P000784 revised AU-VU:EOAS Encyclopedia of Australian Science and Innovation

All key entry types: Awards; Concepts; Corporate Bodies (Organisations); Cultural Artefacts; People; etc

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 English AACR2 Anglo-American Cataloguing Rules Person created 1993-10-20 human Gavan McCarthy [P004098] and Helen Cohn updated 2026-04-23 human https://www.eoas.info/biogs/P000784b.htm person Slatyer Ralph Owen AC FAA FRS FTSE AACR2 16 April 1929 26 July 2012 Place of Birth Melbourne, Victoria, Australia Place of Death Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia Biologist Chief Scientist Ralph Slatyer was Australia's first Chief Scientist and one of Australia's most distinguished scientists. He was internationally recognised for his research on water relations of plants, ecological succession and disturbed ecosystems in alpine and arid regions, and for his commitment to ecologically sustainable utilization of the natural environment. In his leadership roles at the CSIRO Division of Land Research and as inaugural Professor of Biology at the Research School of Biological Sciences, Australian National University, Slatyer was equally committed to co-operation and teamwork between individuals and organisations. This was also evident in his roles as Chairman or member of policy advisory bodies over many years within Australia and internationally, including as Australian Ambassador to UNESCO. Among his achievements were the emergence of the Australian Research Council and the establishment of the Co-operative Research Centres Program intended to facilitate collaboration between researchers and business. In 2017 the A.N.U. Research School of Biology awarded the inaugural Ralph Slatyer Medal for outstanding biological research. The Co-operative Research Centre Association established the annual Ralph Slatyer Address. 1951 1951 Education - Bachelor of Science (BSc) (Agriculture), University of Western Australia 1951 1966 Career position - Research Scientist-Chief Research Scientist, CSIRO Division of Land Research 1955 1955 Education - Master of Science (MSc) (Agric), University of Western Australia 1960 1960 Education - DSc (Agric), University of Western Australia 1961 1961 Award - Edgeworth David Medal, Royal Society of New South Wales 1963 1964 Career position - Visiting Professor, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, U.S.A. 1966 1967 Career position - Associate Chief, CSIRO Division of Land Research 1967 1967 Award - Fellow, Australian Academy of Science (FAA) 1967 1992 Career position - Foundation Professor of Biology, Research School of Biological Sciences, Australian National University 1968 1968 Award - Australian Medal of Agricultural Science, Australian Institute of Agricultural Science 1969 1971 Career position - President, Ecological Society of Australia 1969 1972 Career position - Member, Australian Research Grants Committee (ARGC) 1973 1974 Career position - Ford Foundation Fellow and Visiting Professor, University of California, Santa Barbara, U.S.A. 1973 1976 Career position - Member, National Planning Commission 1975 2012 Award - Fellow, The Royal Society, London (FRS) 1976 1976 Award - Foreign Associate, US National Academy of Sciences 1976 1978 Career position - Member, Australian National Commission to UNESCO 1977 1981 Career position - Chairman, UNESCO Inter-governmental Programme on “Man and the Biosphere” 1 Aug 1977 1 Aug 1977 Award - Queen's Silver Jubilee Medal 1978 1981 Career position - Australian Ambassador to UNESCO, Paris 1981 1983 Career position - Chairman, UNESCO World Heritage Committee 1981 1984 Career position - Member, Board of Management and Policy Advisory Council, Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR) 1981 1984 Career position - Chairman, Australian Biological Resources Study (ABRS) 1982 1982 Award - Foreign Member, American Academy of Arts and Sciences 1982 1985 Career position - President, Scientific Committee on Problems of the Environment (SCOPE) 1982 1987 Career position - Chairman (part-time), Australian Science and Technology Council (ASTEC) 14 Jun 1982 14 Jun 1982 Award - Officer of the Order of Australia (AO) - for service to science 1983 1983 Award - Elected Honorary Member, British Ecological Society 1983 1983 Career position - President, Australian and New Zealand Association for the Advancement of Science (ANZAAS) 1984 1989 Career position - Director, Research School of Biological Sciences, Australian National University 1989 1992 Career position - Chairman, Co-ordination Committee on Science and Technology 1989 1992 Career position - Chairman, Cooperative Research Centre Program, Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet 1989 1992 Career position - Chief Scientist, Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet 1989 1992 Career position - Chairman, Prime Minister’s Science Council 1989 1993 Career position - Deputy Chairman, National Greenhouse Advisory Committee, Commonwealth Department of the Arts, Sport, Environment and Territories 1991 1991 Award - ANZAAS Medal, Australian and New Zealand Association for the Advancement of Science 1992 1994 Career position - Chairman, Australian Foundation for Science 1992 1999 Career position - Director, Australian Minerals and Energy Environment Foundation 1992 2012 Award - Fellow, Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering (FTSE) 1993 Career position - Distinguished Scholar in Residence, Research School of Biological Sciences, Australian National University 1993 1993 Award - Ecological Society of Australia Gold Medal 1993 1993 Life event - Retired 1993 2002 Career position - Chairman, CRC for Tropical Rainforest Ecology and Management 13 Jun 1993 13 Jun 1993 Award - Companion of the Order of Australia (AC) - for service to science and technology and its application to industry development 1995 2000 Career position - Director, Crawford Fund for International Agricultural Research 1995 2003 Career position - Member, Australian National Commission to UNESCO 1996 1996 Award - Foreign Member, Korea Academy of Science and Technology 1999 1999 Award - Honorary Doctorate of Applied Science, Charles Sturt University 1 Jan 2001 1 Jan 2001 Award - Centenary Medal - for a lifetime of service to environmental issues 2001 2001 Award - Clunies Ross Lifetime Achievement Award, Ian Clunies Ross Memorial Foundation Australian Science and Technology Council (1977 - 1997)

