Royal Institution of Australia

{{Short description|Australian scientific institution based in Adelaide, South Australia}} {{Use dmy dates|date=August 2015}} {{Use Australian English|date=August 2015}} thumb|The historic Adelaide Stock Exchange building, former home of RiAus The '''Royal Institution of Australia''' ('''RiAus''') is a national scientific not-for-profit organisation based in Adelaide, South Australia, whose mission is science communication. It opened in October 2009 and was housed in the historic Adelaide Stock Exchange building, then known as The Science Exchange, until 2024. RiAus published the ''Cosmos Magazine'' website until February 2024, and hosted the SCINEMA International Science Film Festival. It appoints s

==History== The concept of a Royal Institution of Australia was proposed by Baroness Professor Susan Greenfield {{post-nominals| country=GB|CBE}}, while she was Thinker in Residence for the South Australian Government during 2004 and 2005.<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.thinkers.sa.gov.au/thinkers/greenfield/impacts.aspx |title= Susan Greenfield - Results |publisher= Adelaide Thinkers in Residence |accessdate= 24 January 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url= https://www.abc.net.au/rn/scienceshow/stories/2007/1929624.htm |title= Stories (2007) |work= ABC |accessdate= 24 January 2015}} Redirects to:<br>{{cite web |url= https://www.abc.net.au/radionational/programs/scienceshow/royal-institution-for-adelaide/3248716 |title= Royal Institution for Adelaide |date= 26 May 2007 |work= The Science Show |publisher= ABC Radio National |accessdate= 25 January 2015}}</ref> Greenfield was Director of the Royal Institution of Great Britain (RiGB) from 1998 to 2010. South Australian premier Mike Rann was receptive to the idea and secured state, federal and private sector funding for the organisation, its building and programs. The Royal Institution of Australia's inaugural chairman was Peter Yates {{post-nominals| country=AUS|AM}}.<ref>Government news release, October 2009</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |last=Public Works Committee (Parliament South Australia) |date=29 November 2007 |title=Old Stock Exchange Building Refurbishment: 280th Report of the Public Works Committee |url=https://www8.austlii.edu.au/au/other/SAHAStaCPW/2007/25.pdf |journal=Public Works Committee Reports |volume=PP 216 |issue=Final Report |pages=4}}</ref>

The establishment of a Royal Institution of Australia was amongst the recommendations Greenfield made during her Adelaide residency, which included initiatives to encourage collaboration and complementary research programs across South Australian universities, science communication programs for children, professional development for school teachers and the establishment of the Australian Science Media Centre. A key recommendation was the Bragg Initiative, which encouraged a relationship between South Australia and the RiGB<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.thinkers.sa.gov.au/lib/pdf/SGReport.Insert.pdf |title=Getting to the future first |work=Report Insert : Susan Greenfield |publisher=Adelaide Thinker in Residence |accessdate=24 January 2015 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150311212807/http://thinkers.sa.gov.au/lib/pdf/SGReport.Insert.pdf |archivedate=11 March 2015 |df=dmy-all }}</ref> and was taken up by the South Australian government.

The Bragg Initiative was named for William Henry Bragg and William Lawrence Bragg. This father and son team won the 1915 Nobel Prize in Physics for their "analysis of crystal structures by means of X rays".<ref>{{cite web |title= The Nobel Prize in Physics 1915 |publisher= Nobelprize.org |url= https://nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/physics/laureates/1915/ |accessdate=24 January 2015}}</ref> Both had an enormous passion for communicating science to the broader community. The Bragg Initiative was a program within the Department of the Premier and Cabinet managed by Linda Cooper.{{cn|date=April 2024}}

In June 2008, work commenced to convert the former Adelaide Stock Exchange building, which had remained empty for many years, into The Science Exchange.<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/south-australia/stock-exchange-building-trades-roles/story-e6frea83-1111116704804 |date= 22 June 2008 |title= Adelaide Stock Exchange building trades roles |work=The Advertiser |accessdate= 24 January 2015}}</ref>

The Royal Institution of Australia was opened on 8 October 2009 by the President of the Council of RiGB, HRH Prince Edward, Duke of Kent, who would become RiAus's patron also.<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/science-set-to-lead-nation-into-future/story-e6freo8c-1225784512379 |date= 9 October 2009 |title= Science set to lead nation into future |work= The Advertiser |accessdate=24 January 2015}}</ref>

