Robson, Alan David (1945 - )

Summary

Alan Robson is internationally recognised for his research on mineral nutrition of plants. Much of his focus has been on the areas of highly-weathered soils in the southwest of Western Australia. He developed diagnostic tests for nutrient disorders (deficiencies and toxicities) particularly in cereals, grains and pasture legumes. After an early career with the Victorian Department of Agriculture (with a 2-year break for National Service), he joined the University of Western Australia in 1974 as a Lecturer in Plant Nutrition, spending the remainder of his academic career at the University. He retired in 2012 as Vice Chancellor. Robson has been actively involved in the wider university and scientific communities. He chaired Group of Eight between 2007 and 2010 while also serving on the Australian Universities Teaching Committee and as Deputy Chair of the Board, Universities Australia. For the Western Australian Government his appointments included membership of the Pastoral Lands Board, the Board of Management of the Royal Perth Hospital and the State Wheat Research Committee. Other positions included with the CSIRO Board, the Science and Industry Endowment Fund, and a range of other organisations.

Details

Chronology

1965

Education - Bachelor of Agricultural Science (BAgSc), University of Melbourne

1966

Award - CSIRO Research Studentship

1966 - 1969

Award - Federal Wheat Research Council Studentship (post-graduate)

1967 -

Career position - Member, Australian Society of Plant Physiologists

1968 -

Career position - Member, Australian Soil Science Society

1969

Education - Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Soil Science, University of Western Australia

1969 - 1970

Career position - Agronomist, Victorian Department of Agriculture

1970 - 1972

Career position - National Service, Served as Second Lieutenant, Adjutant-Quartermaster at 5 Central Ammunition Depot, South Australia.

1972 - 1973

Career position - Research Agronomist, Victorian Wheat Research Institute

1974 - 1980

Career position - Lecturer in Plant Nutrition, Department of Soil Science and Plant Nutrition, University of Western Australia

1980 - 1983

Career position - Lecturer, Senior Lecturer in Plant Nutrition, Department of Soil Science and Plant Nutrition, University of Western Australia

1983 - 1984

Career position - Associate Professor in Plant Nutrition, Department of Soil Science and Plant Nutrition, University of Western Australia

1983 - 1989

Career position - Member, State Wheat Research Committee, Western Australia

1984 - 2001

Career position - Professor of Agriculture (Soil Science), University of Western Australia

1985 - 1990

Career position - Chairman, Grain Legumes Research Council

1987

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

1989

Award - Australian Medal of Agricultural Science, Australian Institute of Agricultural Science

1990 - 1992

Career position - Member, Agriculture Sector Advisory Committee, CSIRO

1991 - 1992

Career position - Dean, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Western Australia

1992 - 1993

Career position - Director, CRC for Legumes in Mediterranean Agriculture

1992 - 1996

Award - Fellow, Australian Institute of Agricultural Science

1993 -

Career position - Chair, Raine Medical Research Foundation Committee

1993 - 2004

Career position - Deputy Vice Chancellor and Provost, University of Western Australia

1994 - 1998

Career position - Member of the Board of Management, Royal Perth Hospital

1995 - 1996

Career position - Deputy Chair, Research Grants Committee, Australian Research Council

1997 -

Award - Fellow, Australian Institute of Agricultural Science and Technology

1997 - 2005

Career position - Council Member, National Library of Australia

1999 -

Career position - Deputy Chairman, Western Australian Institute for Medical Research

1999 - 2005

Career position - Deputy Chair, National Library of Australia

2000 - 2004

Career position - Member, Australian Universities Teaching Committee

2001

Award - Centenary Medal - for service to Australian society in plant production and processing and university administration

2001 - 2003

Career position - Director, Australian Universities Quality Council

2001 - 2012

Career position - Hackett Professor of Agriculture, University of Western Australia

2002 - 2004

Career position - Chair, Ministerial Taskforce on Sustainability of Pastoralism Western Australia

2002 - 2010

Career position - Member, Premier's Science Council Western Australia

2003

Award - Member of the Order of Australia (AM) - for service to education, particularly in the field of agricultural science, and to the development of agricultural research through a range of research committees and councils

2003 - 2005

Career position - Chair, Pastoral Lands Board Western Australia

2003 - 2008

Career position - Member, Board Remuneration Committee, CSIRO

2003 - 2008

Career position - Member, CSIRO Board

2004 - 2012

Career position - Vice Chancellor, University of Western Australia

2005 - 2011

Career position - Deputy Chair of the Board, Universities Australia

2007 - 2010

Career position - Chair, Group of Eight

2008 -

Career position - Fellow, Australian College of Educators

2009

Award - Citizen of the Year Award, Professions Category, Government of Western Australia

2010 - 2011

Career position - Chair, Worldwide Universities Network

2010 - 2019

Career position - Chair, Advisory Council, Science and Industry Endowment Fund

2011 -

Career position - Chair, Metropolitan Local Government Review Panel, Western Australia

2012 -

Career position - Emeritus Professor, University of Western Australia

2012 -

Career position - Chair, Executive Advisory Board, LH Martin Institute, University of Melbourne

2012 -

Career position - Chair, Higher Education Council

2012 -

Career position - Chair, Western Australian Biosecurity Council

2012 - 2021

Career position - Chair of Trustees, Western Australian Museum

2013

Award - Officer of the Order of Australia (AO) - for distinguished service to tertiary education through governance and administrative roles, to the advancement of scientific and medical research, and to the community

2014

Award - Inducted into the Western Australian Science Hall of Fame

Related entries

Published resources

Resources

• Alan Robson, Emeritus Professor, University of Western Australia, Perth, 2021. https://research-repository.uwa.edu.au/en/persons/alan-robson. Details

See also

• Who's who in Australia 2012 (Melbourne: Crown Content Pty Ltd, 2012), 2430 pp. Details
• Officer (AO) in the General Division of the Order of Australia [Queen's Birthday 2013], Governor General's Office, Canberra, 2013, https://web.archive.org.au/awa/20190510165629mp_/https:/www.gg.gov.au/sites/default/files/files/honours/qb/qb2013/Media%20Notes%20-%20AO%20(final)(1).pdf. Details