Published Resources Details
Newspaper Article
- Title
- Death of Geoff Hill
- In
- CoResearch
- Description of Work
- CSIRO's staff newspaper
- Imprint
- no. 259, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Organisation, February 1983, p. 5
- Url
- https://csiropedia.csiro.au/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/coresearch_1983.pdf
- Format
- Contains
- Image
- Description
See pdf page 13.
- Abstract
The death occurred recently of Dr Geoff Hill, a senior scientist in the Division of Mineral Chemistry at Port Melbourne. Geoff suffered a fatal heart attack travelling home.
He joined the Division of Radiophysics in 1949 as a part-time technical assistant, graduating from the University of Sydney the following year as a B.Sc., and as an M.Sc. in 1955. In 1961, he was awarded a Ph.D. from the University of Melbourne for his thesis on "Advanced Programming of Digital Computers".
Geoff was intimately involved in the development of CSIRO's first computer, CSIRAC which was, at that time, the fourth computer in the world.
He applied his professional skills to a wide range of problems; wheat yields, rainfall, library systems, accounting systems, soils and geomechanics to mention but a few to illustrate his diversity of interests.
In the early 1970s, his attention moved towards the then-emerging field of geostatistics, and, backing his own judgement, he determined to make this area his future career. In 1975, with the assistance of a French Government Fellowship, he studied at the Centre de Morphologi'e Mathernatique, Fontainebleau.
On returning to Australia he transferred to the Division of Mineral Chemistry and pursued his professional work with great vigour, returning to Fontainebleau for a further study period in 1980. During this last phase of his career he made significant contributions to both particular Australian mining companies and the field of geostatistics, in developing methods of assessing the characteristics and magnitude of Australia's mineral resources. He was well versed in geology and mineralogy as well as mathematics.
During his career, Geoff was a visiting scientist and professor to organizations and universities in the U.S.A., Canada and South Africa. He contributed to the organization of, and presented papers at many international conferences and published over forty papers in the scientific literature. He was a member of the Editorial Board of the American 1Dumal of Mathematical and Management Sciences. His professional opinion was regularly sought, both nationally and internationally.
Colleagues remember his deep and real concern for people, their needs and their development, his total commitment to his profession which was tempered by a sparkling sense of humour, skills in legerdemain, and supported by a determination to seek the truth in all things. He is survived by his wife Eileen, daughter Elizabeth, and sons Peter and Michael.