Gunn, Reginald Montagu Cairns (1893 - 1974)

Summary

Rex Gunn was Professor of Veterinary Science, University of Sydney 1948-1958, after having been Lecturer in veterinary anatomy and surgery 1922-1944 and Reader 1944-1946. As Professor and Dean of the Faculty for two terms he had a major role in raising standards at the University of Sydney veterinary school. He was a world authority on the fertility of rams and pioneered early work of sheep breeding. He was the first to discover the adverse effects of Australia's hot dry climate on the fertility of merino rams. Gunn served with the Australian Imperial Forces during WWI and retained his association with the veterinary corps of the Australian military forces between the wars. He was actively involved with professional organisations, serving as President of the Veterinary Association of New South Wales in 1926 and the Australian Veterinary Association 1941-1944. In 1955 and in retirement he was an advisor the New Zealand Government of the establishment of a veterinary school and to the F.A.O.

Details

Chronology

1915

Education - Bachelor of Agricultural Science (BAgSc), University of Sydney

1915 - 1919

Military service - Served with the Australian Imperial Forces

1921

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

1921

Education - Diploma and Member, Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons

1921 - 1945

Career position - Lecturer in Veterinary Anatomy and Surgery, University of Sydney

1926

Career position - President, Veterinary Association of New South Wales

1927 - 1958

Career position - Honorary Veterinary Surgeon, Royal Agricultural Society of New South Wales

1929

Education - Bachelor of Veterinary Science (BVSc), University of Sydney

1935

Education - Doctor of Veterinary Science (DVSc), University of Sydney

1937 - 1943

Career position - Honorary Treasurer, Australian Veterinary Association, and Business Manager, Australian Veterinary Journal

1938 - 1939

Career position - President, Medical Science Club

1939

Career position - Dean, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Sydney

1941 - 1944

Career position - President, Australian Veterinary Association

1942 - 1950

Career position - President, Veterinary Surgeons Board

1945 - 1947

Career position - Reader, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Sydney

1948 - 1958

Career position - Professor of Veterinary Science, University of Sydney

1954

Award - Honorary Fellow, Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons

1954 - 1958

Career position - Dean, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Sydney

1957 - 1958

Career position - President, Medical Science Club

1958

Life event - Retired

Related entries

Archival resources

University of Sydney, Archives

• Reginald Montagu Cairns Gunn - Records, 1912 - 1964, P 78; University of Sydney, Archives. Details

Published resources

Book Sections

• Taylor, Robert I., 'Gunn, Reginald Montagu Cairns (1893-1974), professor of veterinary science' in Australian dictionary of biography, volume 14: 1940 - 1980 Di-Kel, John Ritchie, ed. (Melbourne: Melbourne University Press, 1996), pp. 342-343. http://www.adb.online.anu.edu.au/biogs/A140390b.htm. Details

Edited Books

• Egerton, John ed., Veterinary research at the University of Sydney: the first century (Sydney: University of Sydney Press, 2016), 431 pp. Details

Journal Articles

• 'Obituary: Reginald Montague Cairns Gunn, ED, DVSc, BScAgr, BSc, FRCVS', Australian Veterinary Journal, 50 (9) (1974), 415-416. Details

Resources

• Wikidata, http://www.wikidata.org/entity/Q21537259. Details
• 'Gunn, Reginald Montagu Cairns (1893-1974)', Trove, National Library of Australia, 2009, https://nla.gov.au/nla.party-1464674. Details