Biographical entry Thomson, Donald Finlay Fergusson (1901 - 1970)

Summary

Donald Thomson was Professor of Anthropology, University of Melbourne 1964-1968. He had been associated with the University for many years as a Research Fellow and Associate Professor. He collected and studied widely on the Cape York Peninsula and in Arnhem Land.

Details

Events

1928

Career position - Led expedition to Cape York Peninsula in North Queensland

1929

Career position - Led expedition to Cape York Peninsula in North Queensland

1932 - 1933

Career position - Led expedition to Cape York Peninsula in North Queensland

1932 - 1937

Career position - Research Fellow at the University of Melbourne

1935 - 1937

Career position - Led expedition to Arnhem Land

1936

Award - David Syme Research Prize received from the University of Melbourne

1938

Award - Wellcome Gold Medal (London) received

1939 - 1944

Career position - Wing Commander with the Royal Australian Air Force

1945 - 1953

Career position - Research Fellow at the University of Melbourne

1951

Award - Patron's Medal received from the Royal Geographical Society

1952

Award - Lewis Gold Medal received from the Royal Geographical Society of Australia, South Australian branch

1953

Award - Rivers Memorial Medal RAI received

1953 - 1964

Career position - Associate Professor at the University of Melbourne

1957

Career position - Led expedition to the Great Sandy and Gibson deserts in central Western Australia

1963

Career position - Led expedition to the Great Sandy and Gibson deserts in central Western Australia

1964 - 1968

Career position - Professor of Anthropology at the University of Melbourne

1965

Career position - Led expedition to the Great Sandy and Gibson deserts in central Western Australia

Related entries

Archival resources

The University of Melbourne Archives

• Donald Fergusson Thomson - Records, 1930 - 1970; The University of Melbourne Archives. Details

Published resources

Book Sections

• Morphy, Howard, 'Thomson, Donald Finlay Ferguson (1901-1970), Anthropologist and Zoologist', in John Ritchie and Diane Langmore (eds), Australian Dictionary of Biography, vol. 16, Melbourne University Press, Melbourne, 2002, pp. 385-387. Also available at http://www.adb.online.anu.edu.au/biogs/A160467b.htm. Details

Edited Books

• Rigsby, Bruce and Peterson, Nicolas (eds), Donald Thomson, the Man and Scholar, Academy of the Social Sciences in Australia, Canberra, 2005, 269 pp. Details

Journal Articles

• 'Obituaries: Donald Fergusson Thomson; Noel Fulford Learmonth;', Emu, vol. 71, no. 2, 1971, pp. 88-89. Details

Online Resources

• National Library of Australia, 'Thomson, Donald F', Trove, National Library of Australia and the Australian National Maritime Museum Darling Harbour, 2009, http://nla.gov.au/nla.party-617269. Details

See also

• Legge, J. W. and Gibson, F., 'Victor Martin Trikojus, 1902-1985', Historical Records of Australian Science, vol. 6, no. 4, 1987, pp. 519-531. Also available at http://www.publish.csiro.au/paper/HR9870640519.htm. Details