Drover, Donald Prosper (1927 - 2004)

Summary

Don Drover was Lecturer in Soil Science at the University of Western Australia from 1949 to 1960, Head of Biochemistry and Soil Science at the University of Khartoum, Papua New Guinea (1960 - 1964), foundation professor and head of chemistry at the University of Papua New Guinea (1966 - 1980), Chief Scientist at the Department of Primary Production in Darwin from 1981 and Principal Soil Chemist, Department of Mines in Perth. Duncan was also Science Liaison Officer to the Reserve Bank of Australia (1984).

Details

Graduating with an Honours degree in agricultural chemistry and botany from Sydney University, Don Drover was appointed lecturer at the University of Western Australia in1949. He went on to complete his Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) at the University, and was promoted to senior lecturer in soil science in 1954. At 33 years of age Drover was appointed Head of Biochemistry and Soil Science at the University of Khartoum, Papua New Guinea (PNG). Due to the political and civil unrest, Drover left PNG in 1964 and worked in Canberra at the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Office (CSIRO), Division of Land Research. In little over a year he returned to PNG and academia as foundation professor and head of chemistry at the University of Papua New Guinea. He built the chemistry department and lectureships up from scratch and was awarded the Papua New Guinea Independence Medal for his achievements. In 1981 Drover returned to Australia, firstly to the Northern Territory as Chief Scientist, Department of Primary Production in Darwin, and then to Sydney as the Science Liaison Officer to the Reserve Bank of Australia where he administered grants for the Rural Credits Development Fund. In 1989 Don Drover was appointed Principal Soil Chemist, Chemistry Centre of Western Australia, Department of Mines in Perth.

Chronology

1949 - 1960

Career position - Lecturer, University of Western Australia

1960 - 1964

Career position - Head of Biochemistry and Soil Science, University of Khartoum in Papua New Guinea

1964 - 1965

Career position - Senior Research Scientist at the CSIRO (Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation) Division of Land Research in Canberra

1966 - 1980

Career position - Foundation Professor and Head of Chemistry, University of Papua New Guinea

1981 - 1984

Career position - Chief Scientist at the Department of Primary Production in Darwin

1984 - 1989

Career position - Science Liaison Officer at the Reserve Bank of Australia

1989

Career position - Principal Soil Chemist at the Department of Mines in Perth

Related entries

Published resources

Resources

• 'Drover, Donald P (1927-2004)', Trove, National Library of Australia, 2009, https://nla.gov.au/nla.party-1039757. Details