Morrison, James Douglas (1924 - 2013)

Summary

Jim Morrison was internationally renowned for his expertise in the construction and operation of mass spectrometers. He was a pioneer in use of computers in association with these instruments in relation to ion physics, instrument control and data analysis. Morrison's 18-year career at the CSIRO Division of Chemical Physics, during which he rose to become Chief Research Officer, was followed by a distinguished period from 1967 when he was inaugural Professor of Chemistry at La Trobe University in Victoria. He was played significant roles in policy and governance committees at La Trobe University and in the wider tertiary community. Morrison was also active in professional organisations, filling executive positions in the Royal Australian Chemical Institute and the Royal Society of Victoria.

Details

Chronology

1945

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

1946 - 1949

Career position - Instructor on Chemistry, University of Glasgow

1949

Education - Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), University of Glasgow

1949

Life event - Migrated to Australia

1949 - 1953

Career position - Senior Research Officer, Division of Chemical Physics, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), Australia

1950 - 1958

Career position - Member, Royal Australian Chemical Institute

1953

Award - Rennie Memorial Medal, Royal Australian Chemical Institute

1953 - 1960

Career position - Principal Research Officer, CSIRO Division of Chemical Physics

1956 - 1957

Career position - Commonwealth Fund Fellow, University of Chicago, U.S.A.

1958 - 2013

Award - Fellow, Royal Australian Chemical Institute

1960 - 1964

Career position - Senior Principal Research Officer, CSIRO Division of Chemical Physics

1961

Award - H.. G. Smith Memorial Medal, Royal Australian Chemical Institute

1962 - ?

Career position - Member of Council, Royal Society of Victoria

1964

Career position - Visiting Professor, Princeton University, New Jersey, U.S.A.

1964 - 1967

Career position - Chief Research Officer, CSIRO Division of Chemical Physics

1964 - 1968

Career position - Member, Sectional Committee 3 (Chemistry), Australian Academy of Science

1964 - 2013

Award - Fellow, Australian Academy of Science (FAA)

1967 - 1990

Career position - Foundation Professor of Chemistry, La Trobe University

1968 - 1970

Career position - Member of Council, La Trobe University

1968 - 1985

Career position - Chairman, University Computer Committee, La Trobe University

1971

Career position - Visiting Professor, University of Utah, U.S.A.

1972 - 1977

Career position - Head, Chisholm College, La Trobe University

1973 - 2001

Career position - Adjunct Professor, University of Utah, U.S.A.

1975 - 1976

Career Position - President, Royal Society of Victoria

1975 - 1978

Career position - Member, Academic Committee for Applied Sciences, Victorian Institute of Colleges

1975 - 1978

Career position - Chairman, Physical Chemistry Division, Royal Australian Chemical Institute

1975 - 1978

Career position - Member of Council, Victorian Institute of Marine Science

1976 - 1978

Career position - Member, Federal Council, Royal Australian Chemical Institute

1977

Award - Queen Elizabeth II Silver Jubilee Medal

1979 - 1985

Career position - Chairman, National Committee for the Committee on Data (CODATA) of the International Council for Science

1980 - 1984

Career position - Member, Australian Research Grants Committee

1980 - 1986

Career position - Member, Editorial Board, Journal of Chemical Physics

1981 - 1984

Career position - Member, Sectional Committee 3 (Chemistry), Australian Academy of Science

1982 - 1984

Career position - Member, Academic Board, La Trobe University

1984 - 1987

Career position - Member of Council (Physical Sciences), Australian Academy of Science

1985 - 2013

Career position - Member, Royal Society of Edinburgh

1986 - 1987

Career position - Vice-President, Australian Academy of Science

1987 - 1989

Career position - Adjunct Professor of Chemistry, University of Delaware, U.S.A.

1988 - 1991

Career position - Member of Council (Physical Sciences), Australian Academy of Science

1990

Award - Officer of the Order of Australia (AO) for service to science, particularly in the field of physical chemistry, and to education

1990 - 2013

Career position - Emeritus Professor, La Trobe University, Australia

2001

Award - Centenary Medal for service to Australian society and science in mass spectrometry

