Biographical entry Rivett, Albert Cherbury David (David) (1885 - 1961)

Summary

(Sir) Albert Cherbury D. (David) Rivett was a member of the CSIR Executive 1926-49 becoming Chief Executive Officer in 1927 and then Chairman in 1946. Earlier he held the post of Professor of Chemistry at the University of Melbourne 1924-27.

Details

Born 4 December 1885. Died 1 April 1961. KCMG cr 1935. Educated Universities of Melbourne (BSc 1906, DSc 1913) and Oxford (BA 1909, BSc 1910, MA 1913) and the Nobel Institute of Physical Chemistry (1910). Lecturer, Chemistry Department, University of Melbourne 1911-21, war service, Swindon 1914-18, Associate Professor, University of Melbourne 1921-24, Professor 1924-27, Chief Executive Officer and Deputy Chairman, CSIR 1927-45, part-time chairman 1945-49. R.M. Johnston Medal, Royal Society of Tasmania 1937, Fellow, Royal Society 1941, James Cook Medal, Royal Society of New South Wales 1953, Foundation Fellow, Australian Academy of Science 1954. President, Society of Chemical Industry of Victoria 1930, 1931, President, Australian and New Zealand Association for the Advancement of Science 1937-39, President, Royal Australian Chemical Institute 1940, 1949, President, Society of Chemical Industry of London 1949. Commemorated by David Rivett Medal, CSIRO Officers Association.

Related entries

Archival resources

Adolph Basser Library, Australian Academy of Science

• Albert Cherbury David Rivett - Records, 1887 - 1961, MS 83; Adolph Basser Library, Australian Academy of Science. Details

Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) Corporate Records and Archives Strategies

• Albert Cherbury David Rivett - Records, 1926 - 1961; Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) Corporate Records and Archives Strategies. Details

Published resources

Books

• Currie, George; Graham, John, The Origins of CSIRO: Science and the Commonwealth Government, 1901-1926, CSIRO, Melbourne, 1966, 203 pp. Details
• King, Bill; McCarthy, Gavan, The Records of Albert Cherbury David Rivett (1885-161) and the British Association for the Advancement of Science Australian Meeting, 1914, Australian Science Archives Project, Melbourne, 1988, 37 pp. Also available at http://www.austehc.unimelb.edu.au/guides/rive/rivett.htm. Details
• Rivett, R., David Rivett: Fighter for Australian Science, R. D. Rivett, Camberwell, Victoria, 1972, 225 pp. Details

Book Sections

• Schedvin, C. B., 'Rivett, Albert (1855-1934), clergyman and pacifist, and Sir Albert Cherbury David (1885-1961), scientist and administrator', in Geoffrey Serle (ed.), Australian Dictionary of Biography, vol. 11, Melbourne University Press, Melbourne, 1988, pp. 398-401. Also available at http://www.adb.online.anu.edu.au/biogs/A110709b.htm. Details

Journal Articles

• Florey, Howard, 'David Rivett Memorial Lecture. The Development of Modern Science', Australian Journal of Science, vol. 26, 1963, pp. 99-105. Details
• Gresford, G. B., 'Sir David Rivett', Journal and Proceedings of the Royal Australian Chemical Institute, vol. 28, 1961, pp. 182-184. Details

Online Resources

• 'Rivett, Albert Cherbury David - Ms 83', in Listing of Adolph Basser Library holdings, Australian Academy of Science, 1994, http://www.science.org.au/basser/manuscript-collection/ms083.html. Details
• National Library of Australia, 'Rivett, David', Trove, National Library of Australia and the Australian National Maritime Museum Darling Harbour, 2009, http://nla.gov.au/nla.party-573980. 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/scripts/tia-dynindex.php3?EID=P000747. Details
• Bolton, H. C., 'Optical Instruments in Australia in the 1939-45 War: successes and lost opportunities', Australian Physicist, 1990, http://www.asap.unimelb.edu.au/bsparcs/exhib/papers/bolton2.htm. 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
• Caro, D. E.; Martin, R. L., 'Leslie Harold Martin 1900-1983', Historical Records of Australian Science, vol. 7, no. 1, 1987, pp. 97-107. Also available at http://www.publish.csiro.au/paper/HR9870710097.htm. Details
• Clarebrough, L. M.; Head, A. K., 'Walter Boas 1904-1982', Historical Records of Australian Science, vol. 6, no. 4, 1987, pp. 507-517. Also available at http://www.publish.csiro.au/paper/HR9870640507.htm. Details
• French, E. L. and Stewart, D.F., 'Lionel Bately Bull, 1889-1978', Historical Records of Australian Science, vol. 5, no. 4, 1983, pp. 90-110. Also available at http://www.publish.csiro.au/paper/HR9830540090.htm. Details
• French, E. L. and Sutherland, A. K., 'Arthur William Turner 1900-1989', Historical Records of Australian Science, vol. 9, no. 1, 1992, pp. 49-63. Also available at http://www.publish.csiro.au/paper/HR9920910049.htm. Details
• Hyde, B. G. and Day, P, 'John Stuart Anderson', Historical Records of Australian Science, vol. 9, no. 2, 1992. Also available at http://www.publish.csiro.au/paper/HR9920920127.htm. Details
• Norris, K. R., 'Ian Murray Mackerras 1898-1980', Historical Records of Australian Science, vol. 5, no. 2, 1981, pp. 98-114. Also available at http://www.publish.csiro.au/paper/HR9810520098.htm. Details
• Paterson, M. S., 'John Conrad Jaeger 1907-1979', Historical Records of Australian Science, vol. 5, no. 3, 1982, pp. 64-88. Also available at http://www.publish.csiro.au/paper/HR9820530064.htm. Details
• Rees, A. L. G., 'Ian William Wark 1899-1985', Historical Records of Australian Science, vol. 6, no. 4, 1987, pp. 533-548. Also available at http://www.publish.csiro.au/paper/HR9870640533.htm. Details
• Sherratt, Tim, '"On the beach": Australia's nuclear history', Paper presented at French Worlds, Pacific Worlds Conference, 16 July 1996. Also available at http://www.asap.unimelb.edu.au/pubs/articles/tps/tps_on_the_beach.htm. Details
• Sherratt, Tim, 'CSIRO', in Graeme Davison; John Hirst; Stuart Macintyre (ed.), Oxford Companion to Australian History, Oxford University Press, Melbourne, 1998, pp. 164-165. Also available at http://www.asap.unimelb.edu.au/pubs/articles/tps/csiro_history.htm. Details
• Stephens, C.G. and Quirk, J.P., 'James Arthur Prescott 1890-1987', Historical Records of Australian Science, vol. 7, no. 3, 1988, pp. 299-313. Also available at http://www.publish.csiro.au/paper/HR9880730299.htm. Details
• Walsh, A. and Willis, J. B., 'Albert Lloyd George Rees 1916-1989', Historical Records of Australian Science, vol. 9, no. 1, 1992, pp. 31-47. Also available at http://www.publish.csiro.au/paper/HR9920910031.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