Barbara Hardy (environmentalist)

Barbara Hardy
AO
Barbara Hardy in 2009
Born
Barbara Begg

(1927-03-31) 31 March 1927 (age 97)
Largs Bay, South Australia
NationalityAustralian
EducationUniversity of Adelaide
Known forEnvironmental and climate change work

Barbara Rosemary Hardy AO (née Begg, born 31 March 1927) is an Australian environmentalist and scientist.

Hardy is the patron of the Barbara Hardy institute, affiliated with the University of South Australia. The Barbara Hardy Institute researches low carbon living and sustainable energy.[1][2] Her research interests include renewable energy, biodiversity conservation and ecologically sustainable development.[3]

Biography

Barbara Rosemary Begg was born on 31 March 1927 in Largs Bay, South Australia.[4][5] She completed her secondary education at Woodlands Girls' school by the age of 16 and enrolled in a science degree at the University of Adelaide.[6] She later studied at Flinders University.[7] Hardy has been volunteering in the environmental field since the 1970s.

Hardy volunteered at the Conservation Council of South Australia, starting in 1972, and then enrolled in a degree in earth sciences at Flinders University, in 1972. Hardy worked with the Minister for the Environment, David Wotton, in the 1970s and 1980s. She has worked for the Australian Heritage Commission, Landcare, the National Parks Foundation and the Investigator Science and Technology Centre.[8][9][10]

Hardy was a co-founder in 1981[11][12] and as of 2022 a patron of Nature Foundation in South Australia.[13] One of their properties, Hiltaba Nature Reserve, has a walking trail named after her.[11] She is also a patron of Friends of Parks Inc.[14]

Her focus is ecologically sustainable development, renewable energy production, and biodiversity.[8] At the University of South Australia, Hardy was a founding board member of the Sustainable Systems and Technology. She then became a patron of the Barbara Hardy Institute, at the University of South Australia. She is a proponent of citizen science, where scientific projects have participation from community members, with collaboration between members of the public and scientists. She believes that when members of the community have their voices heard, this can influence their behaviour and attitudes.[15]

Hardy is a fellow of the Australian Institute of Energy,[16] and was one of SA’s top 50 most influential Environmentalists.[17] There has also been a Barbara Hardy wine label competition, for a designing a label for bottles of shiraz.[18][19] She has won numerous prizes from 1987 to 2014, including multiple honorary degrees, over a span of five decades, and was one of Australia's early leaders in conservation.

Awards

  • 2015 - Australian Institute of Energy, SA Branch Hall of Fame Award[20]
  • 2014 - SA State Recipient, Senior Australian of the year[21]
  • 2011 – Adelaide Festival of Ideas was dedicated to Hardy
  • 2011 – State Library of SA contained a display on Hardy's work
  • 2010 – Honorary degree from the University of Adelaide[8][9]
  • 1993 – Honorary degree from Flinders University
  • 1992 – Institution of Engineers Medal[22]
  • 1994 – Eureka award for the advancement of Science[22]
  • 1996 – SA Senior Australian of the year[23]
  • 1987 – Officer of the Order of Australia for "service to conservation and the community"[3][24][25]

References

  1. ^ Albert, Barbara (16 August 2017). "Universities demonstrating sustainable energy leadership". 100% Renewables. Retrieved 6 December 2021.
  2. ^ "Hardy Institute" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on 21 January 2022.
  3. ^ a b Miles, Sally (25 November 2011). "Life Member Profile: Barbara Hardy AO". Australian Science Communicators. Archived from the original on 21 March 2012. Retrieved 7 December 2021.
  4. ^ "Hardy, Barbara Rosemary (1927 – )". EOAS. Retrieved 11 October 2023.
  5. ^ "Hardy, Barbara Rosemary". The Australian Women's Register. Archived from the original on 10 September 2004. Retrieved 11 January 2022.
  6. ^ "Hardy, Barbara Rosemary (1927–)". Australian Women's Register. Archived from the original on 10 September 2004. Retrieved 7 December 2021.
  7. ^ "Professorial Chairs". Future Industries Institute. Archived from the original on 7 December 2021. Retrieved 7 December 2021.
  8. ^ a b c "AdelaideAZ". adelaideaz.com. Retrieved 6 December 2021.
  9. ^ a b "Hardy, Barbara Rosemary, (AO) (1927–)". trove.nla.gov.au. Archived from the original on 6 December 2021. Retrieved 6 December 2021.
  10. ^ Government blamed for science centre's closure ABC News, 14 October 2006. Retrieved 28 January 2022.
  11. ^ a b "Barbara Hardy Walking Trail, Hiltaba Nature Reserve". Walking SA. Retrieved 10 January 2022.
  12. ^ Hiltaba Nature Reserve Information Pack, Nature Foundation, 22 October 2020
  13. ^ "Nature Foundation". Nature Foundation. Retrieved 11 January 2022.
  14. ^ Friends of Parks eNews Issue 38, December 2020. Retrieved 28 January 2022.
  15. ^ Australia, State Library of South. "LibGuides: Barbara Hardy: The Barbara Hardy Institute". guides.slsa.sa.gov.au. Archived from the original on 6 December 2021. Retrieved 6 December 2021.
  16. ^ Queensland), Australian Institute of Energy. National Conference (1984 : University of (1984). Broadening Australia's energy perspective : conference papers. Australian Institute of Energy. OCLC 216377431.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  17. ^ "Revealed: SA's 50 most influential environmental champions". The Advertiser. Retrieved 28 January 2022.
  18. ^ "Hardy prize" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on 6 December 2021.
  19. ^ "Nature Foundation Barbara Hardy Shiraz". Bec Hardy Wines. Archived from the original on 7 December 2021. Retrieved 7 December 2021.
  20. ^ SA Energy Awards Australian Institute of Energy. Retrieved 28 January 2022.
  21. ^ Dr Barbara Hardy AO Australian of the Year Awards, 2014
  22. ^ a b "Hardy, Barbara Rosemary". Encyclopedia of Australian Science. Archived from the original on 12 April 2011. Retrieved 7 December 2021.
  23. ^ "Women's Museum of Australia". wmoa.com.au. Retrieved 7 December 2021.
  24. ^ "Mrs Barbara Rosemary Hardy". It's an Honour. Archived from the original on 15 August 2021. Retrieved 7 December 2021.
  25. ^ "Adelaide University records" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on 28 May 2019.