Beryl Nashar

Beryl Scott Nashar (9 July 1923 – 5 May 2012) was an Australian geologist, academic and first female Dean at an Australian university.

Early life and education She was born Beryl Scott on 9 July 1923 in Maryville, New South Wales. She grew up in the Newcastle area, the eldest of four children and attended Cardiff Public School and Newcastle Girls High School. She completed her Leaving Certificate, coming first in the state in geology. and took her B.Sc. with Honours in 1947. and they married in 1952 after she completed her PhD at the University of Tasmania, the first woman to earn a PhD in geology from an Australian university. while her husband remained in Spain, Lebanon and later Egypt. Ali El-Nashar was not able to find work in Australia. When the college became the University of Newcastle in 1969, Nashar became the first female Dean at an Australian university. and president of the International Federation of Business and Professional Women in 1974. She received an OBE in 1972. She was on the Secondary Schools Board from 1970–1975. She was appointed Woman of the Year by the NSW branch of the United Nations Association in 1975. She retired from the University of Newcastle in 1980, intending to join her husband, but Ali El-Nashar died the same year. She was also awarded an Honorary D.Sc. in 1988.

Nashar published four books and 30 papers during her career.

Nashar died on 5 May 2012 in Newcastle, New South Wales. She was survived by her son and his family, and her siblings.

Legacy An annual scholarship is given in her name from the University of Newcastle, The Beryl Nashar Scholarship for Excellence in Geology. The name of this scholarship has been changed to the Beryl Nashar Young Researcher Award.

In 2021, the Geological Society of Australia introduced the Beryl Nashar Award to recognise the contributions of an Australian woman geologist of any age who has made a significant contribution to any field(s) of geology and the geological profession in general.