Person
Piddington, John Hobart (1910 - 1997)
FAA
- Born
- 6 November 1910
Wagga Wagga, New South Wales, Australia - Died
- 16 July 1997
- Occupation
- Radiophysicist
- Alternative Names
- Piddington, Jack (Also known as)
Summary
Jack Piddington was Chief Research Scientist at the CSIRO Division of Physics, National Measurement Laboratory, Sydney 1966-1975 and was a research physicist with the CSIR/O Division of Radiophysics 1939-1966. He was noted as one of Australia's most distinguished radio scientists. During WWII he played a leading role in the development of Australia's radar defences, notably an air warning system. After the war he turned his attention to radio astronomy, developing a successful collaboration with Harry Minnett in working on microwave astronomy, and observations of the moon and their interpretation. His research in theoretical astrophysics included work on the physics of partially ionised gases (plasma physics), the ionosphere and the magnetosphere.
Details
Chronology
- 1931
- Education - Bachelor of Science (BSc), University of Sydney
- 1933
- Education - Bachelor of Engineering (BE), University of Sydney
- 1934 - 1936
- Career position - Research Fellow, University of Sydney
- 1935
- Education - Master of Science (MSc), University of Sydney
- 1936 - 1938
- Award - Walter and Eliza Hall Engineering Fellowship
- 1938
- Education - Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), University of Cambridge
- 1938 - 1939
- Career position - Research Fellow, University of Sydney
- 1939 -
- Career position - CSIR (subsequently CSIRO) Division of Radiophysics
- 1941
- Career position - Radar consultant, British Army Malaya, Hong Kong, Burma
- 1944
- Career position - Radar consultant, Air Ministry, United Kingdom
- 1955 - 1966
- Career position - Senior Principal Research Scientist, CSIRO Division of Radiophysics
- 1958
- Award - David Syme Research Prize, University of Melbourne
- 1959
- Award - T. K. Sidney Medal, Royal Society of New Zealand
- 1960
- Career position - Visiting Professor, University of Maryland, U.S.A.
- 1963 - 1997
- Award - Fellow, Australian Academy of Science (FAA)
- 1966 - 1975
- Career position - Chief Research Scientist, National Measurement Laboratory, CSIRO Division of Physics
- 1967
- Career position - Visiting Professor, University of Iowa, U.S.A.
- 1974
- Career position - Consultant Astronomer, Kitt Peak National Observatory, Arizona, U.S.A.
- 1975
- Life event - Retired
- 1975 - 1984
- Career position - Senior Research Fellow, CSIRO National Measurement Laboratory
- 1983 - 1997
- Award - Fellow, Astronomical Society of Australia
Related entries
Archival resources
Adolph Basser Library, Australian Academy of Science
- John Hobart Piddington - Records, 1949 - 1998, MS 204; Adolph Basser Library, Australian Academy of Science. Details
Private hands (Piddington, J.H.)
- John Hobart (Jack) Piddington - Records, 1950 - 1987; Private hands (Piddington, J.H.). 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
Journal Articles
- Grant, Colin Kerr, 'Three Pioneers', Radar Returns, 12 (2) (2007), 7-8. http://radarreturns.net.au/assets/issues/rrvol12no2S.pdf. Details
- Melrose, D. B.; and Minnett, H. C., 'Jack Hobart Piddington 1910-1997', Historical Records of Australian Science, 12 (2) (1998), 229-246. https://doi.org/10.1071/HR9981220229. Details
- Orchiston, Wayne; and Wendt, Harry, 'The contribution of the Georges Heights experimental radar antenna to Australian radio astronomy', Journal of Astronomical History and Heritage, 20 (3) (2017), 313-40. Details
- Piddington, J. H.; and Oliphant, M. L., 'David Forbes Martyn', Records of the Australian Academy of Science, 2 (2) (1972), 47-60. http://www.publish.csiro.au/paper/HR9720220047.htm. Details
- Piddington, John Hobart, 'Ronald Gordon Giovanelli 1915-84', Historical Records of Australian Science, 6 (2) (1985), 223-236. https://doi.org/10.1071/HR9850620223. Details
Resources
- 'Piddington, John Hobart (1910-1997)', Trove, National Library of Australia, 2009, https://nla.gov.au/nla.party-1476133. Details
Resource Sections
- 'Piddington, Jack Hobart', 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/P000711p.htm. Details
- Ward, C., 'Jack Hobart Piddington', in CSIROpedia, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), 2011, https://csiropedia.csiro.au/Piddington-Jack-Hobart. Details
See also
- 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
Gavan McCarthy [P004098] and Helen Cohn
Created: 20 October 1993, Last modified: 6 October 2023
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