Biographical entry Myers, Sir Rupert Horace (1921 - )

Summary

(Sir) Rupert Horace Myers was the Foundation Professor of Metallurgy at the University of New South Wales and the University's Vice-chancellor from 1969-1981. Throughout his illustrious career he has held numerous appointments, often consecutive, including Chairman of the Co-operative Research Centre for Greenhouse Accounting, President of the Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering and was a member of the Prime Minister's Science and Engineering Council. In total, Sir Myers has been director or chairman of over twenty boards and foundations and president, councillor or member on at least another twelve occasions. He was the first person in Australia to receive a Doctor of Philosophy (University of Melbourne, 1948) and was appointed a Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire (KBE) in 1981. The University of New South Wales has a building and lecture hall named in his honour.

Details

Events

1941 - 1942

Career position - Private in the Melbourne University Regiment of the Australian Army

1942

Education - Bachelor of Science (BSc) completed at the University of Melbourne

1942 - 1948

Career position - Commonwealth Research Fellow at the University of Melbourne

1943

Education - Master of Science (MSc) completed at the University of Melbourne

1945 - 1948

Career position - Honorary Secretary of the Australian Institute of Metals, Victorian branch

1947

Award - Grimwade Prize received from the Royal Australian Chemical Institute

1948

Education - Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) completed at the University of Melbourne

1948 - 1952

Career position - Senior then Principal Research Officer at CSIRO (Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation) Atomic Energy Research Establishment at Hartwell, UK

1950 - 1952

Career position - Deputy Chief of the Metallurgy Division of the Atomic Research Establishment

1952 - 1964

Career position - Head of the School of Metallurgy at the University of New South Wales

1952 - 1965

Career position - Councillor of the Australian Institute of Metals, New South Wales branch

1952 - 1965

Career position - Councillor of the Australian Institute of Metals

1952 - 1981

Career position - Professor of Metallurgy at the University of New South Wales

1952 - 1981

Career position - Foundation Professor of Metallurgy at the University of New South Wales

1957 - 1961

Career position - Dean and Chairman of the Faculty of Applied Science at the University of New South Wales

1958 - 1961

Career position - Vice-President then President of the Australian Institute of Metals, New South Wales branch

1959 - 1970

Career position - Chairman of the Overseas Membership Advisory Panel of the Institution of Metallurgists (London)

1961 - 1963

Career position - Vice-President the President of the Australian Institute of Metals

1961 - 1969

Career position - Pro-Vice-Chancellor of the University of New South Wales

1964 - 1969

Career position - Chairman of the Institution of Metallurgists (London) - Australian Regions

1965

Award - Florence Taylor Medal received from the Australian Institute of Metals

1966 - 1983

Career position - Director of the Prince Henry, Prince of Wales and Eastern Suburbs Hospitals, New South Wales

1969 - 1981

Career position - Vice-Chancellor and Principal the University of New South Wales

1969 - 1981

Career position - Director and Deputy Chairman of Unisearch Limited

1971 - 1989

Career position - Chairman of the New South Wales State Pollution Control Commission

1973

Education - Doctor of Laws honoris causa (Hon LLD) received from the University of Strathclyde, Scotland

1976

Education - Doctor of Science honoris causa (Hon DSc) received from the University of Wollongong, New South Wales

1976

Award - Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE)

1976 - 1979

Career position - Vice-Chairman (1976-1977) then Chairman of the Australian Vice-chancellors' Committee

1979 -

Award - Fellow of the Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering (FTSE)

1981 -

Career position - Emeritus Professor of Metallurgy at the University of New South Wales

1981

Award - Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire (KBE)

1981

Education - Doctor of Letters honoris causa (Hon DLitt) received from the University of New South Wales

1981

Education - Doctor of Engineering honoris causa (Hon Deng) received from the University of Newcastle, New South Wales

1981 - 1993

Career position - Director of CSR Limited

1982 -

Career position - Director of Energy Resources of Australia Limited

1982 - 1985

Career position - Chairman of the New South Wales Coastal Council

1982 - 1994

Career position - Council member of the Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering

1983

Award - Honorary Fellow of the Institute of Metals and Materials Australia (FIMMA)

1984 - 1992

Career position - Director of Earthwatch Australia Limited

1985 - 1988

Career position - Vice-President of the Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering

1987 - 1991

Career position - Director of IBM Australia Limited

1989 - 1993

Career position - Chairman of Unisearch Limited

1989 - 1994

Career position - President of the Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering

1991

Award - Honorary Fellow of the Institute of Engineers, Australia (FIEAust)

1995

Award - Officer of the Order of Australia (AO)

1997 -

Award - Fellow of the Australian Academy of Science (FAA)

2003

Award - Centenary Medal received from the Australian Government

Related entries

Published resources

Online Resources

• National Library of Australia, 'Myers, Rupert H', Trove, National Library of Australia and the Australian National Maritime Museum Darling Harbour, 2009, http://nla.gov.au/nla.party-491688. Details