F. J., 'Research on Biological Nitrogen Fixation in CSIRO Plant Industry, 1952-1998', Historical Records of Australian Science, vol. 13, no. 3, 2001, pp. 255-300. Also available at http://www.publish.csiro.au/paper/HR0011330255.htm. Details

Online Resources

• 'Bergersen, F J', Trove, National Library of Australia, 2009, http://nla.gov.au/nla.party-845318. Details
• Salt, David, Interview with Dr Fraser Bergersen, Interviews with Australian scientists, Australian Academy of Science, 2004, http://www.science.org.au/scientists/interviews/b/fb.html. Details
• Ward, C., 'Fraser John Bergersen', in CSIROpedia, 2011, http://csiropedia.csiro.au/display/CSIROpedia/Bergersen%2C+Fraser+John. Details