Societies

Australasian Hydrographic Society
It is with pleasure that, on behalf of the AHS Awards Panel, I announce that the Patron of the Australasian Hydrographic Society, Vice Admiral Chris Ritchie, AO, RANR, has been pleased to approve the following awards for 2008:

• Service Achievement to Australasia: J. Maschke, M. Perwick
• Career Achievement: R. Nairn, J. Spittal, K. Glenn
• Career (& Service) Achievement: D. Fitzhenry, W. Russell-Cargill
• Scientific & Technological Achievement: G. Chisholm
• Literary Achievement: G.A. Mawer
• Patron’s LoA (Individual): A. Millett
• Industry Achievement (Public Sector): HM Force Element Group, RAN Sea Power Centre
• Exhibition & Archive Achievement: National Library of Australia
• Education Award: L. Bishop

Corporate Patron’s and President’s LoA awards for government agencies and corporations will be advised separately. Presentations will be made at various events in Australia and New Zealand to coincide with UN World Hydrography Day (21 June 2008). Individuals and corporations aligned with applicable regions or divisions will be advised of presentation details by their respective chairmen.

President Paul Hornsby joins the Patron, Executive Council and Awards Panel in thanking all those who submitted nominations and congratulating those individuals and groups selected on this occasion.

Hydrographic Society Russia
For several years, the HSR has maintained friendly, co-operative relations with the St Petersburg Society of Geodesy and Cartography (SPbSGC). The Secretary of the SPbSGC is Mr Vitaly Kaptsjug. HSR members were invited to participate in SPbSGC activities on 22–23 April, celebrating the 120th anniversary of the birthday of the outstanding Russian scientist, astronomer and geodesist, academician Alexander A. Mikhajlov (1888–1983).

The first session, on 22 April, took place at the headquarters of the Russian Geographic Society in St Petersburg. Two reports were presented. The first was about the contribution of A. Mikhajlov to geodesy, gravimetry and cartography, and was presented by a member of the SPbSGC board, E.S. Mozhenok. He described the work and scientific achievements of the academician, who, from 1947 to 1964, was the Director of the main astronomical observatory of the USSR Academy of Sciences in Pulkovo (19km from St Petersburg). The basic works of the academician were devoted to pre-calculation and supervision of solar eclipses, as well as gravimetry.?The second report, “Geophysicalresearch on the hydrographic service of the Russian Navy in Atlantic and Arctic oceans”, was presented by the Professor of the St Petersburg Naval Institute, Dr K.V. Kovalchuk.

On the following day, 23 April, the session was continued in the main astronomical observatory in Pulkovo. The observatory was created in 1839. It was equipped with contemporary tools and instruments and was widely known throughout the world. During the Second World War, the observatory was completely destroyed. In 1947, A. Mikhajlov was designated the Director of the observatory and performed these duties until 1964. Two reports focused on A. Mikhajlov as a chief of reconstruction of the observatory and his activity as the Head of the USSR Astronomical-Geodetic Society.

After the reports were presented, participants could take a tour of the observatory. The HSR members present at the session had an opportunity to be photographed on the point with latitude 59º 46'15" 359 N and longitude 30º 19'28" 318 E, which is the origin of the coordinate system used in creating the Russian charts.

The Hydrographic Society UK

Hydro8 Plans Well Advanced
Over 60% of available exhibition space at the 16th European Hydrographic Symposium in Liverpool from 4 to 6 November 2008 has already been reserved by nearly 40 leading companies and organisations.
Meanwhile, a conference programme comprising papers presented by leading specialists under the theme New Opportunities is currently being finalised.
Many submissions from worldwide contributors are already under consideration. Full details of Hydro8 – which will also include workshops and demonstrations, vessel tours and technical visits as well as a conference dinner in Liverpool’s celebrated Georgian Town Hall, an evening in the Merseyside Maritime Museum and visits to the City’s two Premier League football clubs – are available on a dedicated website.