P007666revisedAU-VU:EOASEncyclopedia of Australian Science and Innovation
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EnglishAACR2Anglo-American Cataloguing RulesPersoncreated2025-04-15humanHelen Cohnupdated2026-02-10humanhttps://www.eoas.info/biogs/P007666b.htmpersonVon SommerFerdinandAACR2c. 180023 June 1849Place of BirthNetherlandsPlace of DeathAtapeopoe (Atapupu), TimorMineralogistGeologistFerdinand von Sommer had a varied and peripatetic career that encompassed lecturer and teacher, poet, missionary, medical practitioner and geologist. Initially he studied mathematics under Carl Gauss at Göttingen, followed by a period teaching mathematics and nautical science at the university in Berlin and studying medicine in Jena. Between 1839 and 1842 he spent short periods as missionary in India and general practitioner in South Africa. He was again teaching in Berlin during the winter semester of 1842-3. In September 1845 von Sommer arrived in South Australia. During his brief time in the colony he worked for several months at a copper mining venture in the Clare Valley. By January 1847 he was in Western Australia, where he found employment with the Western Australian Mining Company before being appointed Government Geologist. He made several surveying journeys, sending reports to the government that commented on the potential for farming and mineral exploitation. Von Sommer left was in August 1948 for Batavia.18221822Education - MPhil, University of Göttingen18401840Career event - Established medical practice in Cape Town, South Africa18421843Career event - Teaching, University of BerlinSeptember 1845September 1845Life event - Arrived in South AustraliaOctober 1845February 1846Career event - Worked at the Burra Burra Copper Mine, Clare Valley, South AustraliaJuly 1846July 1846Career event - Registered to practice medicine in South AustraliaJanuary 1847January 1847Life event - Arrived in Western AustraliaFebruary 1847September 1847Career position - Geologist, Western Australian Mining CompanySeptember 1847August 1848Career position - Government Geologist, Colony of Western AustraliaAugust 1848August 1848Life event - Left Western Australia
Colony of Western Australia (1829 - 1901)
Government Geologist 1847 - 1848
'Von Sommer, Ferdinand', in Encyclopedia of Australian Science and Innovation, Centre for Transformative Innovation, Swinburne University of TechnologyVon Sommer, FerdinandSwinburne University of Technology, Centre for Transformative InnovationEncyclopedia of Australian Science and InnovationJournal Article: The late expedition to Cape RichVon Sommer, F.The late expedition to Cape Rich1848Perth gazette and independent journal of policies and news29 July3Journal Article: Dr. von Sommer's ReportVon Sommer, F.Dr. von Sommer's Report1847Perth gazette and Western Australian journal23 October3Journal Article: The enigmatic history of Ferdinand von Sommer, our first government geologist: a preliminary accountGlover, J.The enigmatic history of Ferdinand von Sommer, our first government geologist: a preliminary account2005West Australian geologist4508-10Journal Article: The mysterious Dr Ferdinand von Sommer (~1800 - 1849): Western Australia's first government geologistLudewig, AlexandraThe mysterious Dr Ferdinand von Sommer (~1800 - 1849): Western Australia's first government geologist2024Historical records of Australian science361-19