Chairman (part-time) 1982 - 1987

 Clunies Ross Lifetime Achievement Award, Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering (1999 - )

Received the Award from the Ian Clunies Ross Memorial Foundation 2001

 Advisory Council - CSIRO, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (1950 - 1986)

Member 1983-1984

 Ecological Society of Australia Gold Medal (1983 - )

Awarded the Medal 1993

 CRC for Tropical Rainforest Ecology and Management (1993 - 2006)

Chairman 1993 - 2002

 Chief Scientist of Australia (1989 - )

Chief Scientist 1989 - 1992

 Australian Medal of Agricultural Science, Australian Institute of Agricultural Science and Technology (1948 - )

Awarded the Medal 1968

 Australian Academy of Science (1954 - )

Fellow 1967 - 2012

 Ralph Slatyer Medal, Australian National University, Research School of Biological Sciences (2017 - )

The Medal has been awarded by the Research School of Biological Sciences at the Australian National University since 2017

 Australian and New Zealand Association for the Advancement of Science (ANZAAS) (1930 - )

President 1983

 Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering (1987 - )

Fellow 1992 - 2012

 Australian National University (1946 - )

Professor of Biology, Research School of Biological Sciences 1967 - 1972; Distinguished Scholar in Residence, Research School of Biological Sciences 1993 -

 CSIRO Division of Land Research, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (1965 - 1973)

Associate Chief of the Division, 1966-1967

 Edgeworth David Medal, Royal Society of New South Wales (1948 - )

Awarded the Medal 1961

 ANZAAS Medal, Australian and New Zealand Association for the Advancement of Science (1965 - )

Awarded the Medal 1991

 Ecological Society of Australia, Inc (1960 - )

President 1969 - 1971

Wikidata

VIAF - Virtual International Authority File

 Slatyer, R O (1929-)

Trove

 'Slatyer, Ralph Owen', in Encyclopedia of Australian Science and Innovation, Centre for Transformative Innovation, Swinburne University of Technology Slatyer, Ralph Owen Swinburne University of Technology, Centre for Transformative Innovation Encyclopedia of Australian Science and Innovation Resource: The Academy's Fellows [including profiles and other relevant links] Australian Academy of Science The Academy's Fellows [including profiles and other relevant links] Canberra Australian Academy of Science 2019 Resource Section: Interview with Dr Keith Boardman, biochemist Slatyer, Ralph Interview with Dr Keith Boardman, biochemist Australian Academy of Science 2002 Interviews with Australian scientists Edited Book: Arid lands of Australia Slatyer, R. O.; and Perry, R. A. Arid lands of Australia Canberra ANU Press 1969 Book: Ecological Society of Australia: the first 25 years Slatyer, Ralph Owen Ecological Society of Australia: the first 25 years Canberra Ecosystems Dynamics Group, Australian National University 1999 Journal Article: Obituaries - Bill Elliott, Ralph Slatyer Obituaries - Bill Elliott, Ralph Slatyer Australian Academy of Science 2012 Newsletter, Australian Academy of Science 89 15 Resource: Ralph Slatyer Medal Australian National University Ralph Slatyer Medal Research School of Biological Sciences, Australian National University 2023 Journal Article: Ralph Owen Slatyer 1929 - 2012 Farqhuhar, Graham Ralph Owen Slatyer 1929 - 2012 2020 Historical Records of Australian Science 31 1 54-63 Resource Section: Interview with Professor Ralph Slatyer (1929-2012), ecologist Blythe, Max Interview with Professor Ralph Slatyer (1929-2012), ecologist Australian Academy of Science 2002 Interviews with Australian scientists Edited Book: Portraits in Science Moyal, Ann Portraits in Science Canberra National Library of Australia 1994 Newspaper Article: Ralph Owen Slayter, AC, scientist, 16-4-1929 - 26-7-2012: visionary took science to highest government level Farquhar, Graham Ralph Owen Slayter, AC, scientist, 16-4-1929 - 26-7-2012: visionary took science to highest government level 2012 The Age 35 Resource Section: Ralph Owen Slatyer Ward, C. Ralph Owen Slatyer Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) 2011 CSIROpedia Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) Journal Article: A history of CSIRO'S Central Australian Laboratory, 1: 1953-80: pastoral land research Friedel, Margaret H.; and Morton, Stephen R. A history of CSIRO'S Central Australian Laboratory, 1: 1953-80: pastoral land research 2023 Historical records of Australian Science 34 1 36-49