P005941 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 2017-12-05 human Helen Cohn updated 2026-05-12 human https://www.eoas.info/biogs/P005941b.htm person Riek Edgar OAM AACR2 1 May 1920 9 February 2016 Place of Birth Napier, New Zealand Place of Death Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia Entomologist Edgar Riek was an entomologist who began his career in the field of biological control but moved to taxonomy because of the need for accurate identification before control programs were effective. His taxonomic research ranged over several orders of insects and he contributed nine of the 30 chapters in Insects of Australia (CSIRO 1970). In 1963 he published the first pocket guide to Australia's insect fauna, with another three editions issued to 1975. Riek also studied fossil insects as a means of understanding the evolutionary origins of insects. In 1973 he wrote on a Carboniferous megasecopteran insect from Tasmania, the oldest Australian insect discovered to date. His publications in this field earned him a DSc from the University of Queensland. The Australian National Insect Collection includes thousands of specimens collected by Riek. In Australian limnological circles he is remembered for his taxonomic work on mayflies, stoneflies and decapod crustaceans, and as a pioneer in the study of Australian freshwater crayfish. The genera Riekiella (Diptera), Riekisura (Hymenoptera) and Riekia (Hymenoptera) and many species were named in his honour. In retirement he became a noted figure in the Australian wine industry. 1939 Career position - Member, Entomological Society of Queensland 1939 1943 Career position - Laboratory Assistant, Department of Geology, University of Queensland 1943 1945 Career position - Demonstrator in Zoology, University of Queensland 1944 1944 Career position - Secretary, Entomological Society of Queensland 1944 1944 Education - Bachelor of Science (BSc), University of Queensland 1945 1949 Career position - Assistant Research Officer, CSIRO Division of Economic Entomology 1946 1946 Education - Master of Science (MSc), University of Queensland 1950 1978 Career position - Assistant Research Officer (later Principal Research Scientist), CSIRO Division of Entomology 1961 1961 Career position - Foundation Member, Australian Society for Limnology 1971 1971 Education - Doctor of Science (DSc), University of Queensland 1977 1977 Award - Perkins Memorial Lecturer, Entomological Society of Queensland 1978 1978 Life event - Retired 1996 1996 Award - Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) - for service to viticulture through the Canberra and District Winegrowers Association and the Canberra National Wine Show and to entomology Australian Society for Limnology (1961 - 2017)

Foundation Member 1961

 CSIRO Division of Entomology, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (1950 - )

Assistant Research Officer (later Principal Research Scientist) 1950 - 1978

 CSIR/O Division of Economic Entomology, Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (1928 - 1949)

Assistant Research Officer 1945 - 1949

 Australian National Insect Collection, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (1962 - )

The Collection holds 1,000s of Riek's specimens

 'Riek, Edgar', in Encyclopedia of Australian Science and Innovation, Centre for Transformative Innovation, Swinburne University of Technology Riek, Edgar Swinburne University of Technology, Centre for Transformative Innovation Encyclopedia of Australian Science and Innovation