Related entries

Published resources

Journal Articles

• 'James D, Morrison: curriculum vitae International Journal of Mass Spectroscopy', International Journal of Mass Spectroscopy, 192 (2/3) (2000), ix-xiii. Details
• Cory, Suzanne, 'James (Jim) Douglas Morrison: Leader in Mass Spectroscopy', Chemistry in Australia, 2013 (June) (2013), 30. Details
• Enke, C. G.; and Yost, R. A., 'Jim Morrison, friend and colleague', Journal of the American Society for Mass Spectroscopy, 24 (9) (2013), 1319-23. Details
• McLafferty, Fred W., 'Jim Morrison - mass spectrometrist for all seasons', Organic Mass Spectrometry, 26 (1991), 181-2. Details
• Morrison, Doug, '140 Years Ago: Neumayer and a Meteorite', Preview: Australian Society of Exploration Geophysicists, 111 (2004), 52. Details
• Morrison, Doug, '90 Years Ago: some Pioneering Field Trips, part 1: a Geophysicist and some Camels', Preview: Australian Society of Exploration Geophysicists, 115 (April) (2005), 16-18. Details
• Morrison, Doug, '90 Years Ago: some Pioneering Field Trips, part 2: Edward Kidson, his Observers and Some More Camels', Preview: Australian Society of Exploration Geophysicists, 116 (June) (2005), 20-23. Details
• Morrison, Doug, '90 Years Ago: some Pioneering Field Trips, part 3: George Dodwell and Some Geophysical Co-operation', Preview: Australian Society of Exploration Geophysicists, 117 (August) (2005), 17-20. Details
• Morrison, Doug, 'Neumayer: Pioneer Exploration Geophysicist [4]', Preview: Australian Society of Exploration Geophysicists, 124 (October) (2006), 12-15. Details
• Morrison, Doug, 'Neumayer: Pioneer Exploration Geophysicist [1]', Preview: Australian Society of Exploration Geophysicists, 121 (April) (2006), 21-24. Details
• Morrison, Doug, 'Neumayer: Pioneer Exploration Geophysicist [3]', Preview: Australian Society of Exploration Geophysicists, 123 (August) (2006), 17-20. Details
• Morrison, Doug, 'Neumayer: Pioneer Exploration Geophysicist [5]', Preview: Australian Society of Exploration Geophysicists, 125 (December) (2006), 34-36, 38. Details
• Morrison, Doug, 'Neumayer: Pioneer Exploration Geophysicist [2]', Preview: Australian Society of Exploration Geophysicists, 122 (June) (2006), 12-15. Details
• Morrison, Doug, 'Geological surveying in Australia by the navigators James Cook and Matthew Flinders', Preview, 189 (2017), 38-41. Details
• Morrison, Doug and Barko, Ivan, 'Dagelet and Dawes: their Meeting, their Instruments and the First Scientific Experiments on Australian Soil ', Historical Records of Australian Science, 20 (1) (2009), 1-40, https://doi.org/10.1071/HR09002. Details
• Morrison, Doug and Barko, Ivan, 'The Lapérouse expedition and geomagnetism: the unexpected discovery of Lamanon's 'lost' letter and Ledru's instructions', Historical Records of Australian Science, 26 (1) (2015), 1-19, https://doi.org/10.1071/HR14026. Details
• Morrison, Douglas, 'Georg Neumayer's Magnetic Survey of the Colony of Victoria 1858-1864', Proceedings of the Royal Society of Victoria, 123 (2011), 48-61. Details
• Morrison, J. D., 'Forty years of mass spectroscopy', Organic Mass Spectroscopy, 26 (1991), 183=94. Details
• Morrison, J. D., 'Personal reminiscences of forty years of mass spectrometry in Australia', Journal of Mass Spectrometry, 26 (4) (1991), 183-94. Details
• Rae, Ian, 'James Douglas Morrison 1924 - 2013', Historical Records of Australian Science, 29 (1) (2018), 41-50, https://doi.org/10.1071/HR17021. Details
• Traeger, J. C., 'Introduction [to special issue to mark James Morrison's 75th birthday]', International Journal of Mass Spectroscopy, 192 (2/3) (2000), vi-vii. Details
• Traeger, J. C., 'Obituary: James Douglas Morrison AO (1924 - 2013)', Journal of the American Society for Mass Spectroscopy, 24 (9) (2013), 1326-7. Details

Resources

• 'Morrison, J D (1924-)', Trove, National Library of Australia, 2009, https://nla.gov.au/nla.party-617708. Details

Resource Sections

• Klein, Anthony [Interviewer]; Morrison, James Douglas, 'Professor James Morrison, Physical chemist', in Interviews with Australian scientists, Australian Academy of Science, 2010, http://science.org.au/scientists/interviews/m/morrison.html. Details