Robert Burn OAM (OGC 1950) is a distinguished marine naturalist and malacologist whose lifelong dedication to the study of molluscs has significantly advanced marine science in Australia. Though a builder by trade, Burn’s passion for marine life - particularly nudibranchs and other molluscs - has led to a remarkable parallel career in scientific research and taxonomy spanning more than six decades.

Burn has named over 90 marine species and authored and co-authored more than 100 scientific papers, contributing to major reference works including Marine Invertebrates of Southern Australia, Mollusca: The Southern Synthesis, and the Atlas of Coastal Invertebrates of Victoria. His 2015 field guide, Nudibranchs and Related Molluscs, published by Museums Victoria and CSIRO Publishing, is a landmark resource for marine biologists and enthusiasts alike.

Since 1962, Burn has served as an Honorary Associate in the Marine Invertebrate Department at Museums Victoria, and held shorter, similar roles at the Australian Museum, Sydney and Western Australian Museum, Perth. He has been a long-standing member of the Malacological Society of Australasia - serving as journal editor from 1969 to 1978 – and is an active contributor to the Field Naturalists Club of Victoria. For his research, he received a Master of Applied Science in 1976.

Burn’s research, often conducted along the shores of Port Phillip Bay, Western Port, and Bass Strait, has not only expanded scientific understanding but also supported conservation efforts, including campaigns to protect sensitive marine environments near San Remo.

In recognition of his service to marine science, Burn was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) in the 2016 Queen’s Birthday Honours.

At The Geelong College, where he studied from 1942 through to 1952, Burn’s fascination with marine life was first nurtured. He was Dux of Form IVB in his final year, and his early interest in shells was encouraged through displays in the House of Guilds.