Person
Smith, Peter Warnock (1924 - 2017)
OAM
- Born
- 30 June 1924
Hobart, Tasmania, Australia - Died
- 2 July 2017
Hobart, Tasmania, Australia - Occupation
- Inorganic chemist
Summary
Peter Smith was an inorganic chemist who at University of Tasmania introduced new topics such as analytical chemistry, industrial and applied chemistry, chemistry for engineers. His research was into the chemistry of intermediate oxidation state compounds of molybdenum, chromium, tungsten, vanadium, and titanium; the, structural, magnetic and spectroscopic properties of some halides and pseudo-halides; and nuclear quadrupole resonance spectroscopy. He played a key role in the establishment of the Central Science Laboratory at University of Tasmania. Smith was active in professional organisations, particularly the Australian Institute of Nuclear Science and Engineering and the Royal Australian Chemical Institute, and was president of the Royal Society of Tasmania in 2006.
Details
Chronology
- 1940 - 1946
- Career position - Laboratory assistant for an arc welding company
- 1940 - 1971
- Career position - Member, Royal Australian Chemical Institute
- 1945
- Education - Diplomas in chemical engineering and metallurgy, Hobart Technical College
- 1946 - 1947
- Career position - Employed by the Australian Aluminium Production Commission
- 1947 - 1951
- Career position - Employed by Murex Australia Chemical and Metallurgical Laboratories
- 1948
- Education - Diploma of Applied Chemistry, Hobart Technical College
- 1951 - 1952
- Career position - Examiner, Australian Patents Office
- 1952 - 1955
- Career position - Demonstrator (later Senior Demonstrator), Department of Chemistry, University of Tasmania
- 1957
- Education - Bachelor of Science (BSc(Hons)), University of Tasmania
- 1961 - 1965
- Career position - Lecturer in Chemistry, University of Tasmania
- 1962
- Education - Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), University College, London
- 1966 - 1971
- Career position - Senior Lecturer in Chemistry, University of Tasmania
- 1969 - 2017
- Career position - Member, Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy
- 1971 - 1989
- Career position - Reader in Chemistry, University of Tasmania
- 1971 - 2017
- Award - Fellow, Royal Australian Chemical Institute
- 1981 - 1982
- Career position - Acting Head, Department of Chemistry, University of Tasmania
- 1982 - 1989
- Career position - Tasmanian delegate to National Council, Australian Institute of Nuclear Science and Engineering
- 1988
- Award - National Citation for contributions to the profession, Royal Australian Chemical Institute
- 1989
- Life event - Retired
- 1989 - 2017
- Career position - Honorary Research Associate, University of Tasmania
- 2005
- Award - Distinguished Alumni Award, University of Tasmania
- 2005
- Career position - Vice-President, Royal Society of Tasmania
- 2006
- Career position - President, Royal Society of Tasmania
- 2011
- Award - Doctor of Science (DSc), honoris causa, University of Tasmania
- 2012
- Award - Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) - for services to science, education and philanthropy
Related entries
Published resources
Journal Articles
- Townsend, Ashley; Denny, Jak; Breen, Eoin; and Yates, Brian, 'Peter W. Smith OAM, generous and distinguished inorganic chemist', Chemistry in Australia, 2017/8 (Dec/Jan) (2017), 29. Details
See also
- Medal (OAM) of the Order of Australia in the General Division [Australia Day 2012: S-Z], Governor General's Office, Canberra, 2012, https://web.archive.org.au/awa/20190510165629mp_/https:/www.gg.gov.au/sites/default/files/files/honours/ad/ad2012/Media%20Notes%20OAM%20%28S-Z%29%20%28final%29.pdf. Details
Helen Cohn
Created: 18 December 2018