Robertson, Rutherford Ness (1913 - 2001)

Summary

Sir Rutherford Robertson was Director of the School of Biological Sciences, Australian National University 1973-1978. Earlier he was Professor of Botany, University of Adelaide 1960-1969, and was President of ANZAAS in 1965 and of the Australian Academy of Science 1970-1974.

He is commemorated by the Robertson Symposia and the Robertson Theatre at the Research School of Biological Sciences at the Australian National University.

Details

Chronology

1934

Career position - Science Research Scholar, University of Sydney

1934

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

1935 - 1936

Career position - Linnean Macleay Fellowship (Plant Physiology), for study at the University of Sydney

1939

Education - Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), University of Cambridge, UK

1939 - 1946

Career position - Assistant Lecturer (later Lecturer) in Botany, University of Sydney

1946 - 1947

Career position - Senior Research Officer, CSIRO Division of Food Preservation and Transport

1949 - 1950

Career position - President, Linnean Society of New South Wales

1952 - 1955

Career position - Principal Research Officer, CSIRO Division of Food Preservation and Transport

1952 - 1955

Career position - Senior Principal Research Officer, CSIRO Division of Food Preservation and Transport

1954

Career position - Honorary Secretary, Australian National Research Council

1954

Career position - President, Section M (Botany), Australian and New Zealand Association for the Advancement of Science (ANZAAS)

1954 - 2001

Award - Foundation Fellow, Australian Academy of Science (FAA)

1955

Award - Clarke Medal, Royal Society of New South Wales

1955 - 1959

Career position - Chief Research Officer, CSIRO Division of Food Preservation and Transport

1958

Career position - Secretary (Biological Sciences), Australian Academy of Science

1958 - 1959

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

1959 - 1962

Career position - Member of the Executive, CSIRO

1961

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

1961 - 2001

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

1962

Award - Foreign Associate of the US National Academy of Sciences

1962 - 1969

Career position - Professor of Botany, University of Adelaide

1963

Award - Farrer Memorial Medal, Farrer Memorial Trust

1965

Career position - President, Australian and New Zealand Association for the Advancement of Science

1965 - 1969

Career position - Chairman, Australian Research Grants Committee

1968

Award - Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George (CMG) - Services to education & scientific research

1968

Award - ANZAAS Medal, Australian and New Zealand Association for the Advancement of Science

1969 - 1972

Career position - Master of University House, Australian National University, Canberra

1970

Award - Mueller Medal, Australian and New Zealand Association for the Advancement of Science

1970 - 1974

Career position - President, Australian Academy of Science

1971 - 1973

Career position - Chairman, Advisory Committee, Clive and Vera Ramaciotti Foundation

1972

Award - Knight Bachelor (Kt) - Services to science & education

1973 - 1978

Career position - Director, Research School of Biological Sciences, Australian National University

1975

Award - Macfarlane Burnet Medal and Lecture, Australian Academy of Science

1977 - 1981

Career position - Deputy Chairman, Australian Science and Technology Council

1980

Award - Companion of the Order of Australia (AC) - For service to Biological Sciences for services to biological sciences

1984 - 1986

Career position - Pro-Chancellor, Australian National University

1987

Award - Robertson Symposia established by the Research School of Biological Sciences, Australian National University

1992

Award - Robertson Theatre opened at the Research School of Biological Sciences

Related entries

Archival resources

Adolph Basser Library, Australian Academy of Science

• Australian National Research Council - Records, October 1948 - November 1951, MS 202; Adolph Basser Library, Australian Academy of Science. Details
• Australian Society of Plant Physiologists - Records, 1958 - 1999, MS 097; Adolph Basser Library, Australian Academy of Science. Details
• Oral Collection, 1931 - 2003, MS 057; Adolph Basser Library, Australian Academy of Science. Details
• Rutherford Ness Robertson - Records, 1946 - 1987, MS 117; Adolph Basser Library, Australian Academy of Science. Details

National Library of Australia Oral History Collection

• Rutherford Ness Robertson - Records, 1920 - 1972, DeB 624; National Library of Australia Oral History Collection. Details

Wellcome Collection

• Victoria Eugenics Society, 1940 - 1961, SA/EUG/E.4; Eugenics Society [SA/EUG]; Wellcome Collection. 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

• Robertson, Rutherford, The Three Societies Lecture: Penal Settlement to High Technology and the Future (Edinburgh: Royal Society of Edinburgh on behalf of the three societies, 1989), 10 pp. Details

Book Sections

• Robertson, Rutherford, 'Osborn, Theodore George Bentley (1887-1973), Botanist, Ecologist and Academic' in Australian dictionary of biography, volume 11: 1891 - 1939 Nes-Smi, Geoffrey Serle, ed. (Melbourne: Melbourne University Press, 1988), pp. 99-100. http://www.adb.online.anu.edu.au/biogs/A110110b.htm. Details

