Roderick, Jack William (1913 - 1990)

Summary

John Roderick was Professor and Head of School of Civil Engineering, University of Sydney 1951-1978. In 1968 he set up the Postgraduate Civil Engineering Foundation, an organisation which brought industry and University together and which provided a source of funds for research. He made significant contributions to the theory of welded and other metal structures and the application of plastic theory to the design of such structures.

In 1981, the University of Sydney named the J.W. Roderick Laboratory for Materials and Structures in his honor.

Details

Chronology

1935

Education - Bachelor of Science (BSc), University of Bristol, England

1935

Career position - Engineering Assistant, H. Young and Co. Structural Engineers, Bristol, England

1935 - 1937

Career position - Engineering Assistant, Experimental Department, Bristol Aeroplane Company, England

1937

Education - Masters of Science (MSc), University of Bristol, England

1937 - 1939

Career position - Research Assistant, Department of Civil Engineering, University of Bristol, England

1939 - 1943

Career position - Lecturer in Civil and Mechanical Engineering, University of Leeds, England

1940s

Career position - Technical Intelligence Officer, Ministry of Home Security (survey of bomb-damaged steel structures), England

1941

Education - Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), University of Bristol, England

1944

Career position - Secondment to the University of Cambridge, England by the British Welding Research Association

1945

Education - Masters of Arts (MA), University of Cambridge, England

1945 - 1950

Career position - Assistant Director of Research, Engineering Department, University of Cambridge, England

1946

Career position - Secondment to British Welding Research Association to supervise establishment of its Abington Research Station

1951

Life event - Moved to Sydney, as Professor of Civil Engineering, University of Sydney

c. 1951

Career event - Fellow, Institution of Civil Engineers London, England

1951

Career position - University Lectureship and in Charge of Postgraduate Courses, University of Cambridge, England

1951 - 1978

Career position - Challis Professor of Civil Engineering, University of Sydney

1952

Career event - Member (MIEAust), Institution of Engineers Australia

1954 - 1990

Award - Fellow, Australian Academy of Science (FAA)

1957 -

Career position - Member of the Council, Standards Association of Australia

c. 1957

Career event - Fellow, American Society of Civil Engineers, United States of America (USA)

c. 1958

Career event - Consultant to check the proposed design of the Gladesville Bridge, Sydney

c. 1960

Career event - Fellow, Institute of Structural Engineers, United Kingdom (FIStructE)

1962

Career position - Chairman, Sydney Division, Institution of Engineers, Australia

1962 - 1964

Career position - Secretary (Physical Sciences), Australian Academy of Science

c. 1964 -

Career position - Chairman, Provisional Council, Australian Welding Research Association

13 Sep 1968

Career event - Fellow (FIEAust), Institution of Engineers Australia [Former Members were designated Fellows on this date.]

1969

Career position - President, Institution of Engineers, Australia

1969

Award - Doctor of Engineering (DEng), honoris causa, University of Newcastle

1975

Award - Peter Nicol Russell Memorial Medal - Career Achievement Award in Engineering. Institution of Engineers Australia

1977 - 1987

Award - Fellow, Australian Academy of Technological Sciences (FTS)

1978

Life event - Retired

1979

Award - Honorary Fellow (HonFIEAust), Institution of Engineers Australia

1981

Award - Laboratory named in his honor, The J.W. Roderick Laboratory for Materials and Structures, University of Sydney

1987

Award - Fellow, Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering (FTSE) [Awarded by AATS 1977]

Related entries

Published resources

Books

• Black, Hermann, The J.W. Roderick Laboratory for Materials and Structures, named by Sir Hermann Black. One hundred years of structural testing, address by N. S. Trahair (Sydney: University of Sydney Press, 1981). Details

Journal Articles

• 'Roderick awarded P.N.R. Memorial Medal [Peter Nicol Russell Memorial Medal: 1975 to Professor J W Roderick, MA(Cantab) MSc PhD HonDEng FIEAust]', Journal of the Institution of Engineers, Australia, 48 (1-2) (1976), 9. Details
• 'Past presidents - where are they now?', Engineers Australia, 50 (7) (1978), 20-22. Details
• 'Roderick becomes Hon FIEAust', Engineers Australia, 51 (15) (1979), 4. Details
• 'Former Institution president retires [Prof John Roderick. Also retiring is Prof. W. M. Christiansen]', Engineers Australia, 51 (1) (1979), 5. Details
• Harrison, H. B.; and Poulos, H. G., 'Jack William Roderick, 1913-1990', Historical Records of Australian Science, 9 (3) (1993), 270-277. https://doi.org/10.1071/HR9930930270. Details
• Roderick, J. W., 'Presidential address [1970] - Engineering in broad concept', Journal of the Institution of Engineers, Australia, 42 (3) (1970), 17-20. Details
• Roderick, J. W., 'Edward Hughesdon Davis 1920-1981', Historical Records of Australian Science, 5 (3) (1982), 109-114. https://doi.org/10.1071/HR9820530109. Details
• Roderick, J. W., 'William Henry Wittrick, 1922-1986', Historical Records of Australian Science, 7 (1) (1987), 123-132. https://doi.org/10.1071/HR9870710123. Details

Resources

• Wikidata, http://www.wikidata.org/entity/Q28062369. Details
• 'Roderick, Jack William (1913-1990)', Trove, National Library of Australia, 2009, https://nla.gov.au/nla.party-1175651. Details
• 'Awarded honorary DEng, 1969', Honorary degrees, University of Newcastle, 2023, https://www.newcastle.edu.au/engage/alumni/stories/honorary-degrees. Details

Resource Sections

• 'Engineering Heritage : Biographies', in Engineering Heritage Australia : wiki website, Engineering Heritage Australia, 2024, https://heritage.engineersaustralia.org.au/wiki/Person:Roderick,_Jack_William. Biography: Jack William Roderick. Details
• Harrison, H. B.; and Poulos, H. G., 'Jack William Roderick 1913-1990', in Australian Academy of Science Biographical Memoirs, Australian Academy of Science, 2006, https://www.science.org.au/fellowship/fellows/biographical-memoirs/jack-william-roderick-1913-1990. Details

See also

• Brown, R. Hanbury; Minnett, Harry C; White, Fredrick W. G., 'Edward George Bowen 1911-1991', Historical Records of Australian Science, 9 (2) (1992), 151-166. https://doi.org/10.1071/HR9920920151. Details
• Sinclair, Bruce, 'Some National Presidents of IEAust', in Eleventh National Conference on Engineering Heritage: Federation Engineering a Nation; Proceedings (Barton, Australian Capital Territory: Institution of Engineers, Australia, 2001), p. 259., https://search.informit.org/doi/10.3316/informit.521182246276277. Details