Person
O'Donnell, James Hamilton (1934 - 1995)
- Born
- 3 September 1934
Perth, Western Australia, Australia - Died
- 29 April 1995
- Occupation
- Physical chemist
Summary
James O'Donnell worked in the Department of Chemistry at the University of Queensland 1964-1995, starting as a lecturer and becoming a professor in 1986. During the 1970s he helped establish Polymer Materials and Radiation Group at the University. His research was in the area of polymer and radiation chemistry. In 1981 he was the inaugural chairman of the Royal Australian Chemical Institute National Chemistry Week Committee, where he initiated National Chemistry Week 1981. O'Donnell is commemorated by the O'Donnell Schools Lecture (formerly Queensland Schools Lecture), The Jim O'Donnell International Travel Awards, open to all post-graduate members of the Royal Australian Chemical Institute, and The O'Donnell Young Polymer Scientists Prize (Polymer Division, Royal Australian Chemical Institute).
Details
Chronology
- 1954
- Education - BSc (hons), University of Western Australia
- 1955 - 1956
- Career position - Development Chemist, ICI Australia Yarraville Chemical Factory, Victoria
- 1957 - 1958
- Career position - Research Chemist, ICI Australia Central Research Laboratories, Ascot Vale, Victoria
- 1959 - 1962
- Career position - Senior Demonstrator, Department of Physical Chemistry, University of Leeds, United Kingdom
- 1963
- Education - PhD, University of Leeds, United Kingdom
- 1963
- Career position - Postdoctoral Fellow, Department of Chemistry, Polytechnic Institute of Brooklyn, New York, U.S.A.
- 1964 - 1969
- Career position - Lecturer in physical chemistry, University of Queensland
- 1970 - 1975
- Career position - Senior Lecturer in physical chemistry, University of Queensland
- 1976 - 1985
- Career position - Reader in physical chemistry, University of Queensland
- 1982
- Award - Batteard-Jordan Medal, Polymer Division, Royal Australian Chemical Institute
- 1983
- Career position - President, Pacific Polymer Federation
- 1983
- Award - H. G. Smith Memorial Medal, Royal Australian Chemical Institute
- 1985 - 1986
- Career position - President, Royal Australian Chemical Institute
- 1986
- Education - DSc, University of Leeds, United Kingdom
- 1986 - 1987
- Career position - Professor of Chemistry (personal chair), University of Queensland
- 1988 - 1995
- Career position - Professor of Physical Chemistry, University of Queensland
- 1990
- Award - Leighton Memorial Medal, Royal Australian Chemical Institute
- 1992 - 1995
- Career position - Chairman, National Committee for Chemistry, Australian Academy of Science
- 1992 - 1995
- Career position - Chairman, International Relations Committee, Royal Australian Chemical Institute
Related entries
Published resources
Book Sections
- Hill, David J. T., 'O'Donnell, James Hamilton (Jim) (1934-1995), professor of chemistry' in Australian Dictionary of Biography, Volume 19 1991-1995 (A-Z), Melanie Nolan, ed. (ANU Press, 2021), pp. 631-632, https://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/odonnell-james-hamilton-jim-19019. Details
Resources
- 'O'Donnell, James Hamilton (19340903-19950429)', Trove, National Library of Australia, 2009, https://nla.gov.au/nla.party-1474270. Details
Rosanne Walker and Helen Cohn
Created: 23 January 1998, Last modified: 19 June 2019