Madsen, John Percival Vissing (1879 - 1969)

Summary

Sir John Madsen was Lecturer in Physics, University of Adelaide 1901-1909 and Associate Professor and foundation Professor of Electrical Engineering, University of Sydney 1909-1949. He was Chairman of the Radio Research Board (1926-1957) and a great many other bodies and boards including the National Association of Testing Authorities (NATA).

Madsen is featured on the ATERB Medal, which is awarded under the auspices of the Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering. ATERB (Australian Telecommunications & Electronics Research Board) was formerly the Radio Research Board, of which Madsen was founding chairman.

The John Masden Medal awarded by the Electrical College, Institution of Engineers Australia is named in his honour.

Details

Chronology

1900

Education - Bachelor of Science (BSc), University of Sydney

1901

Education - Bachelor of Engineering (BE), University of Sydney

1901 - 1903

Career position - Lecturer in Mathematics and Physics, University of Adelaide

1904 - 1909

Career position - Lecturer in Electrical Engineering, University of Adelaide

1907

Education - Doctor of Science (DSc), University of Adelaide

1909 - 1912

Career position - Lecturer in Electrical Engineering, University of Sydney

1912 - 1949

Career position - Assistant Professor then Professor (from 1920) of Electrical Engineering, University of Sydney

1915 - 1918

Career position - Commanding Officer, Engineer Officers' Training School in Roseville, New South Wales

1919

Career event - Foundation Associate Member (AMIEAust), Institution of Engineers Australia

1921

Career event - Member (MIEAust), Institution of Engineers Australia

1926 - c. 1954

Career event - Elected Member (Physics), Australian National Research Council

1926 - 1957

Career position - Chairman, Radio Research Board

1937

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

1937

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

1938 - 1944

Career position - Chairman, National Standards Laboratory

1939 - 1942

Career position - Chairman, Radiophysics Advisory Board

1941

Award - Knight Bachelor (Kt) - Chairman of the Radio Research Board

1944

Award - Peter Nicol Russell Memorial Medal - Career Achievement Award in Engineering. Institution of Engineers Australia

1945

Career position - Chairman, Australian National Research Council

1945 - 1966

Career position - Chairman, Electrical Research Board

1946 - 1947

Career position - President, Australian Branch, Institute of Physics

1954 - 1969

Award - Fellow, Australian Academy of Science (FAA)

13 Sep 1968

Career event - Fellow (FIEAust), Institution of Engineers Australia [Former Members were designated Fellows on this date.]

Related entries

Archival resources

Adolph Basser Library, Australian Academy of Science

• John Percival Vissing Madsen - Records, 1906 - 1969, MS 072; Adolph Basser Library, Australian Academy of Science. Details

Published resources

Encyclopedia of Australian Science and Innovation Exhibitions

• Exhibition Papers, A Bright Sparcs Exhibition, Australian Science Archives Project, 1997, http://www.asap.unimelb.edu.au/bsparcs/exhib/papers/exhib_papers.htm. Details
• Smith, Ailie, Adolph Basser Library Manuscript Collection, eScholarship Research Centre, Melbourne, 2012, https://www.eoas.info/exhibitions/basser/basser_browse.html. Details

Books

• CSIRO, CSIRO research for Australia: Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization (Canberra: Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Organisation, 1962), 64 pp, https://www.eoas.info/bib-pdf/ASBS15940.pdf. Details
• McKay, Andrew, Surprise and Enterprise: Fifty Years of Science for Australia: CSIRO (Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, Australia) (Melbourne: CSIRO, 1976), 48 pp, https://www.eoas.info/bib-pdf/ASBS00655.pdf. Details

Book Sections

• Myers, D. M., 'Madsen, Sir John Percival Vaissing (Vissing) (1879-1969) , physicist and engineer' in Australian dictionary of biography, volume 10: 1891 - 1939 Lat-Ner, Bede Nairn and Geoffrey Serle, eds (Melbourne: Melbourne University Press, 1986), pp. 376-377. https://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/madsen-sir-john-percival-vaissing-vissing-7456. Details

Edited Books

• Engineers Australia ed., Anything is possible: 100 Australian engineering leaders (Barton, A.C.T.: Institution of Engineers, Australia, 2019), 136 pp, https://www.engineersaustralia.org.au/sites/default/files/2025-08/EA2_Anything%20is%20possible_0.pdf. 'A unique mind - Sir John Madsen' p.55. Details

