Person

Piddington, John Hobart (1910 - 1997)

FAA

Born
6 November 1910
Wagga Wagga, New South Wales, Australia
Died
16 July 1997
Occupation
Radiophysicist
Alternative Names
  • Piddington, Jack (Also known as)

Summary

Jack Piddington was Chief Research Scientist at the CSIRO Division of Physics, National Measurement Laboratory, Sydney 1966-1975 and was a research physicist with the CSIR/O Division of Radiophysics 1939-1966. He was noted as one of Australia's most distinguished radio scientists. During WWII he played a leading role in the development of Australia's radar defences, notably an air warning system. After the war he turned his attention to radio astronomy, developing a successful collaboration with Harry Minnett in working on microwave astronomy, and observations of the moon and their interpretation. His research in theoretical astrophysics included work on the physics of partially ionised gases (plasma physics), the ionosphere and the magnetosphere.

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Details

Chronology

1931
Education - BSc, University of Sydney
1933
Education - BE, University of Sydney
1934 - 1936
Career position - Research Fellow, University of Sydney
1935
Education - MSc, University of Sydney
1936 - 1938
Award - Walter and Eliza Hall Engineering Fellowship
1938
Education - PhD, University of Cambridge
1938 - 1939
Career position - Research Fellow, University of Sydney
1939 -
Career position - CSIR (subsequently CSIRO) Division of Radiophysics
1941
Career position - Radar consultant, British Army Malaya, Hong Kong, Burma
1944
Career position - Radar consultant, Air Ministry, United Kingdom
1955 - 1966
Career position - Senior Principal Research Scientist, CSIRO Division of Radiophysics
1958
Award - David Syme Research Prize, University of Melbourne
1959
Award - T. K. Sidney Medal, Royal Society of New Zealand
1960
Career position - Visiting Professor, University of Maryland, U.S.A.
1963 - 1997
Award - Fellow, Australian Academy of Science
1966 - 1975
Career position - Chief Research Scientist, National Measurement Laboratory, CSIRO Division of Physics
1967
Career position - Visiting Professor, University of Iowa, U.S.A.
1974
Career position - Consultant Astronomer, Kitt Peak National Observatory, Arizona, U.S.A.
1975
Life event - Retired
1975 - 1984
Career position - Senior Research Fellow, CSIRO National Measurement Laboratory
1983 - 1997
Award - Fellow, Astronomical Society of Australia

Archival resources

Adolph Basser Library, Australian Academy of Science

  • John Hobart Piddington - Records, 1949 - 1998, MS 204; Adolph Basser Library, Australian Academy of Science. Details

Private hands (Piddington, J.H.)

  • John Hobart (Jack) Piddington - Records, 1950 - 1987; Private hands (Piddington, J.H.). Details

Published resources

Encyclopedia of Australian Science and Innovation Exhibitions

Journal Articles

Resources

Resource Sections

See also

Gavan McCarthy [P004098] and Helen Cohn

Created: 20 October 1993, Last modified: 6 October 2023

EOAS ID: biogs/P000711b.htm

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