P003192 revised AU-VU:EOAS Encyclopedia of Australian Science and Innovation

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 English AACR2 Anglo-American Cataloguing Rules Person created 2001-04-19 human Rosanne Walker & Annette Alafaci updated 2026-05-19 human https://www.eoas.info/biogs/P003192b.htm person Vickers-Rich Patricia AACR2 Vickers, Patricia Rich, Patricia 11 July 1944 Place of Birth Exeter, California, United States of America Palaeontologist Ornithologist Patricia Vickers-Rich is Director of the Monash Science Centre, Monash University and a world renowned palaeontologist and geologist. Vickers-Rich researches the origin and evolution of Australasian vertebrates and their environments over the past 400 million years. She has special interest in Australian avian fossil non-passerines.

Patricia Vickers-Rich was born and educated in the USA and migrated to Australia in 1976. Prior to arriving in Australia, she held a number of research positions including one at the American Museum of Natural History in New York (1972). There she studied the bird fossils collected from the Northern Territory and South Australia by joint Australian and American expeditions. One of her first appointments in Australia was as Lecturer in the Department of Earth Sciences at Monash University. Over the next 20 years, Patricia Vickers-Rich held numerous positions within the University and is now Director of the Monash Science Centre and Personal Chair in Palaeontology. She is also a Research Associate at Tasmania's Queen Victoria Museum, the Museum of Victoria and Moscow's Paleontological Institute.

Vickers-Rich is a prolific writer and has co-authored at least 10 books, three of which have won major science publishing awards. Her refereed journal articles and published exhibition catalogues number well over 150. Patricia Vickers-Rich has also been awarded several prizes for excellence in science communication and elected to many prominent scientific organizations. She was Vice-President, President Elect then President of the Australian Association of Palaeontologists from 1992 to 1998.

1963 1965 Career position - Research Assistant in Paleontology, University of California 1963 1965 Career position - Zooarchaeologist at the Nevada State Museum in Reno, USA 1966 1966 Education - Bachelor of Arts (AB) in Palentology, University of Berkeley, USA 1968 1969 Career position - Teaching Assistant in Geology at Columbia University, New York 1969 1969 Education - Master of Arts (MA) in Geology, Columbia University, USA 1970 1970 Career position - Field Ecologist with the Organization of Tropical Studies in Costa Rica 1970 1970 Career position - Member of the Sigma Xi (National Science Honorary Organization) 1972 1972 Career position - Palaeontologist at the American Museum of Natural History in New York 1973 1973 Education - Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), Columbia University, USA September 1973 May 1976 Career position - Assistant Professor and Associate Curator at the Texas Tech University & Museum c. 1976 c. 1976 Life event - Migrated to Australia (Melbourne) June 1976 December 1983 Career position - Lecturer in Earth Sciences, Monash University 1977 1983 Career position - Research Associate in Ornithology at the National Museum of Victoria 1984 1989 Career position - Senior Lecturer in Earth Sciences and Zoology, Monash University 1989 1995 Career position - Reader in Departments of Earth Sciences and Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Monash University 1990 Career position - Member of the Society of Women Geographers in Washington, USA 1992 1993 Career position - Deputy Head of Earth Sciences, Monash University 1992 1994 Career position - Vice-President of the Australian Association of Palaeontologists 1993 Career position - Foundation Director of the Monash Science Centre, Monash University 1993 1993 Award - Wildlife of Gondwana awarded the Eureka Prize 1993 1993 Award - Michael Daley Award for Excellence in Science Technology & Engineering Journalism 1994 1994 Award - Wildlife of Gondwana awarded the Whitley Medal for best book on the natural history of Australian animals 1994 1995 Career position - President Elect of the Australian Association of Palaeontologists 1995 Career position - Professor and Personal Chair in Palaeontology, Monash University 1995 Career position - Research Associate at the Queen Victoria Museum in Launceston 1996 Career position - Member of the International Academy of Sciences of Nature & Society in Moscow 1997 1998 Career position - President, Australian Association of Palaeontologists 1998 Career position - Research Associate in Vertebrate Palaeontology and Ornithology at the Museum of Victoria 2000 2000 Award - Dinosaurs of Darkness by T. H. Rich & Vickers-Rich awarded the Eureka Prize 2004 Career position - Research Associate in the Laboratory of Precambrian Organisms at the Paleontological Institute in Moscow 2004 2004 Award - Magnificient Mihirungs by Vickers-Rich & Peter Murray awarded the Whitley Medal for best book on the natural history of Australian animals 2005 2005 Award - W. Roy Wheeler Medallion, Bird Observers' Club 2007 2007 Award - Selwyn Medal (jointly with Tom Rich), Victorian Branch, Geological Society of Australia 2014 2014 Award - Honorary Bragg Member, Royal Institution of Australia 2016 2016 Award - Officer of the Order of Australia (AO) for distinguished service to the earth sciences, particularly palaeontology, as an academic, to education curriculum development, and to international scientific organisations Wagstaff, Barbara E. W. Roy Wheeler Medallion, Bird Observers' Club (2005)

