Antarctic scientific research by Australians is celebrated in a recently-released book.
'Australian Antarctic Science — The first 50 years of ANARE’ is a landmark volume that, for the first time, brings together the essence of Australian Antarctic scientific research.
The book grew out of the highly successful science symposium held in Hobart in 1997 as part of Australian National Antarctic Research Expedition (ANARE) Jubilee celebrations.
ANARE was established by the Australian Government in 1947 and charged with exploring and undertaking research in Antarctica.
From low-budget beginnings on the sub-Antarctic Heard and Macquarie Islands, ANARE activities became more focused on the Antarctic continent itself and the Southern Ocean.
The symposium brought together 60 Australian scientists from all fields of ANARE research to highlight achievements in their disciplines, to discuss the relevance and importance of their present activities and to look to likely directions into the future.
'Australian Antarctic Science — The first 50 years of ANARE’ is a very valuable research source that covers historic moments in Antarctic science through to the present and looks to what may lie ahead.
This important volume has been edited by three scientists prominent in their fields and whose names are synonymous with Antarctic exploration and research: Dr Harvey Marchant, Leader of the Australian Antarctic Biology Program at the Australian Antarctic Division (AAD); former Chief Scientist of the AAD, Dr Patrick Quilty and now Honorary Research Professor of Earth Sciences at the University of Tasmania; and Professor Desmond Lugg, Chief, Medicine of Extreme Environments at NASA HQ, Washington DC and formerly Head of Polar Medicine AAD.
You will remember that Tim Bowden, in his book, 'The Silence Calling', traced the history of ANARE over its first 50 years. Tim’s book chronicles a great many aspects of the people and activities of ANARE including early exploration, establishment of our continental stations, development of the Antarctic Treaty system, the AAD’s move from Melbourne to Hobart and the building of the resupply vessel Aurora Australis.
In this companion volume to 'The Silence Calling’ our science history is recalled in 'Australian Antarctic Science — The first 50 years of ANARE'.