British Association for the Advancement of Science
 |
|
| Founded | 1831 |
|---|---|
| Type | Professional Organisation and Registered Charity |
| Registration no. | 212479 |
| Location |
|
| Coordinates | 51°29′49″N 0°10′45″W / 51.497074°N 0.1791942°WCoordinates: 51°29′49″N 0°10′45″W / 51.497074°N 0.1791942°W |
|
Area served
|
UK, Worldwide |
|
Key people
|
Chair: Lord Willetts President: Dame Nancy Rothwell |
|
Revenue
|
£2,908,598 (year ending Dec 2014) |
|
Employees
|
30 |
|
Volunteers
|
650 |
| Mission | to support, grow and diversify the community of people interested and involved in science; and to strengthen their influence over science's direction and place in society. |
| Website | www |
The British Science Association (BSA) is a charity and learned society founded in 1831 to aid in the promotion and development of science. Until 2009 it was known as the British Association for the Advancement of Science (BA).
The Association was founded in 1831 and modelled on the German Gesellschaft Deutscher Naturforscher und Ärzte. The prime mover (who is regarded as the main founder) was Reverend William Vernon Harcourt, following a suggestion by Sir David Brewster, who was disillusioned with the elitist and conservative attitude of the Royal Society. Brewster, Charles Babbage, William Whewell and J. F. W. Johnston are also considered to be founding members. The first meeting was held in York (at the Yorkshire Museum) on Tuesday 27 September 1831 with various scientific papers being presented on the following days. It was chaired by Viscount Milton, President of the Yorkshire Philosophical Society, and "upwards of 300 gentlemen" attended the meeting. The Preston Mercury recorded that those gathered consisted of "persons of distinction from various parts of the kingdom, together with several of the gentry of Yorkshire and the members of philosopher societies in this country". The newspaper published the names of over a hundred of those attending and these included, amongst others, eighteen clergymen, eleven doctors, four knights, two Viscounts and one Lord.
From that date onwards a meeting was held annually at a place chosen at a previous meeting. In 1832, for example, the meeting was held in Oxford, chaired by Reverend Dr William Buckland. By this stage the Association had four sections: Physics (including Mathematics and Mechanical Arts), Chemistry (including Mineralogy and Chemical Arts), Geology (including Geography) and Natural History.
A very important decision in the Association’s history was made in 1842 when it was resolved to create a “physical observatory”. A building that became well known as the Kew Observatory was taken on for the purpose and Francis Ronalds was chosen as the inaugural Honorary Director. Kew Observatory quickly became one of the most renowned meteorological and geomagnetic observatories in the world.
...
Wikipedia