Person

Lehany, Frederick John (1915 - 1994)

AO

Born
10 April 1915
New Zealand
Died
6 August 1994
Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Occupation
Physicist and Science administrator

Summary

Frederick Lehany worked for CSIR/O as Chief of the Division of Electrotechnology. This gradually became amalgamated with other divisions to form the National Measurement Laboratory, of which he became the first director in 1974. The main lecture room at the Laboratory was named the Lehany Theatre in his memory. Lehany was appointed an Officer in the Order of Australia (AO) and received an Doctor of Science honoris causa (Hon DSc) from the University of Sydney. Lehany's expertise was in radio frequency and microwave technology. During WWII he worked on the development and manufacture of optical and electronic products for military use. On moving to CSIR be became involved in drafting microwave standards of measurement. His major contribution was as a scientific administrator. As Chief of CSIRO divisions Lehany fostered innovative research, leading to new, internationally-recognised standards for electricity. He was a founding member of the National Standards Commission until his retirement from CSIRO. In 1968 he was elected to the International Committee on Weights and Measures, maintaining his involvement until 1980.

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Details

Chronology

1935
Education - Bachelor of Science (BSc), University of Otago, New Zealand
1936
Education - Master of Science (MSc), University of Otago
1937
Education - Dip Hons, University of Otago
1938
Career position - Teacher in New Zealand
1939 - 1945
Career position - Physicist with Amalgamated Wireless Australasia
1945 - 1948
Career position - Senior Research Officer at the CSIR (Council for Scientific and Industrial Research) Division of Radiophysics
1947 - ?
Career position - Member, Advisory Committee for Electricity, National Association of Testing Authorities
1948 - 1961
Career position - Senior Research Officer at the CSIR/ CSIRO (Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation) Division of Electrotechnology
1949 - 1962
Career position - Chief of the CSIRO Division of Electrotechnology
1950 - 1979
Career position - Member, National Standards Commission
1962 - 1974
Career position - Chief, CSIRO Division of Applied Physics [I]
1963
Career event - Elected to the International Committee on Weights and Measures
1965 - 1967
Career position - President, Australian Institute of Physics
1968 - 1980
Career position - President, Consultative Committee on Electricity, International Committee on Weights and Measures
1974 - 1979
Career position - Director of the National Measurement Laboratory
1975
Career position - Chairman, Australian and New Zealand Association for the Advancement of Science
1978
Award - Officer of the Order of Australia (AO) for service to science and industry (field of measurement and standards)
1979 - 1980
Career position - Chief, CSIRO Division of Applied Physics [II]

Published resources

Book Sections

Journal Articles

  • Blevin, Bill, 'Obituary: Frederick John Lehany, 1915 - 1994', Australian & New Zealand physicist, 32 (4) (1995), 63-4. Details

Resources

Resource Sections

See also

  • Todd, Jan, For good measure: the making of Australia's measurement system (Sydney: Allen & Unwin, 2004), 290 pp. Details

Gavan McCarthy [P004098] and Helen Cohn

Created: 20 October 1993, Last modified: 6 October 2023

EOAS ID: biogs/P001723b.htm

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