Following outcomes of our 2024 call for nominations, we are delighted to welcome Mr Blair Darragh to the Council of the Royal Society of Victoria for a two year term, commencing from our Annual General Meeting in May 2025. Blair currently works with AFAC, the Australian and New Zealand National Council for fire and emergency services, and has provided the following message to our members:

“I am enthusiastic about the future of science and technology to improve the lives of Victorians and believe I can use my experience to assist the Society in its aims.

I am an Applications Specialist working with decision-support systems. Over my career I have worked collaborately in multidisciplinary teams and applied geospatial solutions to solve problems in the environmental, defence, emergency management and transportation fields. I have also worked on technology projects across the three tiers of government and also on international projects.

My research interests include the semantics of geographic knowledge bases and conversational systems. I am also interested in the history and philosophy of science, particularly the use of maps in the early period of biogeography. My academic qualifications include: Bachelor of Applied Science (Cartography), Graduate Diploma in Land Data Management, Graduate Diploma in Computing Studies and a Master of Applied Science (Land Information) from RMIT University. I am a Senior Member of the Australian Computer Society, a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society (London) and a Fellow of the Linnean Society.“

We’re delighted to welcome Blair to the fold, and look forward to his contribution to the affairs of Victoria’s science society.

Mike Flattley
CEO, The Royal Society of Victoria