Person
Harris, Leonard Michael (1908 - 2003)
OBE
- Born
- 6 May 1908
Melbourne, Victoria, Australia - Died
- 5 May 2003
North Balwyn, Victoria, Australia - Occupation
- Radio engineer
Summary
Len Harris joined the Postmaster-General's Department in1926 and remained there for his entire working life. Initially he was a cadet engineer, but after completing his Bachelor of Science in 1930 was appointed engineer within the research laboratories. Harris went on to produce a microphone used for ABC radio's inaugural broadcast, set up the ABC studios in Canberra and Sydney and worked on the enlargement of the Bass Strait submarine cable. In 1959 Harris moved to the long-line equipment section where he was responsible for contracting Australia's first broadband system. He was also founder of the Radio Research Board which funded radio research in Australian universities.
Details
Chronology
- 1930
- Education - Bachelor of Science (BSc), University of Melbourne
- 1930 - 1973
- Career position - Research Engineer, Postmaster-General's Department (PMG)
- 1939
- Career position - Set up the ABC studios in Canberra and Sydney
- 1955 - 1960?
- Supervising Engineer, Long Line Equipment, Postmaster-General's Department (PMG)
- 1960 - 1964
- Career position - Assistant Engineer-in-Chief of Research, Postmaster-General's Department (PMG)
- 1964 - 1973
- Career position - First Assistant Director-General of Planning and Research, Postmaster-General's Department (PMG)
- 1970 - 1975
- Career position - Chairman, Radio Research Board
- 1 Jan 1972
- Award - Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) - 1st Assistant Director-General - PMG Department
Related entries
Published resources
Journal Articles
- Harris, L. M., 'The Research Laboratories of the Postmaster-General's Department', Telecommunication Journal of Australia, 14 (2) (1963), 160-164, https://www.coxhill.com/trlhistory/media/Telecommmunication%20Journal%20of%20Australia/The%20Telecommunication%20Journal%20of%20Australia%20Vol%2014.%20No%202%20OCTOBER%201963.pdf. Details
Newspaper Articles
- Harris, Adrian, 'Obituary: Leonard Michael Harris, OBE, Research Engineer', The Age (2003). Details
Resources
- 'Harris, Leonard Michael (19080506-20030505)', Trove, National Library of Australia, 2009, https://nla.gov.au/nla.party-1476445. Details
Resource Sections
- 'Harris, Leonard Michael', 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/P001680p.htm. Details
Gavan McCarthy; Ken McInnes
Created: 20 October 1993, Last modified: 31 December 2025
- Foundation Supporter - Committee to Review Australian Studies in Tertiary Education