Person

Wild, John Paul (Paul) (1923 - 2008)

AC CBE FAA FRS FTSE HonFIEAust

Born
17 May 1923
Sheffield, England
Died
10 May 2008
Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia
Occupation
Radiophysicist and Science administrator

Summary

Paul Wild was a radiophysicist who during 30 years with the CSIRO Division of Radiophysics made significant contributions to radio astronomy and solar physics, helping to establish Australia's reputation as the leader in the field. His early work on solar radio bursts became the basis for all future work in the area. With his team he invented Interscan, a standard microwave aircraft landing system. As Chairman and Chief Executive of CSIRO he led a major restructure of the Organisation, increasing collaboration with industry. On retiring from CSIRO Wild chaired the Very Fast Train Joint Venture, which proposed a high-speed train link between Sydney and Melbourne. The Paul Wild Observatory at Culgoora, New South Wales, is named in his honour.

Details

Chronology

1943
Education - BA, University of Cambridge
1943 - 1947
Career position - Radar Officer, Royal Navy
1947 - 1953
Career position - Research Officer, CSIRO Division of Radiophysics
1950
Education - MA, University of Cambridge
1953 - 1956
Career position - Senior Research Officer, CSIRO Division of Radiophysics
1956 - 1958
Career position - Principal Research Officer, CSIRO Division of Radiophysics
1957
Award - Edgeworth David Medal, Royal Society of New South Wale
1958 - 1961
Career position - Senior Principal Research Officer, CSIRO Division of Radiophysics
1961
Award - Elected Honorary Foreign Member, American Academy of Arts and Sciences
1961 - 1966
Career position - Chief Research Officer, CSIRO Division of Radiophysics
1962
Award - Elected Foreign Member, American Philosophical Society
1962
Award - ScD, University of Cambridge
1964
Award - Fellow, Australian Academy of Science (FAA)
1966 - 1971
Career position - Director, CSIRO Solar Observatory, Culgoora, New South Wales
1967 - 1970
Career position - President, Radio Astronomy Commission, International Astronomical Union
1969
Award - Balthasar van der Pol Gold Medal, International Union of Radio Science
1969
Award - Hendryk Arctowski Gold Medal, US National Academy of Sciences
1969
Award - Elected Corresponding Member, Royal Society of Liège
1970 - 2008
Award - Fellow, The Royal Society, London (FRS)
1971 - 1978
Career position - Chief, CSIRO Division of Radiophysics
1973 - 1977
Career position - Foreign Secretary, Australian Academy of Science
1974
Award - Awarded first Herschel Medal, Royal Astronomical Society
1974
Award - Matthew Flinders Medal and Lecturer, Australian Academy of Science
1975
Award - Thomas Ranken Lyle Medal, Australian Academy of Science
1977 - 1987
Award - Fellow, Australian Academy of Technological Sciences (FTS)
1978
Award - Companion of the Order of the British Empire (CBE)
1978
Career position - Member, CSIRO Executive
1978
Award - Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE)
1978 - 1985
Career position - Chairman, CSIRO
1979
Award - DSc (honoris causa), Australian National University
1980
Award - George Ellery Hale Prize for Solar Astronomy, American Astronomical Society
1984
Award - ANZAAS Medal, Australian and New Zealand Association for the Advancement of Science
1986
Award - Companion of the Order of Australia (AC) - for service to science and to the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation
1986 - 1991
Career position - Chairman, Very Fast Train Joint Venture
1987
Award - Fellow, Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering (FTSE) [Awarded by AATS 1977]
1987 - 2008
Award - Fellow, Astronomical Society of Australia
1988
Award - Hartnet Medal, Royal Society of Arts London
1991
Award - Honorary Fellow (HonFIEAust), Institution of Engineers Australia
2001
Award - Centenary Medal - for service to Australian society and to science and to the CSIRO

Related Corporate Bodies

Archival resources

Adolph Basser Library, Australian Academy of Science

  • John Paul Wild - Records, 1975 - 1980, MS 136; Adolph Basser Library, Australian Academy of Science. Details

Published resources

Encyclopedia of Australian Science and Innovation Exhibitions

Books

  • Bhathal, Ragbir, Australian Astronomers: Achievements at the Frontiers of Astronomy (Canberra: National Library of Australia, 1996), 243 pp. Details
  • Frater, Robert H.; Goss, Miller; and Wendt, Harry, Four pillars of radio astronomy: Mills, Christiansen, Wild and Bracewell (Cham, Switzerland: Springer International Publishing, 2017), 199 pp. Details

Book Sections

  • Stewart, Ronald, Orchiston, Wayne and Slee, Bruce, 'The Sun Has Set on a Brilliant Mind: John Paul Wild (1923-2008), Solar Radio Astronomer Extraordinaire' in Highlighting the History of Astronomy in the Asia-Pacific Region: Proceedings of the ICOA-6, Orchiston, Wayne, Nakamura, Tsuko and Strom, Richard G., eds (New York: Springer, 2011), pp. 527-42. Details
  • Wendt, Harry, 'Paul Wild and His Investigation of the H-Line' in Highlighting the History of Astronomy in the Asia-Pacific Region: Proceedings of the ICOA-6, Orchiston, Wayne, Nakamuro, Tsuko and Strom, Richard G., eds (New York: Springer, 2011), pp. 543-6. Details

Journal Articles

  • Frater, R. H.; and Ekers, R. D., 'John Paul Wild 1923-2008', Historical Records of Australian Science, 23 (2) (2012), 212-27, https://doi.org/10.1071/HR12011. Details
  • Frater, R. H.; and Ekers, R. D., 'John Paul Wild AC CBE FAA FTSE. 17 May 1923 - 10 May 2008', Biographical Memoirs Fellows of the Royal Society, 58 (2012), 327-46. Details
  • Wild, J. P., 'The Beginnings of Radio Astronomy in Australia', Records of the Australian Academy of Science, 2 (3) (1972), 52-61. http://www.publish.csiro.au/paper/HR9720230052.htm. Details
  • Wild, J. P., 'The Beginnings of Radio Astronomy in Australia', Proceedings of the Astronomical Society of Australia, 7 (1) (1987), 95-102. Details
  • Wild, J. P.; and Radhakrishnan, V. R., 'John Gatenby Bolton 1922-1993', Historical Records of Australian Science, 10 (4) (1995), 381-391. https://doi.org/10.1071/HR9951040381. Details

Resources

Resource Sections

Theses

  • Stewart, Ronald Thomas, 'The contribution of the CSIRO Division of Radiophysics Penrith and Dapto Field Stations to international radio astronomy', PhD thesis, James Cook University, 2009, 300 pp. http://eprints.jcu.edu.au/10660. Details

See also

Gavan McCarthy [P004098] and Helen Cohn

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