Baker, Joseph Thomas (Joe) (1935 - 2018)

Summary

Joe Baker was an organic chemist who has a wide-ranging influence in Australia and internationally in marine sciences and environmental studies. He was a founding Member of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority and played a leading role in its inclusion in the World Heritage List. From 1974 to 1981 he was Director of the Roche Research Institute of Marine Pharmacology followed by periods as Director of the Centre for Tropical Marine Studies at James Cook University and the Australian Institute of Marine Science. Baker was instrumental in the Asia-Pacific region in promoting the sustainable use of resources and promoting understanding on the ecological impact of natural resource use. He helped frame the Manilla Declaration (1992), the Malacca Accord (1994), and Australia's regulatory system in this area.

Details

Chronology

1950 - 1955

Career position - Assistant Laboratory Technician, CSIRO Food Preservation and Transport Laboratories

1956 - 1960

Career position - Demonstrator (later Senior Demonstrator), Department of Chemistry, University of Queensland

1961

Career position - Lecturer in Chemistry, University College, Townsville

1962 - 1969

Career position - Senior Lecturer in Chemistry, University College, Townsville

1962 - 2002

Career position - Foundation Member, Australian Marine Sciences Association

1967

Education - PhD, University of Queensland

1970

Award - Fellow, Royal Australian Chemical Institute

1970 - 1973

Career position - Associate Professor of Chemistry, James Cook University

1974 - 1981

Career position - Director, Roche Research Institute of Marine Pharmacology

1974 - 1981

Career position - Member, International Pharmaceuticals Research Management Group

1975 - 1989

Career position - Member, Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority

1976 - 1981

Career position - Director of Research, Roche Australia

1977 - 1984

Career position - Chairman, Committee of Trustees, Lizard Island Research Station, Queensland

1977 - 1984

Career position - President, Australian Museum Trust

1978 - 1982

Career position - Member, Queen Elizabeth Fellowship in Marine Science Selection Committee

1979 - 1984

Career position - Member, Australian Marine Sciences and Technologies Advisory Committee

1981 - 1985

Career position - Director, Sir George Fisher Centre for Tropical Marine Studies, James Cook University

1981 - 1985

Career position - Chairman, Australian World Heritage Committee

1982

Award - Order of the British Empire (OBE) - In recognition of service to marine science

1982 - 1984

Career position - President, Australian Marine Sciences Association

1983 - 1998

Career position - Member, International Advisory Committee, International Seaweed Association

1984 - 1989

Career position - Member, Scientific Advisory Committee, World Wildlife Fund (Australia)

1985 - 1986

Career position - Chairman, Australian Heritage Committee

1985 - 1992

Career position - Director, Australian Institute of Marine Science

1986 - 1999

Career position - Chairman, Australian National Committee for the Environment, Australian Academy of Science

1989

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

1992

Award - Honorary Fellow, Australian Institute of Marine Science

1993

Award - Leighton Memorial Medal, Royal Australian Chemical Institute

1993 - 2004

Career position - Commissioner for the Environment, Australian Capital Territory

1995 - 1997

Career position - President, Federation of Australian Scientific and Technological Societies

1995 - 1997

Career position - Chairman, North Queensland Regional Economic Development Board

1995 - 2004

Career position - Executive Member, International Scientific Committee on Problems of the Environment (SCOPE)

1997 - ?

Career position - Chairman, National Plasma Physics research Facility Committee, Australian National University

1997 -

Career position - Adjunct Professor, James Cook University

1997 - ?

Career position - Board Member, International Marine Biotechnology Association

1997 -

Career position - Chairman, Gulf of Carpentaria Fisheries Management Advisory Committee

1997 - 2004

Career position - Chairman, Tropical Queensland Vegetation Management Advisory Committee

1999 -

Career position - Executive Chairman, Queensland Food and Fibre Science and Innovation Council

1999 - 2004

Career position - Chief Scientist, Queensland Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries

2000 -

Career position - Adjunct Professor, Burapha University, Thailand

2000 - 2003

Career position - Member, Queensland Innovation Council

2001

Award - Centenary Medal - for service to environmental research

2002

Award - Officer of the Order of Australia (AO) - for service to marine science, to the development of commercially viable and environmentally sustainable aquaculture industries, to environmental research and protection, and to the progress of ecologically sustainable development in Australia and internationally

2002

Award - Honorary Life Member, Australian Marine Sciences Association

2004 -

Career position - Chief Scientific Advisor, Queensland Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries

2005

Award - Clunies-Ross Lifetime Achievement Award, Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering

2007 - 2018

Career position - Patron, Australian Marine Sciences Association

Related entries

Published resources

Books

• Erpic, Angelika, Joe Baker: a ;life rich with science, sustainability, respect and rugby league (West Geelong, Victoria: Echo Books, 2018), 300 pp. Details

Journal Articles

• Anon, 'Joe Baker - ATSE Clunies Ross Lifetime Contribution Award', Australian Marine Science Bulletin, 169 (2005), 3. Details
• Baker, J. T., 'Chemistry - my life's determining factor', Chemistry in Australia, 61 (1994), 420-3. Details
• Baker, Joe, 'AMSA Honorary Life Member Joe Baker AO, OBE, FTSE, MSc, PhD, FRACI, C.Chem', Australian marine science bulletin, 160 (2002), 4-5. Details
• Newton, Gina, 'Joe Baker - AMSA Patron', Australian Marine Science Bulletin, 176 (2007), 4-5. Details

Newspaper Articles

• Baker, Tracey, 'Jo Baker obituary: scientist and rugby league player who helped protect the Great Barrier Reef', Sydney Morning Herald (2018). https://www.smh.com.au/national/joe-baker-obituary-scientist-and-rugby-league-player-who-helped-protect-great-barrier-reef-20180223-h0wj43.html. Details

See also

• Who's who in Australia 2012 (Melbourne: Crown Content Pty Ltd, 2012), 2430 pp. Details
• Rae, Ian D., 'The Roche Research Institute of Marine Pharmacology, 1974-1981: Searching for Drug Leads', Historical Records of Australian Science, 20 (2) (2009), 209-231 , https://doi.org/10.1071/HR09013. Details