The Royal Institution of Australia foundation partners were the Government of South Australia, the Commonwealth Government and oil and gas company, Santos. It has a paid membership program, including both corporate and individual members.{{cn|date=April 2024}}

In February 2024, due to limited financial resources, RiAus passed management of ''Cosmos Magazine'' to CSIRO Publishing,<ref>[https://riaus.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Media%20statement%20Cosmos.pdf Cosmos magazine moves to CSIRO Publishing] Media release, Royal Institution of Australia. Undated. Retrieved 11 December 2025.</ref> and shortly thereafter moved from the Science Exchange building.<ref name=2024Annualreport>[https://riaus.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/2024AnnualReportF.pdf 2024 Annual Report] Royal Institution of Australia. Retrieved 11 December 2025.</ref>

==Adelaide Stock Exchange Building== thumb|The Science Exchange {{Redirect|Adelaide Stock Exchange|the early history of this and other stock exchanges of Adelaide|Green's Exchange}} The Royal Institution of Australia was housed at The Science Exchange, a red brick building located between Pirie and Grenfell streets in the Adelaide city centre (address 53-57 Exchange Place),<ref name=sah/> until 2024.<ref name=2024Annualreport />

The building is the former Stock Exchange building. The Adelaide Stock Exchange was established in the colony of South Australia in 1887 by a group of financial brokers and traders, after the other capital cities had established their own stock exchanges. After trading for some time on Pirie Street, it was decided that a bigger building was required.<ref name=explorer>{{cite web | title=The Stock Exchange/Science Exchange | website=Adelaide City Explorer | url=https://adelaidecityexplorer.com.au/items/show/172 | access-date=20 April 2024}}</ref> The new building was designed by the architects Hedley Allen Dunn in collaboration with Henry Fuller in Federation/Edwardian style, with Arts and Crafts influences.

The building includes a stained glass window by Morris & Co, with three of the six panels after the designs of Edward Burne-Jones,<ref name=unisa>{{cite web |url= https://architectsdatabase.unisa.edu.au/build_full.asp?B_ID=1148 |title= Adelaide Stock Exchange |website= Architects of South Australia|publisher=University of South Australia|access-date= 10 June 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url= https://www.architectsdatabase.unisa.edu.au/arch_full.asp?Arch_ID=117 |title= Hedley Allen Dunn |website= Architects of South Australia|publisher=University of South Australia |access-date= 10 June 2014}}</ref> created by the company's chief designer J.H. Dearle. The window was donated by businessman George Brookman, intended to celebrate Australian federation, although as one source noted "it in fact represents more accurately the ideal of British Empire federation". The central figure is Britannia, with a black man on and a white woman representing Africa and Canada on one side, and on the other, another woman representing Australia, alongside "an inhabitant of the King's Indian dominions". The window is one of around 20 Morris Company windows identified in Australia, of which 14 are in Adelaide.<ref name=adheritage>{{cite web | title= Adelaide Stock Exchange| series =Heritage of the City of Adelaide|publisher =City of Adelaide| url=https://d31atr86jnqrq2.cloudfront.net/heritage-places/heritage-place-information-sheet-exchange-place-stock-exchange.pdf | access-date=20 April 2024}}</ref>

It was opened on 6 September 1901 by the premier of South Australia John Jenkins.<ref name=explorer/><ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article4854984 |title=The New Stock Exchange. |newspaper=The Advertiser (Adelaide) |volume=XLIV |issue=13,382 |location=South Australia |date=7 September 1901 |access-date=20 April 2024 |page=6 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref>

The building was damaged twice by fire, in 1938 and in 1982, but the stained-glass windows survived.<ref name=explorer/> The stock exchange occupied the building until 1991, after which it remained vacant until 2009, when it was renovated and occupied by RiAus. Many of the original features were restored<ref name=explorer/> in the western end of the building, while the eastern end is in contemporary design.<ref name=unisa/>

