Person

Burn, Alan (1889 - 1959)

Born
19 October 1889
Hobart, Tasmania, Australia
Died
18 December 1959
Hobart, Tasmania, Australia
Occupation
Engineer

Summary

Alan Burn, BE MSc HonLLD MIEAust, was Professor of Engineering, University of Tasmania, 1919-1955 and Vice-Chancellor 1945-1949. His research included studies of aerofoil theory, vortex wind tunnels, hydraulics, centrifugal and axial pumps, and stress.

He was awarded the Warren Memorial Prize 1939, and the Peter Nicol Russell Memorial Medal 1955, by the Institution of Engineers Australia, and was awarded an Honorary Doctor of Laws by the University of Tasmania in 1948.

He is also honoured by the Alan Burn lectures, given annually to the Institution of Engineers, and the Alan Burn prize in engineering, awarded by the University of Tasmania.

Details

Chronology

1909
Education - Bachelor of Science (BSc), University of Tasmania
1911
Education - Bachelor of Engineering (BE), with First Class Honours in Mechanical and Electrical Engineering, University of Sydney
1911
Career position - Demonstrator, Electrical engineering, University of Sydney
1911
Education - Master of Science (MSc), University of Tasmania
1912 - 1914
Career position - Assistant Mechanical Engineer, State Rivers and Water Supply Commission, Victoria
1914
Award - Walter and Eliza Hall Travelling Fellowship in Engineering, University of Sydney
1915 - 1916
Career position - 'Voluntaar', Escher Wyss & Company, Zurich, Switzerland. (studying the design and construction of water turbines and centrifugal pumps.)
c. 1916
Career event - Honorary Commission, Lieutenant, RAF
1916 - 1918
Career position - Aeronautical Inspection Department, England
1918 - 1919
Career position - Acting Professor of Engineering, University of Tasmania
1919
Career event - Foundation Associate Member (AMIEAust), Institution of Engineers Australia
1919 - 1956
Career position - Professor of Engineering, University of Tasmania
1925
Career position - Chairman, Tasmanian Division, Institution of Engineers Australia
1938
Award - Warren Memorial Prize 1939, Institution of Engineers Australia
1945 - 1949
Career position - Part-time Vice Chancellor, University of Tasmania
1948
Award - Honorary Doctor of Laws (LLD), University of London
1950
Career position - President, Institution of Engineers Australia
1955
Award - Peter Nicol Russell Memorial Medal - Career Achievement Award in Engineering. Institution of Engineers Australia
1956 - 1959
Career position - Emeritus Professor of Engineering, University of Tasmania

Related Awards

Related Corporate Bodies

Archival resources

University of Tasmania Library, Special/Rare Collection

  • Alan Burn - Records, 1920 - 1955, UT.467,35 ..; University of Tasmania Library, Special/Rare Collection. Details

Published resources

Book Sections

Journal Articles

  • 'Peter Nicol Russell Memorial Medal: 1955 Award [Prof. A. Burn, LLD MSc BE MIEAust]', Journal of the Institution of Engineers, Australia, 27 (1955), 321. Details
  • 'Obituary: Alan Burn', Journal of the Institution of Engineers, Australia, 32 (1960), N10. Details
  • Burn, A., 'The theory of columns, and methods of design', Transactions of the Institution of Engineers Australia, 3 (1922), 112-132, https://search.informit.org/doi/10.3316/informit.633175238529904. Details
  • Burn, A., 'Variable transmission for road vehicles (Abstract)', Transactions of the Institution of Engineers Australia, 6 (1925), 288-290, https://search.informit.org/doi/10.3316/informit.863745310603344. Details
  • Burn, A., 'Simplified calculations for composite beam bridges', Journal of the Institution of Engineers, Australia, 7 (1935), 99-. Details
  • Burn, A., 'The Effect of Deflection of the Supporting Beams on the Bending Moments in a Uniformly Loaded Slab', Journal of the Institution of Engineers, Australia, 13 (1941), 131-137, Discussion pp.213-. Details
  • Burn, A., 'Trends in the development of water turbines', Journal of the Institution of Engineers, Australia, 22 (1950), 217-. Details
  • Burn, A., 'Presidential address', Journal of the Institution of Engineers, Australia, 23 (1951), 69-. Details
  • Institution of Engineers Australia, 'Twenty-third Annual Report [1942]', Journal of the Institution of Engineers, Australia, 15 (1943), 35-51. 'Prizes - Warren Memorial Prize: (1939 Award) to Professor Alan Burn, MSc BE AMIEAust, Tasmania Division, for his paper "The Effect of Deflection of the Supporting Beams on the Bending Moments in a Uniformly Loaded Slab", p.37. Details

Reports

  • Institution of Engineers Australia, Thirty-sixth Annual Report [1955] (Institution of Engineers, Australia, 1956), 14 pp. 'Prizes - Peter Nicol Russell Memorial Medal (1955 Award), to Professor A Burn, LLD MSc BE MIEAust, Tasmania Division', p.2. Details

Resources

See also

Gavan McCarthy; Ken McInnes

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