Person
O'Donnell, Thomas Aloysius (Tom) (1923 - 2010)
- Born
- 28 November 1923
Ballarat, Victoria, Australia - Died
- 21 February 2010
Melbourne, Victoria, Australia - Occupation
- Inorganic chemist and University Administrator
Summary
Tom O'Donnell was a chemist of international standing for his innovative experimental work with fluorine and its compounds. In 1988 he retired as Professor of Inorganic Chemistry at the University of Melbourne after nearly 40 years of teaching. In retirement he continued at the University where his group patented new processes for making pigment-grade titanium dioxide, cleaning spent potlining from aluminium smelters, and manufacturing titanium. His publications included Manual of elementary practical chemistry (1955, 3rd edition 1963) with Ron Brown and The chemistry of fluorine (1975).
Details
Chronology
- 1946
- Education - Master of Science (MSc), University of Melbourne
- 1951 - 1957
- Career position - Lecturer in Chemistry, University of Melbourne
- 1954
- Education - Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), University of Melbourne
- 1955
- Career position - Royal Society, London, and Nuffield Foundation Bursar, University of Cambridge
- 1957 - 1963
- Career position - Senior Lecturer in Chemistry, University of Melbourne
- 1962
- Award - Fulbright Research Senior Scholarship, Argonne National Laboratory, Lemont, Illinois, U.S.A.
- 1963 - 1979
- Career position - Reader in Chemistry, University of Melbourne
- 1968
- Award - David Syme Research Prize (jointly), University of Melbourne
- 1969
- Career position - Canadian Commonwealth Visiting Professor, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
- 1971
- Education - Doctor of Science (DSc), University of Melbourne
- 1973 - 1981
- Career position - Chairman, Catholic Education Commission of Victoria
- 1976
- Career position - Research Scientist, Lawrence Laboratory, University of California, Berkeley, California, U.S.A.
- 1977 - 1978
- Career position - Head, School of Chemistry, University of Melbourne
- 1979 - 1988
- Career position - Professor of Inorganic Chemistry, University of Melbourne
- 1982 - 1986
- Career position - Member, Australian Research Council Grant Committee
- 1982 - 1986
- Career position - Head, Department of Inorganic Chemistry, University of Melbourne
- 1989 - 2010
- Career position - Emeritus Professor, University of Melbourne
- 1994 - 2010
- Career position - Research Consultant, University of Ballarat
- 1998 - 2005
- Career position - Member of Council, University of Ballarat
Related entries
Published resources
Journal Articles
- Bond, A. M.; and Martin, R. L., 'Vale Tom O'Donnell: Australia's leading fluorine chemist', Chemistry in Australia, 2010 (July) (2010), 13. Details
- O'Donnell, Tom, 'The Kipp generator: transforming chemistry teaching in the 1950s', University of Melbourne Collections, 23 (2018), 29-31. Details
Newspaper Articles
- O'Donnell, Terry and McRae, Valda, 'Master of dangerous chemicals: Thomas Aloysius O'Donnell, scientist, educator, 28-11-1923 - 21-2-2010', Sydney Morning Herald (2010), https://www.smh.com.au/national/master-of-dangerous-chemicals-20100506-ugz3.html. Details
Helen Cohn
Created: 5 November 2019, Last modified: 25 November 2021