Alan Bartholomai

Alan Bartholomai AM (1938–2015) was a geologist and palaeontologist, and Director of the Queensland Museum from 1969 to 1999.

Early life and education Alan Bartholomai was born on 31 December 1938 in Boonah, Queensland. He attended Boonah State School and after his parents moved the family to the Gold Coast, he attended the Southport State School. He boarded at Gatton College in 1953–1954 where he took his Junior Certificate, and completed his senior studies at Southport State High School. He was able to obtain a Commonwealth Scholarship to attend the University of Queensland and pursue a BSc in geology and zoology, graduating in 1960. He had studied the Riversleigh site in Queensland in 1965, before it would become a major fossil site in 1975.

Other collections which Bartholomai pursued for the Museum included a collection of personal memorabilia of Sir Charles Kingsford Smith.

Honours · 2012 - Member of the Order of Australia for his service to the advancement of science, particularly through administrative roles with the Queensland Museum.

Fossils named for him

Didymalgia bartholomai Cook, 1997 (Fossil Gastropod) Megateg bartholomai Raven & Stumkat, 2005 (Spider) Hypsiprymnodon bartholomaii Flannery & Archer, 1987 (Fossil Marsupial)