Nicholson, Alexander John (John) (1895 - 1969)

Summary

Alexander Nicholson was one of Australia's top Entomologists and greatly increased the knowledge and study of Zoology and Entomology in Australia. His longest serving position was as Chief of the Division of Economic Entomology at CSIR (Council for Scientific and Industrial Research)/CSIRO (Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation) from 1936 to 1960. During this time Nicholson improved the Division's reputation and research scope to include biological control, taxonomy, ecology, physiology, biochemistry and toxicology. Nicholson's main area of expertise was in insect population dynamics and biology, but he was also a fine designer of scientific equipment and a fastidious organiser. He was a member and office bearer of many of Australia's and Britain's top scientific bodies and published widely. He received many accolades for his tireless work including an appointment to Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE).

Details

Chronology

1915

Education - Bachelor of Science (BSc), University of Birmingham, UK

1915 - c. 1919

Military service - First World War. Service with the Royal Regiment of Artillery in France and Belgium

1919 - c. 1921

Career position - Researcher, University of Birmingham

1920

Education - Master of Science (MSc), University of Birmingham

1921 -

Career position - Inaugural McCaughey Lecturer in Entomology, University of Sydney

October 1921

Life event - Migrated to Australia (Sydney)

1922 - 1969

Career position - Member, Linnean Society of New South Wales

1926 - 1927

Career position - President, Royal Zoological Society of New South Wales

1927

Career event - Elected Associate Member (Zoology), Australian National Research Council

1928 - 1930

Career position - Councillor, Linnean Society of New South Wales

1929

Education - Doctor of Science (DSc), University of Sydney

1930 - 1933

Career position - Deputy-Chief of the CSIR (Council for Scientific and Industrial Research) Division of Economic Entomology

1933

Career position - 'The Balance of Animal Populations' published in the Journal of Animal Ecology

1933 - 1936

Career position - Acting-Chief of the CSIR Division of Economic Entomology

1935 -

Career position - Foundation Member, Australian Institute of Agricultural Science

1936 - 1949

Career position - Chief of the CSIR Division of Economic Entomology

1947

Career position - President, Section D, Australian and New Zealand Association for the Advancement of Science

1950 - 1951

Career position - President, Royal Society of Australia

1950 - 1960

Career position - Chief, CSIRO Division of Entomoogy

1952

Award - Clarke Medal, Royal Society of New South Wales

1953 - 1969

Award - Petitioner for the Academy, Founding Fellow, Australian Academy of Science (FAA)

1954 - 1955

Career position - Biological Secretary, Australian Academy of Science

1955 - 1957

Career position - Vice-President, Australian Academy of Science

1960 -

Career position - Foundation President, National Parks Association of the Australian Capital Territory

1960 - 1969

Career position - Senior Research Fellow, CSIRO Division of Entomology

1961

Award - Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) - Chief of the Entemology Division at the CSIRO

1961 - 1969

Award - Honorary Fellow, Royal Entomological Society of London (FRES)

1963 - 1969

Award - Honorary Member, British Ecological Society

1965 - 1969

Career position - Foundation Member, Australian Entomological Society

Related entries

Archival resources

Adolph Basser Library, Australian Academy of Science

• Alexander John Nicholson - Records, 1927 - 1971, MS 130; Adolph Basser Library, Australian Academy of Science. Details

Published resources

Encyclopedia of Australian Science and Innovation Exhibitions

• Smith, Ailie, Adolph Basser Library Manuscript Collection, eScholarship Research Centre, 2012, http://www.eoas.info/basser_browse.html. Details

Books

• Musgrave, A., Bibliography of Australian entomology, 1775-1930: with biographical notes on authors and collectors (Sydney: Royal Zoological Society of New South Wales, 1932), 380 pp. Details

Book Sections

• Waterhouse, D.F., 'Nicholson, Alexander John (1895-1969), Entomologist' in Australian dictionary of biography, volume 15: 1940 - 1980 Kem-Pie, John Ritchie, ed. (Melbourne: Melbourne University Press, 2000), pp. 473-474. http://www.adb.online.anu.edu.au/biogs/A150551b.htm. Details

Journal Articles

• A. B. W. and A. J. Nicholson [ie Arthur B. Walkom and Alexander J. Nicholson], 'Gustavus Athol Waterhouse, 1877-1950 (Memorial series, no. 14)', Proceedings of the Linnean Society of New South Wales, 78 (5/6) (1953), 269-275. Details
• Mackerras, I. M., 'Alexander John Nicholson', Records of the Australian Academy of Science, 2 (1) (1971), 66-81. https://doi.org/10.1071/HR9710210066. Details
• Nicholson, A. J., ' A new theory of mimicry in insects', Australian zoologist, 5 (1927), 10-104. Details
• Nicholson, A. J., 'The balance of animal populations', Journal of animal ecology, 2 (1933), 132-78. Details
• Nicholson, A. J., 'Obituary: A. L. Tonnoir', Australian Journal of Science, 2 (5) (1940), 139-140. Details
• Schedvin, C. B., 'Environment, Economy and Australian Biology 1890-1939', Historical Studies, 21 (1984), 11-28. Details

Resources

• Wikidata, http://www.wikidata.org/entity/Q4719245. Details
• VIAF - Virtual International Authority File, OCLC, https://viaf.org/viaf/16506028. Details
• 'Nicholson, Alexander John (1895-1969)', Trove, National Library of Australia, 2009, https://nla.gov.au/nla.party-610414. Details

Resource Sections

• 'Nicholson, Alexander John - Ms 130', in Listing of Adolph Basser Library holdings, Australian Academy of Science, 1994, http://www.science.org.au/basser/manuscript-collection/ms130.html. Details
• Mackerras, I. M., 'Alexander John Nicholson 1895-1969', in Australian Academy of Science Biographical Memoirs, Australian Academy of Science, 2006, https://www.science.org.au/fellowship/fellows/biographical-memoirs/alexander-john-nicholson-1895-1969. Details
• Ward, C., 'Alexander John Nicholson', in CSIROpedia, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), 2011, https://csiropedia.csiro.au/Nicholson-Alexander-John. Details

See also

• Birch, L.C.; Browning, T. O., 'Herbert George Andrewartha 1907-1992', Historical Records of Australian Science, 9 (3) (1993), 258-268. https://doi.org/10.1071/HR9930930259. Details
• Norris, K. R., 'Ian Murray Mackerras 1898-1980', Historical Records of Australian Science, 5 (2) (1981), 98-114. https://doi.org/10.1071/HR9810520098. Details
• Nicholson, (Alexander) John (England-Australia 1895-1969), Some Biogeographers, Evolutionists and Ecologists: Chrono-Biographical Sketches, http://www.wku.edu/~smithch/chronob/NICH1895.htm. Details