Biographical entry Pawsey, Joseph Lade (1908 - 1962)

Summary

Joseph Lade Pawsey established radio astronomy in Australia. He made important discoveries about the relationships between solar radiation and sunspots. His team made many discoveries about radiation and radio emissions from the Milky Way and external galaxies and developed many new techniques later used world wide.

Details

Born Ararat, Victoria, 14 May 1908. Died Sydney, 30 November 1962. Educated Universities of Melbourne (BSc 1929, MSc 1931) and Cambridge (PhD 1935). 1851 Exhibition scholar 1931-34; research physicist, EMI Ltd, UK 1934-39; research physicist, CSIR/O Division of Radiophysics 1940-62, Assistant Chief 1952-62. In 1962 he was appointed Director of the U.S. National Radio Astronomy Observatory but died before taking office. Thomas Rankin Lyle medal, Australian National Research Council 1953; Fellow, Royal Society 1954; Foundation Fellow, Australian Academy of Science 1954; Matthew Flinders lecturer, Australian Academy of Science 1957; Royal Society Hughes Medal 1960; Hon. DSc, Australian National University 1961. President, Radio Astronomy Commission, International Astronomical Union 1952-58; President, Australian Branch, Institute of Physics 1960-61. Wrote Radio Astronomy with R.N. Bracewell in 1955.

Related entries

Archival resources

Adolph Basser Library, Australian Academy of Science

• Joseph Lade Pawsey - Records, 1953 - 1964, MS 020; Adolph Basser Library, Australian Academy of Science. Details

Published resources

Encyclopedia of Australian Science Exhibitions

• Smith, Ailie, Adolph Basser Library Manuscript Collection, eScholarship Research Centre, 2012, http://www.eoas.info/basser_browse.html. Details

Books

• The Radiophysics Laboratory Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, A Textbook of Radar, Angus & Robertson, Sydney; London, 1947, 579 pp. Author of Chapter 2. Details

Book Sections

• Robertson, Peter, 'Pawsey, Joseph Lade (1908-1962), Physicist', in John Ritchie (ed.), Australian Dictionary of Biography, vol. 15, Melbourne University Press, Melbourne, 2000, pp. 578-579. Also available at http://www.adb.online.anu.edu.au/biogs/A150673b.htm. Details

Journal Articles

• 'Dr. Joseph L. Pawsey, 1908-1962', Proceedings of the Institution of Radio and Electronics Engineers, Australia, vol. 24, no. 2, 1963, p. 94. Details
• 'Obituary: Dr. J.L. Pawsey', Australian Physicist, vol. 1, no. 1, 1964, p. 6. Details
• Christiansen, W. N.; Mills, B.Y., 'Biographical Memoirs [Joseph Lade Pawsey, including publications]', Australian Physicist, vol. 1, no. 9, 1964, pp. 137-141. Details
• Frater, R. H., 'The Australia Telescope: a Shortened Version of the Pawsey Memorial Lecture 1983', Australian Physicist, vol. 21, 1984, pp. 203-207. Details
• Pawsey, J. L., 'Australian Radio Astronomy: How it developed in this country', Australian Scientist, vol. 1, iii, 1961, pp. 181-186. Details

Online Resources

• 'Pawsey, Joseph Lade - Ms 20', in Listing of Adolph Basser Library holdings, Australian Academy of Science, 1994, http://www.science.org.au/basser/manuscript-collection/ms020.html. Details
• 'Pawsey, Joseph Lade', in Physics in Australia to 1945, R.W. Home, with the assistance of Paula J. Needham, Australian Science Archives Project, June 1995, http://www.asap.unimelb.edu.au/bsparcs/physics/P000698p.htm. Details
• 'Pawsey, Joseph Lade', Trove, National Library of Australia, 2009, http://nla.gov.au/nla.party-1467358. Details

See also

• Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering, Technology in Australia 1788-1988, Online edn, Australian Science and Technology Heritage Centre, Melbourne, 3 May 2000, http://www.austehc.unimelb.edu.au/tia/index_p.html. Details
• Brown, R. Hanbury; Minnett, Harry C; White, Fredrick W. G., 'Edward George Bowen 1911-1991', Historical Records of Australian Science, vol. 9, no. 2, 1992, pp. 151-166. Also available at http://www.publish.csiro.au/paper/HR9920920151.htm. Details
• White, F. W.G., 'Robert Gordon Menzies (1894-1978)', Historical Records of Australian Science, vol. 5, no. 1, 1980, pp. 68-102. Also available at http://www.publish.csiro.au/paper/HR9800510068.htm. Details
• Wisdom, John, A History of Defence Science in Australia, Defence Science and Technology Organisation, Melbourne, 1995, 267 pp. Details