Person
Glaessner, Martin Fritz (1906 - 1989)
FAA AM
- Born
- 25 December 1906
Aussig, Austria - Died
- 22 November 1989
Adelaide, South Australia, Australia - Occupation
- Geologist and Palaeontologist
Summary
Martin Glaessner was the Professor of Geology and Palaeontology at the University of Adelaide, 1964-1971. He was born and educated in Austria, and worked in Europe and Russia, and on oil exploration in the Middle-East and New Guinea prior coming to Australia in 1950. His book, Principles of Micropalaeontology, was published in 1945. Much of Glaessner's research was into micropalaeontology, particularly fossil foraminifera, and associated stratigraphy, including its importance in petroleum exploration. His work from the 1950s into the pre-Cambrian Ediacaran fauna in the Flinders Ranges of South Australia was the subject of The dawn of animal life (1984).
Details
Chronology
- 1923 - 1932
- Career position - Research Associate in the Department of Geology at the Natural History Museum in Vienna
- 1929
- Education - LID completed at the University of Vienna, Austria
- 1930 - 1931
- Career position - Researcher of fossil Crustacea at the British Museum (Natural History), London
- 1930 - 1931
- Career position - Lecturer in Economic Geology at the Volkshochschule in Vienna
- 1931
- Education - Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) completed at the University of Vienna
- 1932 - 1937
- Career position - Senior Research Officer and Chief of the Micropalaeontological Laboratory at the Moscow Petroleum Institute (Institute of Mineral Fuels, Academy of Science of the USSR from 1934)
- 1936 - 1937
- Career position - Senior Research Officer (part-time) at the Palaeontological Institute, Academy of Science of the USSR
- 1936 - 1937
- Career position - Lecturer in Palaeontology at the Petroleum Institute in Moscow
- 1938 - 1942
- Career position - Geologist with the Anglo-Iranian Oil Company and later Head of the palaeontological laboratory of the Australasian Petroleum Company in Port Moresby
- 1942 - 1945
- Career position - Voluntary worker for Directorate of Research, LHQ Australian Military Forces and for Allied Geographical Section, Melbourne
- 1942 - 1950
- Career position - Chief Palaeontologist at the Australasian Petroleum Company
- 1946
- Career position - Special Lecturer in Micropalaeontology at the University of Melbourne
- 1948
- Education - Doctor of Science (DSc) received from the University of Melbourne
- 1950 - 1951
- Career position - Senior Lecturer in Palaeontology at the University of Adelaide
- 1951 - 1989
- Award - Fellow of the Australian and New Zealand Association for the Advancement of Science (FANZAAS)
- 1952
- Career position - Reader in Palaeontology at the University of Adelaide
- 1953
- Award - Walter Clarke Lecturer, Royal Society of New South Wales
- 1953 - 1954
- Career position - Reader in Geology and Palaeontology at the University of Adelaide
- 1953 - 1958
- Career position - Foundation Editor, Journal of the Geological Society of Australia
- 1953 - 1989
- Career position - Research Associate, South Australian Museum
- 1957 - 1989
- Award - Fellow of the Australian Academy of Science (FAA)
- 1960 - 1962
- Career position - Member of Council, Australian Academy of Science
- 1962
- Award - Walter Burfitt Prize received from the Royal Society of New South Wales
- 1962 - 1977
- Career position - Chairman of the Australian Academy of Science National Committee for Geological Sciences
- 1964 -
- Career position - Professor (to 1971) then Emeritus Professor in Geology and Palaeontology at the University of Adelaide
- 1970
- Award - Sir Joseph Verco Medal received from the Royal Society of South Australia
- 1971 - 1989
- Award - Fellow of the German Academy of Natural Sciences Leopoldina
- 1974
- Award - Lyell Medal, Geological Society of London
- 1976 - 1989
- Award - Honorary Member, Geological Society of Australia
- 1980
- Award - ANZAAS Medal received (Australian and New Zealand Association for the Advancement of Science)
- 1982
- Award - Charles Doolittle Walcott Award and Medal received from the US National Academy of Sciences
- 1985
- Award - Eduard Suess Medal, Geological Society of Austria
- 1985
- Award - Member of the Order of Australia, Australian Government
Related entries
Published resources
Books
- Glaessner, M.; and E. Rudd, E., Sir Douglas Mawson anniversary volume: contributions to geology in honour of Sir Douglas Mawson's 70th birthday anniversary (Adelaide: University of Adelaide, 1952), 224 pp. Details
Book Sections
- O'Neil, Bernard, 'Glaessner, Martin Fritz (1906 - 1989), geologist and palaeontologist' in Australian Dictionary of Biography, Langmore, Di, ed., vol. 17 (Melbourne: Melbourne University Press, 2007), pp. 439-40. http://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/glaessner-martin-fritz-12544. Details
- Turner, S.; and Vickers-rich, Pat, 'Sprigg, Glaessner and Wade and the Discovery and International Recognition of the Ediacaran Fauna' in Four Centuries of Geological Travel: the Search for Knowledge on Foot, Bicycle, Sledge and Camel, Wyse-Jackson, P. N., ed. (London: Geological Society, 2007), pp. 443-5. Details
Conference Papers
- Turner, S.; and Vickers-Rich, P, 'Reg Sprigg, Martin F. Glaessner, Mary Wade and the Ediacaran Fauna', in IGCP 493 Conference, Prato Workshop, Monash University Centre. August 30-31, 2004 (2004), p. 1.. Details
Journal Articles
- Glaessner, M. F., 'Obituary: Walter James Parr', Australian Journal of Science, 12 (6) (1950), 211. Details
- Glaessner, M. F., 'Obituary: Sir Harold Raggatt: 1900-1968', Australian Journal of Science, 32 (10) (1970), 398-399. Details
- Glaessner, M. F.; Shergold, J. H.; and Teichert, C., 'Armin Alexander Öpik 1898-1983', Historical Records of Australian Science, 6 (2) (1985), 267-276. https://doi.org/10.1071/HR9850620267. Details
- Hill, D., 'The scientific work of Martin F. Glaessner, palaeontologist and historical geologist', Special papers, Centre Pre-Cambrian Research, University of Adelaide, 1 (1972), 1-11. Details
- McGowran, B., 'Martin Fritz Glaessner 1906-1989', Historical Records of Australian Science, 10 (1) (1994), 61-81. https://doi.org/10.1071/HR9941010061. Details
Resources
- Wikidata, http://www.wikidata.org/entity/Q1903849. Details
- VIAF - Virtual International Authority File, OCLC, https://viaf.org/viaf/85480584. Details
- 'Glaessner, Martin F (1906-1989)', Trove, National Library of Australia, 2009, https://nla.gov.au/nla.party-620469. Details
Resource Sections
- 'Emeritus Professor Martin Fritz Glaessner, Member of the Order of Australia', in It's an Honour, Australian Honours and Awards Secretariat, Australian Government, Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet, 1985, https://honours.pmc.gov.au/honours/awards/886038. Details
- McGowran, Brian, 'Martin Fritz Glaessner 1906-1989', in Australian Academy of Science Biographical Memoirs, Australian Academy of Science, 2006, https://www.science.org.au/fellowship/fellows/biographical-memoirs/martin-fritz-glaessner-1906-1989. Details
Digital resources
Gavan McCarthy [P004098] and Helen Cohn
Created: 20 October 1993, Last modified: 6 October 2023
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