Person
Melrose, Donald Blair (1940 - )
FAA
- Born
- 13 September 1940
Hobart, Tasmania, Australia - Occupation
- Astrophysicist
Summary
Donald Melrose was Director of the Special Research Centre in Astrophysics and Professor of Physics (theoretical) at the University of Sydney. His research interests include plasma processes in astrophysics and geophysics, quantum electrodynamics and nonlinear plasma processes. Melrose has published widely in all three fields. Prior to his University of Sydney appointments Melrose worked at numerous international institutes including the University of Maryland's Department of Physics and Astronomy.
Details
Chronology
- 1958
- Education - Undergraduate studies started at the University of Western Australia
- 1959 - 1962
- Education - Bachelor of Science with Honours (BSc(Hons)), University of Tasmania
- 1962
- Award - Rhodes Scholar for Tasmania
- 1965
- Education - Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), Oxford University, UK
- 1965 - 1966
- Career position - Research Fellow in Physics, University of Sussex, UK
- 1966 - 1968
- Career position - Research Associate in Physics at Belfer Graduate School of Sciences, Yeshiva University, New York, USA
- 1968 - 1969
- Career position - Research Fellow in the Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Maryland, USA
- 1968 - 1984
- Career position - Member of the American Astronomical Society
- 1969 - 1978
- Career position - Reader in Theoretical Physics at Australian National University
- 1974
- Award - Pawsey Medal, Australian Academy of Science
- 1979 -
- Career position - Professor of (theoretical) Physics, University of Sydney
- 1979 - 1984
- Career position - Member then Chairman (from 1980) of the National Committee for Astronomy, Australian Academy of Science
- 1979 - 1984
- Career position - Chair, Advisory Committee, Australian journal of physics
- 1982 - 1985
- Career position - Member, Organizing Committee, Commission 10, International Astronomical Union
- 1985 - 1988
- Career position - Inaugural Chairman of the Sydney Association for Astrophysics
- 1986 -
- Award - Fellow, Australian Academy of Science (FAA)
- 1986
- Award - Walter Boas Medal, Australian Institute of Physics
- 1987
- Award - Thomas Ranken Lyle Medal, Australian Academy of Science
- 1990 -
- Career position - Honorary Research Fellow at the Australia Telescope National Facility
- 1991 - 1999
- Career position - Director, ARC Research Centre for Theoretical Astrophysics (Special Research Centre in Astrophysics), University of Sydney
- 1992 - 2006
- Career position - Associate Editor, Journal of plasma physics
- 1994 - 1997
- Career position - Chairman of the Steering Committee of the Australia Telescope National Facility
- 1994 - 1998
- Career position - Member, Editorial Board, Proceedings of the Astronomical Society of Australia
- 1996 - 2002
- Career position - Secretary, Commission C19 (Astrophysics), International Union of Pure and Applied Physics (IUAPA)
- 1998
- Award - Harrie Massey Medal and Prize, Australian Institute of Physics and the Institute of Physics, United Kingdom
- 1998 - 2001
- Career position - Member of Council, Australian Academy of Science
- 1999 - 2000
- Career position - Chair, Panel A6 (Physics and Mathematics), Australian Research Council
- 2001
- Award - Centenary Medal for service to Australian society and science in theoretical astrophysics
- 2001 - 2002
- Career position - Head, School of Physics, University of Sydney
- 2003 - 2006
- Career position - President, Commission 10, International Astronomical Union
- 2003 - 2007
- Award - ARC Professorial Fellow, University of Sydney
- 2004
- Award - Ellery Medal, Astronomical Society of Australia
- 2006 - 2009
- Career position - President, Division II, International Astronomical Union
- 2011 -
- Career position - Chair, Sectional Committee 2, Australian Academy of Science
- 2013
- Award - Moyal Medal, Department of Mathematics, Macquarie University
- 2015 -
- Career position - Emeritus Professor, University of Sydney
- 2016
- Award - S. Chandrasekhar Prize, Division of Plasma Physics, Association of Asia Pacific Physical Societies (AAPPS)
Related entries
Published resources
Books
- Bhathal, Ragbir, Australian Astronomers: Achievements at the Frontiers of Astronomy (Canberra: National Library of Australia, 1996), 243 pp. Details
Journal Articles
- Melrose, D. B., 'Hans Adolph Buchdahl 1919-2010', Historical Records of Australian Science, 23 (2) (2012), 159-75, https://doi.org/10.1071/HR12009. Details
- Melrose, D. B.; and Minnett, H. C., 'Jack Hobart Piddington 1910-1997', Historical Records of Australian Science, 12 (2) (1998), 229-246. https://doi.org/10.1071/HR9981220229. Details
Resources
- 'Melrose, D B. (19400913-)', Trove, National Library of Australia, 2009, https://nla.gov.au/nla.party-569819. Details
See also
- Thomas Ranken Lyle Medal, Australian Academy of Science, Canberra, 2023. https://www.science.org.au/supporting-science/awards-and-opportunities/thomas-ranken-lyle-medal. Details
- Robson, Alexandra K.; Production Manager and Editor eds, Who's who in Australia 2019 (Southbank, Vic.: AAP Directories, 2018), 1788 pp. Details
Rosanne Walker and Helen Cohn
Created: 25 May 2001, Last modified: 6 December 2019