Glaessner, Martin Fritz (1906 - 1989)

Summary

Martin Glaessner was the Professor of Geology and Palaeontology at the University of Adelaide, 1964-1971. He was born and educated in Austria, and worked in Europe and Russia, and on oil exploration in the Middle-East and New Guinea prior coming to Australia in 1950. His book, Principles of Micropalaeontology, was published in 1945. Much of Glaessner's research was into micropalaeontology, particularly fossil foraminifera, and associated stratigraphy, including its importance in petroleum exploration. His work from the 1950s into the pre-Cambrian Ediacaran fauna in the Flinders Ranges of South Australia was the subject of The dawn of animal life (1984).

Details

Chronology

1923 - 1932

Career position - Research Associate in the Department of Geology at the Natural History Museum in Vienna

1929

Education - LID completed at the University of Vienna, Austria

1930 - 1931

Career position - Researcher of fossil Crustacea at the British Museum (Natural History), London

1930 - 1931

Career position - Lecturer in Economic Geology at the Volkshochschule in Vienna

1931

Education - Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) completed at the University of Vienna

1932 - 1937

Career position - Senior Research Officer and Chief of the Micropalaeontological Laboratory at the Moscow Petroleum Institute (Institute of Mineral Fuels, Academy of Science of the USSR from 1934)

1936 - 1937

Career position - Senior Research Officer (part-time) at the Palaeontological Institute, Academy of Science of the USSR

1936 - 1937

Career position - Lecturer in Palaeontology at the Petroleum Institute in Moscow

1938 - 1942

Career position - Geologist with the Anglo-Iranian Oil Company and later Head of the palaeontological laboratory of the Australasian Petroleum Company in Port Moresby

1942 - 1945

Career position - Voluntary worker for Directorate of Research, LHQ Australian Military Forces and for Allied Geographical Section, Melbourne

1942 - 1950

Career position - Chief Palaeontologist at the Australasian Petroleum Company

1946

Career position - Special Lecturer in Micropalaeontology at the University of Melbourne

1948

Education - Doctor of Science (DSc) received from the University of Melbourne

1950 - 1951

Career position - Senior Lecturer in Palaeontology at the University of Adelaide

1951 - 1989

Award - Fellow of the Australian and New Zealand Association for the Advancement of Science (FANZAAS)

1952

Career position - Reader in Palaeontology at the University of Adelaide

1953

Award - Walter Clarke Lecturer, Royal Society of New South Wales

1953 - 1954

Career position - Reader in Geology and Palaeontology at the University of Adelaide

1953 - 1958

Career position - Foundation Editor, Journal of the Geological Society of Australia

1953 - 1989

Career position - Research Associate, South Australian Museum

1957 - 1989

Award - Fellow of the Australian Academy of Science (FAA)

1960 - 1962

Career position - Member of Council, Australian Academy of Science

1962

Award - Walter Burfitt Prize received from the Royal Society of New South Wales

1962 - 1977

Career position - Chairman of the Australian Academy of Science National Committee for Geological Sciences

1964 -

Career position - Professor (to 1971) then Emeritus Professor in Geology and Palaeontology at the University of Adelaide

1970

Award - Sir Joseph Verco Medal received from the Royal Society of South Australia

1971 - 1989

Award - Fellow of the German Academy of Natural Sciences Leopoldina

1974

Award - Lyell Medal, Geological Society of London

1976 - 1989

Award - Honorary Member, Geological Society of Australia

1980

Award - ANZAAS Medal received (Australian and New Zealand Association for the Advancement of Science)

1982

Award - Charles Doolittle Walcott Award and Medal received from the US National Academy of Sciences

1985

Award - Eduard Suess Medal, Geological Society of Austria

1985

Award - Member of the Order of Australia, Australian Government

Related entries

Published resources

Books

• Glaessner, M.; and E. Rudd, E., Sir Douglas Mawson anniversary volume: contributions to geology in honour of Sir Douglas Mawson's 70th birthday anniversary (Adelaide: University of Adelaide, 1952), 224 pp. Details

Book Sections

• O'Neil, Bernard, 'Glaessner, Martin Fritz (1906 - 1989), geologist and palaeontologist' in Australian Dictionary of Biography, Langmore, Di, ed., vol. 17 (Melbourne: Melbourne University Press, 2007), pp. 439-40. http://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/glaessner-martin-fritz-12544. Details
• Turner, S.; and Vickers-rich, Pat, 'Sprigg, Glaessner and Wade and the Discovery and International Recognition of the Ediacaran Fauna' in Four Centuries of Geological Travel: the Search for Knowledge on Foot, Bicycle, Sledge and Camel, Wyse-Jackson, P. N., ed. (London: Geological Society, 2007), pp. 443-5. Details

Conference Papers

• Turner, S.; and Vickers-Rich, P, 'Reg Sprigg, Martin F. Glaessner, Mary Wade and the Ediacaran Fauna', in IGCP 493 Conference, Prato Workshop, Monash University Centre. August 30-31, 2004 (2004), p. 1.. Details

Journal Articles

• Glaessner, M. F., 'Obituary: Walter James Parr', Australian Journal of Science, 12 (6) (1950), 211. Details
• Glaessner, M. F., 'Obituary: Sir Harold Raggatt: 1900-1968', Australian Journal of Science, 32 (10) (1970), 398-399. Details
• Glaessner, M. F.; Shergold, J. H.; and Teichert, C., 'Armin Alexander Öpik 1898-1983', Historical Records of Australian Science, 6 (2) (1985), 267-276. https://doi.org/10.1071/HR9850620267. Details
• Hill, D., 'The scientific work of Martin F. Glaessner, palaeontologist and historical geologist', Special papers, Centre Pre-Cambrian Research, University of Adelaide, 1 (1972), 1-11. Details
• McGowran, B., 'Martin Fritz Glaessner 1906-1989', Historical Records of Australian Science, 10 (1) (1994), 61-81. https://doi.org/10.1071/HR9941010061. Details

Resources

• Wikidata, http://www.wikidata.org/entity/Q1903849. Details
• VIAF - Virtual International Authority File, OCLC, https://viaf.org/viaf/85480584. Details
• 'Glaessner, Martin F (1906-1989)', Trove, National Library of Australia, 2009, https://nla.gov.au/nla.party-620469. Details

Resource Sections

• 'Emeritus Professor Martin Fritz Glaessner, Member of the Order of Australia', in It's an Honour, Australian Honours and Awards Secretariat, Australian Government, Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet, 1985, https://honours.pmc.gov.au/honours/awards/886038. Details
• McGowran, Brian, 'Martin Fritz Glaessner 1906-1989', in Australian Academy of Science Biographical Memoirs, Australian Academy of Science, 2006, https://www.science.org.au/fellowship/fellows/biographical-memoirs/martin-fritz-glaessner-1906-1989. Details