Person

Hickman, Vernon Victor (1894 - 1984)

OBE

Born
28 August 1894
Hobart, Tasmania, Australia
Died
1984
New Town, Tasmania, Australia
Occupation
Biologist

Summary

Vernon Hickman was Professor of Biology, University of Tasmania, from 1943 to 1959. He had an encyclopaedic knowledge of invertebrates but specialised in arachnids and became known as Australia's leading araneologist. Hickman described many new species, his papers being illustrated with his own photos and skilled drawings. His collection of spiders was deposited in the Australian Museum, Sydney. In 1991 his collection of Tasmanian insects and other arthropods, together with those of his son John, were donated to the Australian National Insect Collection. The 30,000 specimens, largely from remote rainforest areas of Tasmania, were accompanied by an extensive collection of literature. The spider genus Hickmania, and the family in which it was placed, Hickmaniidae, were named in his honour.

Details

Chronology

1915
Education - BSc, University of Tasmania
1915 - 1916
Career position - Lecturer in chemistry and mineralogy, Zeehan School of Mines, Tasmania
1917 - 1919
Military service - Served with the Australian Imperial Forces
1920 - 1932
Career position - Head of Chemistry, Launceston Technical College
1927
Education - BA, University of Tasmania
1932 - 1943
Career position - Ralston Lecturer in Biology, University of Tasmania
1937
Education - DSc, University of Tasmania
1939
Career position - Vice-President, Zoological Section, Australian and New Zealand Association for the Advancement of Science Congress, Canberra
1940
Award - Elected Fellow, Australian and New Zealand Association for the Advancement of Science
1940
Award - Royal Society of Tasmania Medal
1943 - 1959
Career position - Professor of Biology, University of Tasmania
1947 - ?
Career position - Fellow, Royal Entomological Society of London
1951
Award - Anders Retzius Medal, Royal Physiographical Society of Lund, Sweden
1959 - 1984
Career position - Emeritus Professor, University of Tasmania
1960
Award - Clive Lord Memorial Medal, Royal Society of Tasmania
1967 - 1984
Award - Life Member, Royal Society of Tasmania
1977 - 1984
Award - Honorary Life Member, Entomological Society of New South Wales
1979
Award - Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) for service to zoological science and education

Published resources

Book Sections

Journal Articles

  • Halliday, R. B.; and Gray, M., 'Hickman collections move north', Myrmecia: News Bulletin of the Australian Entomological Society, 28 (2) (1992), 16-7. Details
  • Hickman, V. V., 'Obituary: Noel Lee Roberts, 1890-1967 [bibliography]', Journal of the Entomological Society of Australia (New South Wales Branch), 4 (1967), 43-44. Details
  • McQuillian, P. et al., 'Vernon Victor Hickman, August 28 1894 - November 20, 1984', Australian Entomological Society News Bulletin, 21 (1985), 24. Details
  • Smithers, C. N., 'Tribute to V. V. Hickman', General and Applied Entomology, 17 (1985), 3-4. Details

Resources

Resource Sections

See also

  • Upton, M. S., A Rich and Diverse Fauna: the history of the Australian National Insect Collection 1926 - 1991 (Melbourne: CSIRO Publishing, 1997), 386 pp. Details

Gavan McCarthy [P004098] and Helen Cohn

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