George Berkeley, Director-General of Education, Queensland, from 1986 to 1986, is to deliver this year's J.A. Robinson Memorial Lecture* to the Queensland Institute of Educational Research. The topic of the lecture "Reflections on the Impact of Research on Educational Policy and Practice" is one appropriate to an educator whose interest in research activities spans his almost 40 years of service to the advancement of educational practice in Queensland. He has been a member of the Queensland Institute for Educational Research for many years.

During his career, George Berkeley took on the position of Research Officer in the newly created Research and Guidance Branch, Division of Special Education Services, and became Senior Research Officer in that branch in 1964. In 1965, he was made Principal Research Officer, Research and Curriculum Branch. During this period he oversaw research activities which encompassed areas as far reaching as the introduction and development of reading programs, the provision of inservice training programs on teaching methodologies appropriate to the language arts, and the creation of modified programs for less able students. His research concern for populations with special needs was directed also to migrant children and to the gifted. As this sampling of research interests suggests, what was relevant in the late 50's and 60's when George Berkeley set such studies in train continues to be important to today's teachers, students, and the community at large.

Mr Berkeley was appointed Staff Inspector of Special Education Services in 1967 and Director of Special Education Services in 1971. During his period as Director, he presided over significant developments in special education such as the development of special syllabuses for special schools and the expansion of support services.

In addition to his work within Queensland education, George Berkeley has contributed to research in co-operation with the Australian Council of Education, the Australian College of Education, and United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). His research activities have been accompanied by further tertiary studies. To his Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Education degree with honours, George Berkeley added a Masters in Educational Administration from the University of Queensland. The award of an Imperial Relations Trust Fellowship in 1980 brought further study at the Institute of Education, University of London. He is a Fellow of the Australian College of Education (1970) and the Australian Institute of Management (1984).

From this knowledge base covering research over the past decades to the present day, George Berkeley brings breadth and depth to this year's J.A. Robinson Memorial Lecture.

* It is expected the text of the Lecture will appear in a future edition of the Journal.

Please cite as: QIER (1987). George Berkeley to present the 1987 J.A. Robinson Memorial Lecture. Queensland Researcher, 3(1), 14-15. http://www.iier.org.au/qjer/qr3/announce-memorial-lect.html