Mike Archer (paleontologist)
Encyclopedia
Mike Archer is an Australia
n paleontologist specialising in Australia vertebrates. He is a Professor at the School of Biological, Earth & Environmental Sciences, University of New South Wales
. His previous appointments include Director of the Australian Museum
1999-2004 and Dean of Science
at the University of New South Wales
2004-2009.
He was born in Sydney but raised in the United States and studied at the Princeton University
. From 1972 to 1978, he was the Curator
of Mammals at the Queensland Museum
. Since 1983, he is involved with the exploration of the Riversleigh
fossil
site in Queensland
.
He is opposed to Creationism
and regularly engages in active debates with Creationists.
During his time as Director of the Australian Museum, he was the initiator of attempts to clone the Thylacinus cynocephalus, the Tasmanian Tiger, an animal extinct since 1936.
He is married to the paleontologist Suzanne Hand, with whom he has two daughters.
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n paleontologist specialising in Australia vertebrates. He is a Professor at the School of Biological, Earth & Environmental Sciences, University of New South Wales
University of New South Wales
The University of New South Wales , is a research-focused university based in Kensington, a suburb in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia...
. His previous appointments include Director of the Australian Museum
Australian Museum
The Australian Museum is the oldest museum in Australia, with an international reputation in the fields of natural history and anthropology. It features collections of vertebrate and invertebrate zoology, as well as mineralogy, palaeontology, and anthropology...
1999-2004 and Dean of Science
UNSW Faculty of Science
The Faculty of Science is a constituent body of the University of New South Wales , Australia. It is the UNSW's second largest Faculty . It has almost 400 academic staff, of whom 160-plus are designated research only. It has a constant cohort of about 520 research students , of whom about 450 are...
at the University of New South Wales
University of New South Wales
The University of New South Wales , is a research-focused university based in Kensington, a suburb in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia...
2004-2009.
He was born in Sydney but raised in the United States and studied at the Princeton University
Princeton University
Princeton University is a private research university located in Princeton, New Jersey, United States. The school is one of the eight universities of the Ivy League, and is one of the nine Colonial Colleges founded before the American Revolution....
. From 1972 to 1978, he was the Curator
Curator
A curator is a manager or overseer. Traditionally, a curator or keeper of a cultural heritage institution is a content specialist responsible for an institution's collections and involved with the interpretation of heritage material...
of Mammals at the Queensland Museum
Queensland Museum
The Queensland Museum is the state museum of Queensland. The museum currently operates four separate campuses; at South Brisbane, Ipswich, Toowoomba and Townsville.The museum is funded by the State Government of Queensland.-History:...
. Since 1983, he is involved with the exploration of the Riversleigh
Riversleigh
Riversleigh, in North West Queensland, is Australia's most famous fossil site. The 100 km² area has fossil remains of ancient mammals, birds and reptiles of Oligocene and Miocene age...
fossil
Fossil
Fossils are the preserved remains or traces of animals , plants, and other organisms from the remote past...
site in Queensland
Queensland
Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...
.
He is opposed to Creationism
Creationism
Creationism is the religious beliefthat humanity, life, the Earth, and the universe are the creation of a supernatural being, most often referring to the Abrahamic god. As science developed from the 18th century onwards, various views developed which aimed to reconcile science with the Genesis...
and regularly engages in active debates with Creationists.
During his time as Director of the Australian Museum, he was the initiator of attempts to clone the Thylacinus cynocephalus, the Tasmanian Tiger, an animal extinct since 1936.
He is married to the paleontologist Suzanne Hand, with whom he has two daughters.
Honours
- 1984: Clarke Medal, Royal Society of New South WalesRoyal Society of New South WalesThe Royal Society of New South Wales is a learned society based in Sydney, Australia. It was established as the Philosophical Society of Australasia on 27 June 1821...
- 1987: Inaugural Queensland MuseumQueensland MuseumThe Queensland Museum is the state museum of Queensland. The museum currently operates four separate campuses; at South Brisbane, Ipswich, Toowoomba and Townsville.The museum is funded by the State Government of Queensland.-History:...
Medal for Research - 1989: Australian Heritage Award for Nature Conservation
- 1990: Inaugural Eureka Prize for the Promotion of Science
- 1990: Inaugural IBM Conservation Award for Research
- 1994: Von Mueller Medal, ANZAAS
- 1996: Verco Medal, Royal Society of South AustraliaRoyal Society of South AustraliaThe Royal Society of South Australia is a Learned Society whose interest is in Science, particularly, but not only, of South Australia.The Society stems directly from the Adelaide Philosophical Society founded on the 10 January 1853. The title "Royal" was granted by her Majesty Queen Victoria in...
- 1998: Australian SkepticAustralian SkepticsThe Australian Skeptics is a non-profit organisation based in Australia which investigates paranormal and pseudoscientific claims using scientific methodologies.-History:...
of the Year - 2002: Fellow, Australian Academy of ScienceAustralian Academy of ScienceThe Australian Academy of Science was founded in 1954 by a group of distinguished Australians, including Australian Fellows of the Royal Society of London. The first president was Sir Mark Oliphant. The Academy is modelled after the Royal Society and operates under a Royal Charter; as such it is...
- 2008: Member of the Order of AustraliaOrder of AustraliaThe Order of Australia is an order of chivalry established on 14 February 1975 by Elizabeth II, Queen of Australia, "for the purpose of according recognition to Australian citizens and other persons for achievement or for meritorious service"...
(AM)
Publications
- Archer, M. (Ed.) (1982). Carnivorous Marsupials. Royal Zoological Society of New South Wales, 1982. ISBN 9780959995137, 9780959995137 (2 volumes)
- Archer, M. and Clayton, C. (Eds.) (1984). Vertebrate Zoogeography & Evolution in Australasia: Animals in Space & Time. Hesperian Press. ISBN 9780859050364
- Archer, M. and Flannery, T.F. with Grigg, G.C. (1985) The Kangaroo. Kevin Weldon Press. ISBN 9780949708229
- Archer, M., Hand, S. and Godthelp, H. (1986). Uncovering Australia's Dreamtime. Surrey Beatty & Sons ISBN 0949324078
- Archer, M. (Ed.) (1987). Possums and Opossums: Studies in Evolution. Surrey Beatty & Sons in association with the Royal Zoological Society of New South Wales. ISBN 0949324051
- Cronin, L. (Ed.) (1987). Koala: Australia's Endearing Marsupial. Reed Books Pty, Ltd. ISBN 9780730101581 (text by Archer et al.)
- Long, J.A., Archer, M., Flannery, T. and Hand, S. (2002). Prehistoric mammals of Australia and New Guinea: One hundred million years of evolution. University of NSW Press.. ISBN 9780868404356
- Archer, M., Hand, S. and Godthelp, H. (2000). Australia's lost world: Prehistoric animals of Riversleigh. Indiana University Press. ISBN 9780253339140