Person
Paterson, Mervyn Silas (1925 - 2020)
FAA
- Born
- 7 March 1925
Booleroo Centre, South Australia, Australia - Died
- 4 June 2020
Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia - Occupation
- Geophysicist and University Administrator
Summary
Mervyn Paterson was a geophysicist renowned for his research on deformation mechanisms of minerals and rocks. In his pioneering studies on the genesis of geological structures he worked with rocks rather than model substitutes. As part of this work he invented a variety of instruments, notably the Paterson Apparatus, a device designed to measure strength and deformation under conditions of high stress and temperature. It is widely used in relation to earthquake research. Among his publications was the influential Experimental rock deformation - the brittle field (1978). Paterson was research officer at the Aeronautical Research Laboratories for six years investigating the physics of metal fatigue before joining the Australian National University in 1953. He retired from the University in 1990 as Professor in the Research School of Earth Sciences. In retirement he continued instrument building as owner and manager of Paterson Instruments Pty Ltd, and later in association with Australian Scientific Instruments Pty Ltd. His instruments are supplied to laboratories world-wide.
Details
Chronology
- - 1945
- Education - Bachelor of Engineering (BE), University of Adelaide
- - 1968
- Education - Doctor of Science (ScD), University of Cambridge, England
- c. 1945 - 1949
- Education - Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), University of Cambridge, England
- 1947 - 1953
- Career position - Assistant Research Officer to Senior Scientific Officer, Aeronautical Research Laboratories, Melbourne, Australia
- 1953 - 1956
- Career position - Senior Research Fellow, Department of Geophysics and Geochemistry, Australian National University, Australia
- 1956 - 1987
- Career position - Reader, Department of Geophysics and Geochemistry, Australian National University, Australia
- 1972 - 2020
- Award - Fellow, Australian Academy of Science (FAA)
- 1982 - 2020
- Award - Fellow, Mineralogical Society of America
- 1986 - 2020
- Award - Fellow American Geophysical Union
- 1986 - 2020
- Award - Honorary Fellow, Geological Society of America
- 1987 - 1990
- Career position - Professor, Research School of Earth Sciences, Australian National University, Australia
- 1990 -
- Career position - Visiting Fellow (Emeritus Professor), Australian National University, Australia
- 2001
- Award - Centenary Medal - for service to Australian society and materials science
- 2004
- Award - Walter H. Bucher Medal, American Geophysical Union
Related entries
Archival resources
Adolph Basser Library, Australian Academy of Science
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
Book Sections
- Paterson, M.S., 'Jaegar, John Conrad (1907-1979), Mathematical Physicist' in Australian dictionary of biography, volume 14: 1940 - 1980 Di-Kel, John Ritchie, ed. (Melbourne: Melbourne University Press, 1996), pp. 551-552. http://www.adb.online.anu.edu.au/biogs/A140625b.htm. Details
Journal Articles
- Anon, 'Professor Mervyn Silas Paterson FAA 7 March 1925 to 4 June .2020', Australian Academy of Science newsletter, 139 (2020), 18. https://www.science.org.au/academy-newsletter/June-2020-139. Details
- Jackson, Ian, 'Mervyn Silas Paterson 1925 - 2020', Historical Records of Australian Science, 33 (1) (2022), 54-63, https://doi.org/10.1071/HR21002. Details
- Paterson, M. S., 'John Conrad Jaeger 1907-1979', Historical Records of Australian Science, 5 (3) (1982), 64-88. https://doi.org/10.1071/HR9820530064. Details
Resources
- Wikidata, http://www.wikidata.org/entity/Q66738260. Details
- 'Paterson, M S (1925-)', Trove, National Library of Australia, 2009, https://nla.gov.au/nla.party-1226339. Details
Resource Sections
- 'Paterson, Mervyn Silas - Ms 135', in Listing of Adolph Basser Library holdings, Australian Academy of Science, 1994, http://www.science.org.au/basser/manuscript-collection/ms135.html. Details
- Lambeck, Kurt, 'Interview with Professor Mervyn Paterson', in Interviews with Australian scientists, Australian Academy of Science, 2006, http://science.org.au/scientists/interviews/p/mp.html. Details
Gavan McCarthy [P004098] and Helen Cohn
Created: 20 October 1993, Last modified: 6 October 2023
- Foundation Supporter - Committee to Review Australian Studies in Tertiary Education