Baxter, Rodney James (1940 - 2025)

Summary

Rodney Baxter was a mathematical physicist who specialised in statistical mechanics. He was renowned for known for his work in exactly solved models, particularly vertex models. A recurring theme in the solutions to such models was the Yang-Baxter equation. Baxter received a number of awards for his research, including Fellowship of the Australian Academy of Science and the Royal Society, London. From 1981 to 2022 Baxter was Professor of Theoretical Physics in the Research School of Physical Sciences, Australian National University.

Details

Chronology

1961

Education - Master of Arts (MA), University of Cambridge

1964

Education - Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), Australian National University

1964

Career position - Reservoir engineer, Iraq Petroleum Company, London

1965 - 1968

Career position - Research Fellow, Australian National University

1968 - 1970

Career position - Assistant Professor, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Boston, Massachusetts, U.S.A.

1970 - 1975

Career position - Research fellow, Australian National University

1975

Award - Pawsey Medal, Australian Academy of Science

1975 - 1985

Career position - Professorial Fellow, Institute of Advanced Studies, Australian National University

1977 - 2025

Award - Fellow, Australian Academy of Science (FAA)

1980

Award - Boltzmann Medal, Commission on Statistical Physics, International Union for Pure and Applied Physics (IUPAP)

1981 - 2022

Career position - Professor of Theoretical Physics, Research School of Physical Sciences, Australian National University

1982 - 2025

Award - Fellow, The Royal Society, London (FRS)

1983

Award - Thomas Ranken Lyle Medal, Australian Academy of Science

1984

Education - ScD, University of Cambridge

1987

Award - Dannie Heineman Prize for Mathematical Physics, American Physical Society

1994

Award - Harrie Massey Medal and Prize, Australian Institute of Physics and Institute of Physics, United Kingdom

1 Jan 2001

Award - Centenary Medal - for service to Australian society in mathematical sciences

2006

Award - Lars Onsager Prize, American Physical Society

2013

Award - Royal Medal, Royal Society, London

2021

Award - Henri Poincaré Prize (shared), Daniel Iagolnitzer Foundation (presented at International Congress on Mathematical Physics)

Related entries

Published resources

Books

• Baxter, R. J., Exactly solved models in statistical mechanics (London: Academic Press, 1982), 512 pp. Details
• Baxter, R. J., An accidental academic (Canberra: Rodney Baxter, 2017), 85 pp. Details

Journal Articles

• 'Professor Rodney James Baxter FAA FRS (8/02/1940 - 20/07/2025)', Newsletter, Australian Academy of Science, 194 (2025), https://www.science.org.au/academy-newsletter/july-2025-194/fellows-update-july-2025. Details
• Batchelor, Murray, Bazhanov, Vladimir and Campbell, Geoffrey, 'Rodney James Baxter 8 February 1940 to 20 July 2025', Gazette (Australian Mathematical Society), 52 (5) (2025), 205-8, https://austms.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/525Web_2.pdf. Details
• Baxter, R. J., 'Some academic and personal reminiscences of Rodney James Baxter', Journal of physics A: mathematical and theoretical, 48 (25401) (2015), 1-25. https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/1751-8113/48/25/254001. Details

Resources

• Wikidata, http://www.wikidata.org/entity/Q1718012. Details
• VIAF - Virtual International Authority File, OCLC, https://viaf.org/viaf/94950949. Details
• 'Rodney Baxter - Citation at year of election, 1977', The Academy's Fellows [including profiles and other relevant links], Australian Academy of Science, Canberra, 2019, https://www.science.org.au/profile/rodney-baxter. Details
• Pawsey Medal, Australian Academy of Science, 2022. https://www.science.org.au/supporting-science/awards-and-opportunities/pawsey-medal. Details
• Thomas Ranken Lyle Medal, Australian Academy of Science, Canberra, 2023. https://www.science.org.au/supporting-science/awards-and-opportunities/thomas-ranken-lyle-medal. Details
• 'Baxter, Rodney James (19400208-)', Trove, National Library of Australia, 2009, https://nla.gov.au/nla.party-1477275. Details