NSW Smart Sensing Network Board Chair, Dr Susan Pond AM, FRSN FTSE FAHMS has been elected President of the Royal Society of NSW (RSNSW) for a two-year term at its Annual General Meeting on 07 April 2021.

Dr Pond said: “as President I aim to amplify the impact of the Society as a leading, independent source of knowledge and debate in NSW by mobilising the energy and firepower of its membership, branches and networks, and by securing dedicated premises for its events and exhibits.”

“The Society achieves its vision of enriching lives through knowledge and inquiry by holding lectures and forums, celebrating excellence by awarding prizes and medals and, publishing one of Australia’s oldest scientific journals,” said Dr Pond.

The RSNSW was founded in 1821 as the Philosophical Society of Australasia. Governor Brisbane served as its first President. In 1866 the Society was granted Royal Assent to use the word ‘Royal’ in its name by Queen Victoria and was incorporated fifteen years later by the Parliament of New South Wales through the Royal Society of NSW Incorporation Act (1881). This Act remains in force today. Her Excellency the Honourable Margaret Beazley AC, QC, Governor of NSW, graciously serves as the Society’s patron.

Today the RSNSW is an inclusive learned institution that includes a diverse group of people who are dedicated to ideas that matter.

Representing a broad range of disciplines, the Society’s membership includes more than 150 Members and Associate Members, 400 Fellows who are outstanding leaders in their fields across academia, business, government and the not-for-profit sector, and seventeen Distinguished Fellows, four of whom are Nobel Prize winners.

Throughout its history, the Society has done much to foster local research in a wide range of disciplines through meetings, symposia, publications and international scientific exchange. This year marks the beginning of the year-long celebration of the Society’s 200th anniversary.

To learn more about Dr Pond, please click here.

To learn more about the RSNSW, please click here.

Media: Shahrzad Abbasi

M: 0466 548 145

E: Shahrzad.abbasi@nssn.org.au

NSSN Board Chair elected as President of the Royal Society of NSW