| Activity | Ralph Tate's formal education emphasized mining studies, but by the time he emigrated to Australia in 1875 he had also developed a solid reputation as an invertebrate paleontologist, and published several botanical works besides. In Australia his interests further diversified; in addition to producing important work on the Tertiary stratigraphy of South Australia, he released some forty works on botanical subjects, another twenty or so on zoological subjects, and further studies on physical geography and economic and descriptive geology. Tate also played an important role in the professionalization of Australian science through his leadership of various institutions, support of field studies, and teaching at the University.
1861 hired to teach natural science at the Philosophical Institution of Belfast. 1863 founded the Belfast naturalists Field Club. 1864 made assistant curator of the museum of the geological society of London. 1867 - 1868 mining investigations in Venezuala and Central America. 1871 - 1874 teaches at mining schools. 1875 - 1901 occupies the Elder chair of natural science at the University of Adelaide, Australia. 1880 chief founder of the Royal Society of South Australia; became its first president. 1888 president of the biological section at the annual meeting of the Australasian Association for the advancement of science and president of the annual meeting 1893. 1894 takes part in the Horn expedition to Central Australia. |