Person

Steele, Bertram Dillon (1870 - 1931)

FRS

Born
30 May 1870
Plymouth, Devon, England
Died
28 February 1931
Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
Occupation
Chemist and Pharmacist

Summary

Bertram Steele was the first Professor of Chemistry at the University of Queensland 1910-1930. Earlier he was a lecturer in chemistry at the University of Melbourne 1906-1910.

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Details

Chronology

1898
Education - Bachelor of Science (BSc), University of Melbourne
1899 - 1902
Award - 1851 Exhibition Science Research Scholarship [Organic Chemistry. - Diamethyldiacetylacetone, tetramethylpyrone and orcinal derivatives from diacetylacetone. Physical and Electro-Chemistry. - The measurement of ionic velocities in aqueous solution and the existence of complexions. The transport number of dilute salt solutions. Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Society, University of Breslau and University College, London]
1902
Education - Doctor of Science (DSc), University of Melbourne
1906 - 1910
Career position - Chemistry Lecturer, University of Melbourne
1910 - 1930
Career position - First Professor of Chemistry, University of Queensland
1911
Career position - President, Section B (Chemistry, Metallurgy and Mineralogy), Australasian Association for the Advancement of Science
1912 - 1914
Career position - Member of organising committee, British Association for the Advancement of Science Meeting
1914
Career position - Vice-President, Section B (Chemistry), British Association for the Advancement of Science Meeting
1915 - 1919
Career position - University College, London
1919
Award - Fellow, The Royal Society, London (FRS)
1919 - 1930
Career position - Professor of Chemistry, University of Queensland
1921 -
Career position - Foundation Councillor (Chemistry), Australian National Research Council
1923 -
Career position - Chairman, Royal commission to investigate the prickly pear problem
1930
Life event - Retired
1930 - 1931
Award - Emeritus Professor, University of Queensland

Related Corporate Bodies

Related Themes

Archival resources

The University of Queensland Archives

  • Bertram Dillon Steele - Records, 1910 - 1930, S135; The University of Queensland Archives. Details

Published resources

Encyclopedia of Australian Science and Innovation Exhibitions

  • Collins, David, Chemistry in 19th Australia - Select Bibliography, An exhibition of the Encyclopedia circa 2005 with assistance from Ailie Smith and Gavan McCarthy., eScholarship Research Centre (original publisher), Melbourne, 2009, https://eoas.info/exhibitions/ciab/ciab_ALL.html. Details

Books

  • Gregory, Helen, Vivant Professores: Distinguished Members of the University of Queensland, 1910-1940 (St Lucia: University of Queensland Library, 1987), 180 pp. Details
  • Royal Commission for the Exhibition of 1851, Record of the science research scholars of the Royal Commission for the Exhibition of 1851, 1891 - 1960 (London: The Commissioners, 1961), 107 pp. Science Research Scholarship - Entry No.144. Details

Book Sections

Journal Articles

  • Challinor, R. W., 'Presidential address', Journal and proceedings of the Royal Society of New South Wales, 68 (1934), 1-35. Details
  • Masson, David Orme and Steele B.D., 'The Blue Salt of Fehling's Solution and Other Cuprotartrates', Journal of the Chemical Society, London, 75 (1899), 725-734. Details
  • Watkins, S.B., 'Founders of Australian Chemistry. B. D. Steele.', The Royal Australian Chemical Institute Proceedings, 25 (1958), 412-417. Details

Resources

Resource Sections

See also

  • Currie, George; Graham, John, The Origins of CSIRO: Science and the Commonwealth Government, 1901-1926 (Melbourne: CSIRO, 1966), 203 pp, https://doi.org/10.1071/9780643105553. pages 140. 142. 143-144. Details
  • Serle, Percival, Dictionary of Australian biography (Sydney: Angus & Robertson, 1949). Details

Gavan McCarthy; Ken McInnes

Created: 20 October 1993, Last modified: 22 April 2026

EOAS ID: biogs/P000045b.htm

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