Materials Research Laboratories (1974 - 1994)

Summary

In September 1974 the Defence Standards Laboratories (MRL) became the Materials Research Laboratories. In 1977 MRL's Woodville North section was transferred from DSTO to CSIRO Division of Manufacturing Science and Technology; in 1985 the laboratories came under the control of the Royal Australian Navy and then in 1987 MRL was reorganised as part of the restructuring of DSTO. In March 1994 the Materials Research Laboratories joined with the Aeronautical Research Laboratories to form the Aeronautical and Maritime Research Laboratories of the Defence Science and Technology Organisation (DSTO).

Details

From the Introduction, "Material Research Laboratories; Structure and Information 1988" report:

MRL is organised around an operational structure of four new Research and Development Divisions, viz - Explosives, Materials, Protective Chemistry and Underwater Weapon and Countermeasure Systems. These Divisions are responsible for the management and execution of the work program which consists of sets of approved tasks grouped into Subprograms. They are supported in this function by three support Divisions, viz - Scientific Services, Engineering Support and Administrative Support. Whilst the support Divisions retain an hierarchical organisational structure, the structure of the new R&D Divisions has been altered radically. The new type of structure is far less formal
and completely flexible, so enabling the operating Divisions to respond rapidly to everchanging work programs and priorities. These Divisions are managed by a Chief of Division assisted by Research Leaders. Below these is a body of research and technical staff who are not permanently assigned to any specific organisational arrangement; rather they are temporarily grouped under current Task Managers. Thus for the duration of the task to which they have been allocated, they form a team with a temporary structure established by the task manager. The senior members of that team are often allocated submanagement functions delegated by the task manager. The appointment of task managers is the responsibility of the Chief of Division in consultation with the
Task Approving Delegate. The formation of task teams is the function of the Chief of Division and his Research Leaders in consultation with the task manager. Some individuals are required to share their effort between more than one task and some senior staff are required to manage more than one task. An effort is made to group together organisationally, tasks requiring similar skills and capabilities.

The new R&D Divisions are more aligned to mission and function compared to the Divisions they replace which were largely science discipline based. Conscious that scientific research and development is nurtured by the science
disciplines from which it draws new staff and knowledge, a network that maintains a scientific discipline culture has been established. Scientists and Engineers are identified by their basic area of disciplinary expertise and staff development action is, in part, devoted to ensure that they maintain and further develop that expertise and their interest in their base discipline. To facilitate this, appropriate senior staff members have been designated Leaders of Discipline. These discipline leaders will act as the focal point for the whole Laboratory for advice initiatives that require science input and as mentors for the staff of all Divisions who belong to their particular discipline. Their functions include staff
training and development, staff selection, assessment of the scientific viability of tasks, staff counselling, assessment of scientific results, refereeing scientific papers and interactions with academic science. Such officers can be regarded
as the consultants for the purely scientific aspects of the responsibilities of the Laboratory.

Much of the day-to-day work of MRL involves mission problem solving and consultations of a more defence-specific and highly applied nature. Many members of the staff have developed considerable expertise and a high reputation as consultants performing this function. To facilitate the process
whereby MRL customers can identify the consultative capabilities available and gain ready access to them, these officers, designated Senior Professionals and Consultants (depending on the level and breadth of capability) and their
capabilities have been identified.

Related entries

Timeline

 1922 - 1948 Munitions Supply Laboratories (MSL)
       1948 - 1953 Defence Research Laboratories
             1953 - 1974 Defence Standards Laboratories
                   1974 - 1994 Materials Research Laboratories
                         1994 - 2002 Aeronautical and Maritime Research Laboratory

Published resources

Books

• Gleeson, John, From horseshoe nails to high power lasers: the changing role of the Materials Research Laboratories (Canberra: Australian Government Publishing Service, 1980). Details
• Gleeson, John, From horseshoe nails to high-power lasers: the changing role of the Materials Research Laboratories (Canberra: Australian Government Publishing Service, 1981). Details

Reports

• Horsley, Ray; Howe, John; O'Reilly, Jan, Materials Research Laboratory: Structure and Information 1988 (Melbourne, Victoria: Defence Science and Technology Organisation, 1988), 149 pp. Details

Resources

• Trove, National Library of Australia, 2009, https://nla.gov.au/nla.party-517208. Details

Resource Sections

• 'Primary description of agency CA 2553; Materials Research Laboratories/ (from ?1992) materials Testing Laboratory, Alexandria, New South Wales, Registration of entity: 30 September 1987', in RecordSearch, National Archives of Australia, 2000, https://RecordSearch.naa.gov.au/scripts/AutoSearch.asp?Number=CA%202553. Details
• 'Primary description of agency CA 2798; Joint Tropical Trials Research Establishment/ (from 1988) Department of Defence [III], Materials Research Laboratory, Defence Science and Technology Organisation, Queensland. Registration of entity: 29 November 1978', in RecordSearch, National Archives of Australia, 2002, https://RecordSearch.naa.gov.au/scripts/AutoSearch.asp?Number=CA%202798. Details
• 'Primary description of agency CA 2557; Materials Research Laboratory [Maribyrnong, Victoria]. Registration of entity: 30 September 1987', in RecordSearch, National Archives of Australia, 2002, https://RecordSearch.naa.gov.au/scripts/AutoSearch.asp?Number=CA%202557. Details

See also

• Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering, Technology in Australia 1788-1988, Online edn, Australian Science and Technology Heritage Centre, Melbourne, 3 May 2000, http://www.austehc.unimelb.edu.au/tia/index_m.html. Details