Awarded the Medallion 2005

 Royal Institution of Australia (2009 - )

Honorary Bragg Member 2014

 National Museum of Victoria (1858 - 1983)

Research Associate in Ornithology 1977 - 1983

 Australian Museum (1827 - )

Awarded Eureka Prize 2000

 Monash University (1958 - )

Foundation Director of the Monash Science Centre 1993 - ; Professor and Personal Chair in Palaeontology 1995 -

 Association of Australasian Palaeontologists (1974 - )

President 1997 - 1998

 Museum Victoria (1998 - )

Research Associate, Department of Vertebrate Palaeontology 1998 -

 Selwyn Medal, Geological Society of Australia - Victorian Division (1996 - )

Awarded the Medal (jointly) 2007

 Vickers-Rich, Patricia (1944-)

Trove

 'Vickers-Rich, Patricia', in Encyclopedia of Australian Science and Innovation, Centre for Transformative Innovation, Swinburne University of Technology Vickers-Rich, Patricia Swinburne University of Technology, Centre for Transformative Innovation Encyclopedia of Australian Science and Innovation Book Section: Sprigg, Glaessner and Wade and the Discovery and International Recognition of the Ediacaran Fauna Turner, S.; and Vickers-rich, Pat Sprigg, Glaessner and Wade and the Discovery and International Recognition of the Ediacaran Fauna London Geological Society 2007 Four Centuries of Geological Travel: the Search for Knowledge on Foot, Bicycle, Sledge and Camel Wyse-Jackson, P. N. 443-5 Edited Book: Kadimakara: Extinct Vertebrates of Australia Rich, P. V.; and Tets, G. F. Van Kadimakara: Extinct Vertebrates of Australia Lilydale Pioneer Design Studios 1985 Book Section: Squatters, Priests and Professors: a Brief History of Vertebrate Palaeontology in Terra Australis Archbold, Neil; Vickers-Rich, Pat Squatters, Priests and Professors: a Brief History of Vertebrate Palaeontology in Terra Australis Melbourne Pioneer Design Studios and Monash University Publications Committee 1991 Vertebrate Palaeontology of Australasia Pat Vickers-Rich; J.M. Monaghan and R.F. Baird and T.H. Rich 1-44 Conference Paper: Reg Sprigg, Martin F. Glaessner, Mary Wade and the Ediacaran Fauna Turner, S.; and Vickers-Rich, P Reg Sprigg, Martin F. Glaessner, Mary Wade and the Ediacaran Fauna 2004 IGCP 493 Conference, Prato Workshop, Monash University Centre. August 30-31, 2004 1 Resource: Selwyn Medal GSA Victoria Selwyn Medal Geological Society of Australia, Victorian Division 2022 Book: The Flight of the Emu: a Hundred Years of Australian Ornithology 1901-2001 Robin, Libby The Flight of the Emu: a Hundred Years of Australian Ornithology 1901-2001 Melbourne Melbourne University Press 2001