Person

Davis, Clive Selwyn (1916 - 2009)

Born
15 April 1916
Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Died
20 October 2009
Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
Occupation
Mathematician and University Administrator

Summary

Clive Davis was a mathematician whose research focused on the geometry of numbers, binary quadratic form, and rational approximations to e. After graduating he was sent to the United Kingdom by the Australian Government to research aircraft instruments and aerodynamics at Royal Aircraft Establishment, Farnborough. During WWII he served with both the Royal Air Force and the Royal Australian Air Force, for which he played a significant role in the development of operations research. In 1956 Davis became Professor of Mathematics at the University of Queensland, where he greatly expanded the teaching capacity of his department. He served for ten years of the University Council. Davis was active in professional societies, being President of both the Royal Society of Queensland and the Australian Mathematical Society.

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Details

Chronology

1937
Education - BSc (hons), University of Sydney
1939
Education - MSc, University of Sydney
1939? - 1941
Career event - Served with Royal Air Force, United Kingdom
1941
Award - Distinguished Flying Cross
c. 1941 - c. 1946
Career event - Served with RAAF
1949
Education - PhD, University of Cambridge
1949 - 1956
Career position - Lecturer, University of Liverpool, United Kingdom
1956 - 1968
Career position - Treasurer, Australian Mathematical Society
1956 - 1972
Career position - Head of Department of Mathematics, University of Queensland
1956 - 1983
Career position - Professor of Mathematics, University of Queensland
1962
Career event - Foundation Member, Wildlife Preservation Society of Queensland
1965 - 1966
Career position - President, Royal Society of Queensland
1968 - 1970
Career position - President, Australian Mathematical Society
1983
Life event - Retired

Related Corporate Bodies

Published resources

Book Sections

Journal Articles

  • Hart, Vincent and Matthews, Keith, 'Clive Selwyn David 15 April 1916 - 29 October 2009', Australian Mathematical Society gazette, 37 (1) (2010), 26-8. Details

See also

  • Bennett, J. M.; Broomham, Rosemary; Murton, P. M.; Pearcey, T.; Rutledge, R. W. ed., Computing in Australia: the Development of a Profession (Sydney: Hale and Iremonger, 1994), 344 pp. Details

Helen Cohn

Created: 24 April 2023

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