Journal Articles

• Barrett, J.; Robertson, R. N., 'Max Rudolf Lemberg', Records of the Australian Academy of Science, 4 (1) (1979), 133-156. http://www.publish.csiro.au/paper/HR9790410133.htm. Details
• Hatch, Marshall D., Osmond, Barry (C. B.) and Wiskich, Joseph T., 'Sir Rutherford Ness Robertson 29 September 1913 - 5 March 2001: elected FRS 1961', Biographical memoirs of Fellows of the Royal Society, 49 (2003), 399-413. https://doi.org/10.1098/rsbm.2003.0023. Details
• Hatch, Marshall D.; Osmond, Barry (C. B.), and Wiskich, Joseph T., 'Rutherford Ness Robertson 1913-2001', Historical Records of Australian Science, 14 (4) (2003), 485-507. https://doi.org/10.1071/HR03008. Details
• Minnett, H. C.; and Robertson, Rutherford Ness, 'Sir Frederick William George White, C.B.E., 26 May 1905 - 17 Aug 1994', Biographical memoirs of Fellows of the Royal Society, 42 (1996), 497-521. https://doi.org/10.1098/rsbm.1996.0030. Details
• Minnett, H. C.; and Robertson, Rutherford Sir, 'Frederick William George White 1905-1994', Historical Records of Australian Science, 11 (2) (1996), 239-258. https://doi.org/10.1071/HR9961120239. Details
• Robertson, R. N., 'Obituary. L.G.M. Baas Becking', Australian Journal of Science, 26 (1) (1963), 15-16. Details
• Robertson, R. N., '"A Society of Natural History. I hope they may succeed." - the first hundred years', Proceedings of the Linnean Society of New South Wales, 99 (1) (1974), 69-78. Details
• Robertson, R. N.; and Eardley, C. M., 'Obituary: Theodore George Bentley Osborn, DSc, MA, FLS (2.10.1887 - 3.6.1973)', Transactions of the Royal Society of South Australia, 97 (4) (1973), 317-320, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/41080096. Details
• Robertson, R. N.; and White, N. H., 'Obituary. Professor T.G.B. Osborn', Search, 4 (11/12) (1973), 455. Details

Newspaper Articles

• Anderson, Brian, 'Obituary: Rutherford Ness Robertson, AC, CMG', The Age (2001). Details

Resources

• VIAF - Virtual International Authority File, OCLC, https://viaf.org/viaf/32522508. Details
• Wikidata, http://www.wikidata.org/entity/Q7383353. Details
• 'Robertson, Rutherford Ness (1913 - 2001)', Fellows of the Academy, Australian Academy of Science, 2019, https://www.science.org.au/profile/rutherford-robertson. Details
• 'Robertson, R N (19130929-20010306)', Trove, National Library of Australia, 2009, https://nla.gov.au/nla.party-959288. Details

Resource Sections

• 'Robertson, Rutherford Ness - Ms 117', in Listing of Adolph Basser Library holdings, Australian Academy of Science, 1994, http://www.science.org.au/basser/manuscript-collection/ms117.html. Details
• Barrett, J.; and Robertson, R.N., 'Max Rudolph Lemberg 1896-1975', in Australian Academy of Science Biographical Memoirs, Australian Academy of Science, 2006, https://www.science.org.au/fellowship/fellows/biographical-memoirs-1/max-rudolf-lemberg-1896-1975. Details
• Blythe, Max, 'Interview with Sir Rutherford Robertson', in Interviews with Australian scientists, Australian Academy of Science, 14 September 1993, https://www.science.org.au/learning/general-audience/history/interviews-australian-scientists/sir-rutherford-robertson-1913. Details
• Ward, C., 'Sir Rutherford Ness (Bob) Robertson', in CSIROpedia, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), 2011, https://csiropedia.csiro.au/Robertson-Sir-Rutherford-Ness. Details

See also

• Ashton, D. H.; Ducker, S. C., 'John Stewart Turner 1908-1991', Historical Records of Australian Science, 9 (3) (1993), 278-290. https://doi.org/10.1071/HR9930930278. Details
• Macfarlane Burnet Medal and Lecture, Australian Academy of Science, 2022, https://www.science.org.au/supporting-science/awards-and-opportunities/macfarlane-burnet-medal-and-lecture. Details
• 'Robertson, Rutherford Ness (1913 - 2001)', Farrer Memorial Trust Medal recipients and orations, New South Wales Department of Primary Industries, Sydney, 2023, https://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0003/596118/farrer_oration_1963_prof_rn_robertson.pdf. https://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/about-us/who-we-are/interacting_2/farrer-memorial-trust/farrer-memorial-trust-medal-recipients-and-orations. Details
• White, F. W.G., 'Robert Gordon Menzies (1894-1978)', Historical Records of Australian Science, 5 (1) (1980), 68-102. https://doi.org/10.1071/HR9800510068. Details