Academy of Social Sciences in Australia
Annual Symposium
Each year, in conjunction with the ASSA Annual General Meeting, the Academy hosts its major event, the Annual Symposium. The Symposium is a public forum on a topic suggested and developed by Fellows. It is a full day event followed immediately by the Academy's Cunningham Lecture and an Academy dinner. The Symposium is convened by one or more Fellows and provides a program of speakers and panel discussion that explore an important concern of the social sciences.
ASSA Fellows' Colloquium
The ASSA Fellows' Colloquium is a comparatively informal gathering of Fellows that is held on the evening of the day preceding the Annual Symposium. Its timing provides for an opportunity for Fellows who travel to Canberra for the Symposium or are resident there to have an additional opportunity to engage with their many-disciplined peers on a current topic. The Colloquium is convened by one or more Fellows who set and introduce the topic and open floor for debate.
Cunningham Lectures
The Academy's annual public lectures are named after the first Chairman of the Social Science Research Committee (the Academy's predecessor), Dr Kenneth Stewart Cunningham; the post he had held from 1943 to 1952. The Cunningham Lecture is coupled with ASSA's prestigious Annual Symposium and is open to the public.
Paul Bourke Lecture
Paul Francis Bourke (1938-1999) was a product of the History school at the University of Melbourne who went on to become one of the first Australian historians to obtain American style doctoral training.
Whilst at Flinders University, he served as Professor of American Studies and also as Pro-Vice Chancellor. From Flinders University, he went on to become the Director of the RSSS at ANU. Elected to the Academy in 1977, he also served as the President of ASSA (1993-1997) and was instrumental in establishing the National Academies Forum.
Fay Gale Lecture
Gwendoline Fay Gale AO (1932 - 2008) was the first Honours graduate in geography from the University of Adelaide and went on to become an eminent human geographer. She was well known for her contributions to academia, the advancement of women within academia, Indigenous Studies and juvenile justice.
In 1978, Fay was elected to the Academy, and she served as the Academy's first female President (1997 - 2000). She also served as Vice Chancellor of the University of Western Australia from 1990 - 1997, and was president of the Association of Asian Social Sciences Research Councils from 1999-2001.
Keith Hancock Lecture
Keith J. Hancock has been a Fellow of the Academy since 1968 and served as President for the period 1981 - 1984.
A graduate of Melbourne University and the London School of Economics, he was the Foundation Professor of Economics at Flinders University, which opened for teaching in 1966. In 1980, he became the third Vice-Chancellor of Flinders University. Upon leaving the University, he was made an Emeritus Professor.
In 1987 he became a Deputy President of the Australian Conciliation and Arbitration Commission. In 1989, he transferred to the newly-created Australian Industrial Relations Commission, and became a Senior Deputy President in 1992. He retired in 1997.
Since retirement, Keith has held honorary appointments as a Professorial Fellow in the National Institute of Labour Studies at Flinders University and an Honorary Visiting Fellow in the School of Economics at Adelaide University.
He is one of two Australians who are Honorary Fellows of the London School of Economics. In 1987 he was made an Officer in the Order of Australia.
Last modified: 14 March 2012.