Person

Alder, Keith Frederick (1921 - 2014)

AM FIM FIREE FTSE

Born
4 September 1921
North Fitzroy, Victoria, Australia
Died
22 September 2014
Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Occupation
Metallurgist, Science administrator and Atomic physicist

Summary

Keith Adler was General Manager of the Australian Atomic Energy Commission Research Establishment at Lucas Heights (N.S.W.), and its successor the Research Laboratories, between 1976 and 1982. He came to the Commission in 1955 after a decade as a metallurgist at the Tungsten Plant Ammunition Factory in Footscray (Victoria) and two periods working in the United Kingdom (at the Ministry of Supply Atomic Weapons in Woolwich and the Atomic Energy Research Establishment at Harwell). He also taught metallurgy at the University of Melbourne and the Newcastle Technical College in New South Wales. At the Research Establishment Alder headed several sections, including the Development Group and the Nuclear Science and Technology Branch before becoming General Manager. He was heavily involved in proposal to build a nuclear power reactor on Commonwealth land at Jervis Bay, N.S.W. Alder was appointed a Fellow, Australian Academy of Technological Sciences (and Engineering) (FTSE) in 1977 in recognition of his outstanding contributions in the field. He was also made a Fellow of the Institute of Metallurgists (FIM) and the Institution of Radio and Electronics Engineers Australia (FIREE).

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Details

Chronology

1943
Education - BSc, University of Melbourne
1944
Education - MSc, University of Melbourne
1945 - 1946
Career position - Metallurgist, Tungsten Plant Ammunition Factory in Footscray, Victoria
1946 - 1948
Career position - Lecturer in Metallurgy at the Newcastle Technical College, New South Wales
16 January 1947
Life event - Married Pauline Mary Robertson
1949 - 1950
Career position - Senior Scientific Officer at the Ministry of Supply Atomic Weapons in Woolwich, UK
1951
Career Position - Lecturer in Metallurgy at the Newcastle Technical College, New South Wales
1952 - 1953
Career position - Senior Lecturer in Physical Metallurgy at the University of Melbourne
1954 - 1957
Career position - Metallurgist, Atomic Energy Research Establishment, Harwell, United Kingdom
1955 - 1962
Career position - Head, Metallurgical Section, Research Establishment, Australian Atomic Energy Commission, Lucas Heights
1962 - 1970
Career position - Director, Research Establishment, Australian Atomic Energy Commission, Lucas Heights
1968 -
Career position - Member of the Australian Atomic Energy Commission
1971 - 1973
Career position - Head, Development Group, Research Establishment, Australian Atomic Energy Commission, Lucas Heights
1973 - 1975
Career position - Head, Nuclear Science and Technology Branch, Australian Atomic Energy Commission, Lucas Heights
1976 - 1981
Career position - General Manager, Research Establishment, Australian Atomic Energy Commission, Lucas Heights
1977 - 1987
Award - Fellow, Australian Academy of Technological Sciences (FTS)
1981 - 1982
Career Position - General Manager, Australian Atomic Energy Commission Research Laboratories, Lucas Heights
1982
Life event - Retired
1983
Award - Member of the Order of Australia (AM) - in recognition of services to the public service
1987
Award - Fellow, Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering (FTSE) [Awarded by AATS 1977]
2001
Award - Centenary Medal - for service to Australian Society in nuclear science and technology

Published resources

Books

  • Alder, Keith F., Australia's Uranium Opportunities: How Her Scientists and Engineers Tried to bring her into the Nuclear Age but were Stymied by Politics (Warrawee, NSW: Pauline M. Alder, 1996), 87 pp. Details

Journal Articles

Newspaper Articles

  • Hickman, Brian, 'Nuclear energy expert Keith Alder dies aged 93', Sydney morning herald (2015). Details

Resources

See also

McCarthy, G.J & Annette Alafaci

Created: 20 October 1993, Last modified: 2 November 2022

EOAS ID: biogs/P000004b.htm

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