Person

Leicester, Robert Hocquard (1935 - )

Born
1935
Singapore
Occupation
Engineer

Summary

Robert Leicester, MEngSc MIEAust, was a pioneer in engineered building performance. His research looked at how buildings behaved when subjected to loads arising from the weight of building contents, winds (including cyclones), building fires and bushfires. He also developed now widely-accepted methods for the assessment of materials for use in engineered performance procedures. Several Australian and international standards related to the structural use of timber were drafted by Leicester. He retired in 2001 as Chief Research Scientist from the CSIRO Division of Building, Construction and Engineering.

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Details

In 1998 Leicester was awarded the CSIRO Medal for Research Achievement for scientific contributions to knowledge of timber structural properties.

Chronology

1957
Education - Bachelor of Engineering (Civil), University of Western Australia
1959
Career event - Graduate Member (GradIEAust), Institution of Engineers Australia
1960
Award - Edward Noyes Prize, Institution of Engineers, Australia
1960
Education - Master of Engineering Science (MEngSc), University of Western Australia
1961 - 1963
Career position - Structural Design Engineer, Architectural Division, Western Australian Department of Public Works
1962
Career event - Associate Member (AMIEAust), Institution of Engineers Australia
1964
Career position - Lecturer, Department of Civil Engineering, University of Western Australia
1966
Education - Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), in structural engineering, University of Illinois, U.S.A.
1966 - 1971
Career position - Research scientist, CSIRO Division of Forest Products
1971 - c. 1984
Career position - Program Leader (Safety and Risk), CSIRO Division of Building Research
1992
Award - Stanley Clark Medal for Wood Science, Institute of Wood Science, United Kingdom
1998
Award - CSIRO Medal for Research Achievement
2000
Award - Marcus Wallenberg Prize, Sweden
2001 -
Career position - Honorary Research Fellow, CSIRO
2001
Career event - Retired as Chief Research Scientist, CSIRO Division of Building, Construction and Engineering
2006
Award - Wood Engineering Achievement Award, Forest Products Society, U.S.A.

Related Awards

Published resources

Book Sections

  • Leicester, R. H., 'Section - The use of timber as a structural material' in Chapter 6: Engineering Construction and Building, John Holland, ed. (Melbourne: Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering, 1988), pp. 318-321, https://www.austehc.unimelb.edu.au/tia/317.html. Details

Journal Articles

  • Leicester, R., 'A resistance analogue of beams and arches', Journal of the Institution of Engineers, Australia, 32 (4-5) (1960), 99-103. Details

Resources

Resource Sections

See also

Rosanne Walker; Ken McInnes

Created: 25 May 2001, Last modified: 20 May 2026

EOAS ID: biogs/P003717b.htm

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