Selinger, Benjamin Klaas (1939 - )

Summary

Ben Selinger has been Professor of Chemistry at the Australian National University since 1992. For decades, he has also been a powerful advocate of consumer awareness, protection and education. One of his major contributions to this area was a twelve year involvement with the Australian Consumers Association (late 1960s and early 1970s). Selinger has a long list of publications including the best selling Chemistry in the Market Place (c.1968) which is now into its 6th edition. He has won many awards for his contribution to science and science communication and is a Member of the Australian Academy of Forensic Science, and Fellow of both the Royal Australian Chemical Institute and the Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering.

Details

Born in Australia to Jewish-German refugees, Benjamin (Ben) Klaas Selinger completed his schooling at Mortdale Public School and Sydney Boy's High. He then underwent compulsory National Service training from 1957 to 1959 and enrolled at Sydney University. He graduated with an Honours degree in surface chemistry in 1960 followed by a Masters degree in electron spin resonance spectroscopy (1961). The next year was spent working as a Teaching Fellow followed by a move to Germany to undertake a PhD at the Technical University of Stuttgart (1962-1964).

Upon returning to Australia, Ben Selinger took up chemistry research posts. However, influenced greatly by his father who was a founding member of the Australian Consumers Association (ACA), his interests were soon diverted to the law and consumer protection. He joined the ACA and helped establish many of the Australian standards for items such as condoms, soaps, sunscreens and sunglasses. Selinger was a great believer in the importance of scientific communication and has written numerous books, over 150 scientific articles and countless media articles. He was also the resident expert for several years on the ABCs radio show Dial-a-Scientist and for decades wrote a regular science and technology column for the Canberra Times.

Ben Selinger has been heavily involved with many professional bodies. His numerous positions include Chair, Independent Panel on Intractable Waste; member of the NHMRC Food Standards Committee; Executive (for ten years), Canberra Consumers; Commissioner, National Occupational Commission (now Worksafe Australia); Inaugural Chair of the Board of Directors of the National Registration Authority for agriculture and veterinary chemicals; and Chair of the Homebush Bay Environmental Reference Group for the Olympic Co-ordination Authority. Selinger presently consults on issues relating to the management of science and technology and is often called to court to provide expert evidence in cases.

Chronology

1957 - 1959

Military service - National service

1960

Education - Bachelor of Science with Honours (BSc(Hons)), University of Sydney

1961

Education - Master of Science (MSc), University of Sydney

1962

Career position - Teaching Fellow, University of Sydney

1964

Education - Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), Technical University of Stuttgart, Germany

1973 - 1974

Career position - National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) Food Standards Committee member

1980

Education - Doctor of Science (DSc), Australian National University

1988

Career position - Fellow, Royal Australian Chemical Institute (FRACI)

1990

Award - Fellow, Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering (FTSE)

1991

Award - ABC / Australian Museum Eureka Special Prize for Science Communication

1993

Award - ANZAAS Medalist (Australian and New Zealand Association for the Advancement of Science)

1993 - 1997

Career position - Inaugural Chair of the Board of Directors, National Registration Authority for Agriculture and Veterinary Chemicals

1998 -

Career position - Emeritus Professor, Australian National University

1999 - 2000

Career position - Chair of the Homebush Bay Environmental Reference Group

2001

Award - Centenary Medal - for outstanding service in promoting chemistry to the broader community

2007

Award - Member of the Order of Australia (AM) - For service to science education and to the community, particularly as a communicator of scientific issues to increase consumer awareness and ensure public access to goods and services that meet appropriate standards.

2016

Award - Australian Defence Medal, Australian Defence Force

Related entries

Published resources

Books

• Selinger, Ben, Chemistry in the Market Place (Canberra: Australian National University Press, 1978), 454 pp. Details

Resources

• 'Selinger, Ben (1939-)', Trove, National Library of Australia, 2009, https://nla.gov.au/nla.party-525556. Details

Resource Sections

• 'Emeritus Professor Benjamin Klaas Selinger, Member of the Order of Australia', in It's an Honour, Australian Honours and Awards Secretariat, Australian Government, Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet, 2007, https://honours.pmc.gov.au/honours/awards/1133834. Details

See also

• Anon, Australian men and women of science, engineering and technology (Port Melbourne: Reed Reference Australia, 1995), 661 pp. Details