The building was state heritage-listed on the South Australian Heritage Register on 8 November 1984,<ref name=sah>{{cite web | title=53-57 Exchange Place ADELAIDE| website=The South Australia Heritage Places database | url=https://maps.sa.gov.au/heritagesearch/HeritageItem.aspx?p_heritageno=1286 | access-date=20 April 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | title=RiAus (Former Adelaide Stock Exchange) | website=Experience Adelaide | date=16 September 2019 | url=https://www.experienceadelaide.com.au/heritage-places/riaus-former-adelaide-stock-exchange-53-57-exchange-place-adelaide/ | access-date=20 April 2024}}</ref> and is also listed by the Australian Institute of Architects among the 120 nationally significant 20th-century buildings in South Australia.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.architecture.com.au/docs/default-source/act-notable-buildings/120-notable-buildings.pdf |title=120 notable buildings| website= Australian Institute of Architects |access-date= 8 May 2014| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170323084255/http://www.architecture.com.au/docs/default-source/act-notable-buildings/120-notable-buildings.pdf| archive-date= 23 March 2017}}</ref>

In 2024, RiAus vacated the Science Exchange building,<ref name="2024Annualreport" /> which remains owned by the South Australian Department for Environment and Water. In September 2025, the building was leased to the Conservation Council of South Australia, and renamed "The Exchange".<ref>[https://www.conservationsa.org.au/the%20exchange The Exchange] Conservation Council of South Australia. Retrieved 11 December 2025.</ref>

==Description == The Royal Institution of Australia is the first and only sister organisation outside of the UK of the Royal Institution of Great Britain (RiGB).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.rigb.org/contentControl?action=displayContent&id=00000000850 |title=Control |accessdate=24 January 2015 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120607213212/http://www.rigb.org/contentControl?id=00000000850&action=displayContent |archivedate=7 June 2012 }}</ref>

As a national hub for science communication, the Royal Institution of Australia promotes public awareness and understanding of science. Its mission is "connecting people with the world of science". The Institution highlights the importance of science in everyday life through the ''Cosmos Magazine'' website, the SCINEMA International Science Film Festival, and the RiAus Education platform.<ref>{{cite web | title=Home | website=RiAus | date=9 July 2020 | url=https://riaus.org.au/ | access-date=20 April 2024}}</ref>

RiAus receives financial and in-kind support from members, corporate partners, and donors.{{cn|date=April 2024}}

== Governance == ===Directors=== The inaugural director of the Royal Institution of Australia was Professor Gavin Brown AO, Scottish born mathematician and former Vice Chancellor of the University of Adelaide and the University of Sydney.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://sydney.edu.au/news/84.html?newsstoryid=2314 |title=Professor Gavin Brown takes on royal role |first=Andrew |last=Potter |date=29 May 2008 |work=The University of Sydney News |accessdate=12 August 2010 |url-status=live |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20080731013751/http://www.rihss.usyd.edu.au/news/84.html?newsstoryid=2314 |archivedate=31 July 2008 }}</ref>

After the resignation of Brown, Jane Lomax-Smith filled in as acting director (2010-2011). Paul Willis, science communicator, paleontologist, science journalist, and broadcaster was the director from 2011 until July 2017. In 2017, the RiAus appointed Bradley Abraham as CEO and director. In addition, the council appointed Alan Duffy, an astronomer and physicist at Swinburne University of Technology, as its new lead scientist.{{cn|date=April 2024}}

===Council=== The Royal Institution of Australia is governed by a council. {{as of|April 2024}}, council members are:<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://riaus.org.au/organisation/|title=Organisation|website=Royal Institution of Australia|language=en-Au|access-date=20 April 2024}}</ref> {{div col|colwidth=15em}} * Peter Yates AM, chair * Will Berryman, also ED * Lyn Beazley, former Chief Scientist of Western Australia * Christian Bennett *Gregory Clark AC * Tony Clark, co-founder and director of Rising Sun Pictures * Rod Eddington AO * David Knox * Karen Dobson * Caroline McMillen {{div col end}}

==See also== *Australian Science Media Centre

== References == {{Reflist}}

==External links== *{{official|https://riaus.org.au/}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Royal Institution Of Australia}} Category:Culture of Adelaide Category:Scientific societies based in Australia Category:Organisations based in Adelaide Category:Organisations based in Australia with royal patronage Category:2009 establishments in Australia Category:Scientific organizations established in 2009