Journal Articles

• 'Peter Nicol Russell Memorial Medal: 1944 Award [John Madsen DSc]', Journal of the Institution of Engineers, Australia, 16 (12) (1944), 255. Details
• Home, R. W., 'W.H. Bragg and J.P.V. Madsen: Collaboration and Correspondence, 1905-1911', Historical Records of Australian Science, 5 (2) (1981), 1-29. https://doi.org/10.1071/HR9810520001. Details
• Institution of Engineers Australia, 'Twenty-fifth Annual Report [1944]', Journal of the Institution of Engineers, Australia, 17 (1-2) (1945), 10-28. 'Prizes - Peter Nicol Russell Memorial Medal (1944 Award) to Prof Sir John Madsen DSc BE MIEAust, Sydney Division', p.13. Details
• Madsen, J. P. V., 'The scattering of β rays of radium', Philosophical magazine, 18 (1909), 909-15. Details
• Madsen, J. P. V., 'Presidential address: Radio research [Section A - Astronomy, Mathematics, and Physics]', Report of the twenty-third meeting of the Australian and New Zealand Association for the Advancement of Science, Auckland meeting, January, 1937 (1937), 14-18. Details
• Madsen, Roger W. and Robertson, Peter, 'John Madsen and Rutherford's model of the nuclear atom', Australian physics, 60 (3) (2923), 9-13. Details
• White, F. W. G., 'John Percival Vissing Madsen', Records of the Australian Academy of Science, 2 (1) (1971), 51-65. https://www.publish.csiro.au/hr/HR9710210051. Details

Resources

• Wikidata, http://www.wikidata.org/entity/Q21538104. Details
• 'Madsen, John Percival Vaissing (1879-1969)', Trove, National Library of Australia, 2009, https://nla.gov.au/nla.party-1474295. Details

Resource Sections

• 'Madsen, John Percival Vissing - Ms 72', in Listing of Adolph Basser Library holdings, Australian Academy of Science, 1994, http://www.science.org.au/basser/manuscript-collection/ms072.html. Details
• 'Madsen, John Percival Vissing', 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/P000614p.htm. Details
• White, Frederick, 'John Percival Vissing Madsen 1879-1969', in Australian Academy of Science Biographical Memoirs, Australian Academy of Science, 1971, https://www.science.org.au/fellowship/fellows/biographical-memoirs-1/john-percival-vissing-madsen-1879-1969. Details

See also

• '25th Annual General Meeting - Minutes [Melbourne, 19th March 1945, at Kelvin Hall]', Journal of the Institution of Engineers, Australia, 17 (4-5) (1945), 98. 1944 Peter Nicol Russell Award, was presented to Professor Sir John Madsen, DSc BE MIEAust, Dean of the Faculty of Engineering, University of Sydney. Details
• Binnie, Anna, 'Oliphant, the Father of Atomic Energy', Journal and Proceedings of the Royal Society of New South Wales, 139 (2006), 11-22, https://royalsoc.org.au/images/pdf/journal/139_Binnie2.pdf. Details
• Binnie, Anna, 'A Short History of the Australian Institute of Physics, Part 2: from the Formation of the Australian Branch of the Institute of Physics to the Establishment of the Australian Institute of Physics', Australian Physics, 44 (4) (2007), 128-137, https://drive.google.com/file/d/1IN7sV_RIRljwstfZLa7pjQyvisDmp_m0/view?ts=65d6c651. Details
• Bolton, H. C., 'Optical Instruments in Australia in the 1939-45 War: successes and lost opportunities', Bright Sparcs Exhibition Papers (1990). http://www.asap.unimelb.edu.au/bsparcs/exhib/papers/bolton2.htm. Details
• Butters, J. H.; Dare, H. H.; Julius, G. A.; Myers, W. H.; Corner, W. S.; McKay, R. T.; Poole, William; Vine-Hall, R.; Stephens, C. T.; Tournay-Hinde, A. W.; Smith, A. C.; Carter, H. G.; Madsen, J. P. V.; Stobie, J. C.; Flockart, A. P.; Child, H. A., 'Notes on the development of the power resources of Tasmania (Discussions and communications)', Transactions of the Institution of Engineers, Australia, 7 (1927), 616-632, https://search.informit.org/doi/10.3316/informit.865142783447709. Details
• Crompton, R. W., 'Leonard George Holden Huxley 1902-1988', Historical Records of Australian Science, 8 (4) (1991), 249-264. https://doi.org/10.1071/HR9910840249.htm. Details
• Ludlow, Christa; Bowie, Ian; Neville, Pamela, 'Chapter 15: Engineering education in Sydney' in Sydney: from settlement to city: an engineering history of Sydney, Don Fraser, ed. (Crows Nest, New South Wales: Engineers Australia, 1989), pp. 285-298. Details
• Stephens, C.G.; and Quirk, J.P., 'James Arthur Prescott 1890-1987', Historical Records of Australian Science, 7 (3) (1988), 299-313. https://doi.org/10.1071/HR9880730299. Details