Lyle, Thomas Ranken (1860 - 1944)

Summary

Sir Thomas Lyle was Professor of Natural Philosophy at the University of Melbourne from 1889 to 1914, sharing with his colleagues David Masson and Baldwin Spencer the responsibility of establishing the new science degree on a sound footing. His research on electrical power technology, particularly alternating currents and their associated magnetic effects, earned him considerable recognition. He was a pioneer of the use of X-rays in Australia. Lyle's wider role in public affairs included 40 years as Chairman of the Board of Visitors to the Melbourne Observatory, nearly 20 years as Commissioner of Victoria's State Electricity Commission, and his participation in the conference that resulted in the establishment of the Commonwealth Bureau of Meteorology. Following his retirement from the University Lyle served as scientific advisor to the Navy Board and was active in attempts to establish a national laboratory for scientific research and a national system of engineering standards. Lyle was a member of the Australian National Research Council for over ten years and Chairman from 1929 to 1932. The Thomas Ranken Lyle Medal has been awarded by the Council (and later the Australian Academy of Science) since 1935 for outstanding achievement by a scientist in Australia for research in mathematics or physics.

Details

Chronology

1883

Education - Bachelor of Arts (BA), Trinity College, Dublin, Ireland

1885 - 1886

Career position - Assistant lecturer in mathematics and mathematical physics, Catholic University College, Dublin, Ireland

1887

Education - Master of Arts (MA), Trinity College, Dublin, Ireland

1889 - 1914

Career position - Professor of Natural Philosophy, University of Melbourne

1891

Career position - President, Section A (Astronomy, Mathematics and Physics), Australasian Association for the Advancement of Science

1903 - 1944

Career Position - Chairman, Board, Melbourne Observatory

1904 - 1914

Career position - Representative of the University of Melbourne, Victorian Rhodes Scholarship Selection Committee

1905

Education - Doctor of Science (ScD), Trinity College, Dublin, Ireland

1910 - 1934

Career position - Representative of the University of Melbourne, Victorian Council of Public Education

1912 - 1944

Award - Fellow, The Royal Society, London (FRS)

1914

Career position - Local Secretary for Melbourne, Section A (Mathematical and Physical Science), British Association for the Advancement of Science Meeting

1914 - 1918

Career position - Scientific Advisor, Naval Board

1916 - 1933

Career position - Member of Council, University of Melbourne

1919 -

Career position - Foundation Councillor (Physics), Australian National Research Council

1919 - 1937

Career position - Commissioner, State Electricity Commission

1922

Award - Knight Bachelor (Kt)

1929 - 1932

Career position - President, Australian National Research Council

1937

Career event - Fellow, Australian and New Zealand Association for the Advancement of Science (ANZAAS)

Related entries

Archival resources

Adolph Basser Library, Australian Academy of Science

• Thomas Ranken Lyle - Records, 1896 - 1944, MS 024; Adolph Basser Library, Australian Academy of Science. Details

Australian Science and Technology Heritage Centre, University of Melbourne

• Audio of interview with Thomas Rankin Lyle, P000585; Australian Science and Technology Heritage Centre, University of Melbourne. Details

Private hands (Lyle, T.R.)

• Thomas Ranken Lyle - Records, 1860 - 1944; Private hands (Lyle, T.R.). Details

State Electricity Commission of Victoria Archives

• Thomas Ranken Lyle - Records, 1919 - 1937; State Electricity Commission of Victoria Archives. Details

University of Adelaide, Physics Department

• Thomas Ranken Lyle - Records, 1944, 85.174 (1426); University of Adelaide, Physics Department. Details

Published resources

Encyclopedia of Australian Science and Innovation Exhibitions

• Smith, Ailie, Adolph Basser Library Manuscript Collection, eScholarship Research Centre, 2012, http://www.eoas.info/basser_browse.html. Details

Books

• Currie, George; Graham, John, The Origins of CSIRO: Science and the Commonwealth Government, 1901-1926 (Melbourne: CSIRO, 1966), 203 pp, https://ebooks.publish.csiro.au/content/origins-csiro. Details

Book Sections

• Home, R. W., 'Lyle, Sir Thomas Ranken (1860-1944), mathematical physicist' in Australian dictionary of biography, volume 10: 1891 - 1939 Lat-Ner, Bede Nairn and Geoffrey Serle, eds (Melbourne: Melbourne University Press, 1986), pp. 172-174. http://www.adb.online.anu.edu.au/biogs/A100170b.htm. Details

Journal Articles

• Grant, Kerr, 'Obituary: Sir Thomas Ranken Lyle', Australian Journal of Science, 6 (6) (1944), 174-176. Details
• Grant, Kerr, 'Thomas Ranken Lyle, 1860- 1944', Biographical memoirs of Fellows of the Royal Society, 5 (14) (1945), 33-49. https://doi.org/10.1098/rsbm.1945.0003. Details

Reports

• Advisory Council of Science and Industry, Report of the Executive Committee of the Commonwealth Advisory Council of Science and Industry: covering the period from the date of the appointment of the Executive Committee (14th April, 1916) to the 30th June 1917 (Melbourne: Commonwealth Government Printer, 1917). https://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-2788471586. Details
• Advisory Council of Science and Industry, Report of the Executive Committee of the Commonwealth Advisory Council of Science and Industry: for the year ended 30th June 1918 (Melbourne: Government of the Commonwealth of Australia, 1918), 64 pp. http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-2004795988. Details

Resources

• Biographical Memoirs of Fellows of the Royal Society [Online resource], Royal Society of London, https://doi.org/10.1098/rsbm.1945.0003. Details
• Wikidata, http://www.wikidata.org/entity/Q11182959. Details
• VIAF - Virtual International Authority File, OCLC, https://viaf.org/viaf/7695150749024716420009. Details
• 'Lyle, Thomas Ranken (1860-1944)', Trove, National Library of Australia, 2009, https://nla.gov.au/nla.party-1474294. Details

Resource Sections

• 'Lyle, Thomas Ranken - Ms 24', in Listing of Adolph Basser Library holdings, Australian Academy of Science, 1994, http://www.science.org.au/basser/manuscript-collection/ms024.html. Details
• 'Lyle, Thomas Ranken', in Physics in Australia to 1945, R.W. Home, with the assistance of Paula J. Needham, Australian Science Archives Project, June 1995, http://www.asap.unimelb.edu.au/bsparcs/physics/P000585p.htm. 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_l.html. Details
• Federation and Meteorology, 2001, http://www.austehc.unimelb.edu.au/fam/index_l.html. Details