Self taught scientists
Self-taught scientists have played, and continue to play, an important role in New Zealand science.
This online exhibition profiles the achievements of five self-taught New Zealand scientists:
- Joan Wiffen, whose work proved that dinosaurs once inhabited New Zealand
- David Crockett, whose persistence led to the rediscovery of the critically endangered Chatham Island taiko
- Frank Bateson, a self-taught astronomer who was the driving force behind the establishment of New Zealand's two astronomical research observatories, and Albert Jones, an amateur astronomer who discovered two comets, and co-discovered Supernova 1987A
- Leslie Adkin, a furiously active amateur amateur geologist, archaeologist and ethnologist.
The material in this online exhibition was originally developed for the National Library Gallery exhibition 'Butterflies, Boffins & Black Smokers: Two Centuries of Science in New Zealand', curated by Veronika Meduna and Rebecca Priestly in 2006.
George Leslie Adkin (1888-1964): amateur geologist, archaeologist, ethnologist, and passionate environmentalist.
Frank Bateson (1909-2007) and Albert Jones (born 1920) are New Zealand's most remarkable amateur astronomers.
The perseverance of David Crockett (born 1936) resulted in the rediscovery of the Chatham Island taiko.
‘Dinosaur Lady' Joan Wiffen (1922-2009) found the first evidence that dinosaurs had inhabited New Zealand.
