P000513 revised AU-VU:EOAS Encyclopedia of Australian Science and Innovation

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 English AACR2 Anglo-American Cataloguing Rules Person created 1993-10-20 human Rosanne Walker and Helen Cohn updated 2026-04-23 human https://www.eoas.info/biogs/P000513b.htm person Huxley Leonard George Holden FAA KBE AACR2 29 May 1902 4 September 1988 Place of Birth Dulwich, England Place of Death Camden, England Physicist Vice-Chancellor Sir Leonard Huxley was a physicist whose interests were in electromagnetic wave propagation and electron and ion motion in gases. He made fundamental contributions to the theory of electrical conduction in lightly ionized gases which he developed to interpret both ionospheric phenomena and laboratory electron '"swarm" experiments to examine the collective behaviour of electrons in gases under the influence of electric and magnetic fields. During the Second World War Huxley was attached to the Bawdsey Research Station (later the Telecommunications Research Establishment), where he was involved in the introduction of radar. He was given the task of establishing and heading a radar training school for both civilian and service personnel. In 1949 Huxley became Elder Professor of Physics at the University of Adelaide. In this position he established PhD training programs, and research teams investigating meteor trails and upper-atmosphere winds, and electron drift and diffusion in gases, as well as biophysics, solid-state physics and seismology. His time in Adelaide proved to be his scientifically productive and influential. In 1960 Huxley became Vice-Chancellor of the Australian National University (ANU). His first challenge was to manage the amalgamation of the ANU (as the Institute of Advanced Studies) with the former Canberra University College (as the School of General Studies). He succeeded in greatly expanding the University's student numbers and budget. Huxley was actively involved in many scientific and cultural organisations. These included the Australian Academy of Science, the National Standards Commission, and the National Library of Australia, in all of which he held executive positions. He was the last President of the Australian Branch, Institute of Physics, and the first of its successor, the Australian Institute of Physics. 1905 1905 Life event - Migrated to Australia with his family 1922 1922 Education - Bachelor of Science (BSc), University of Tasmania 1923 1923 Award - Rhodes Scholar for Tasmania 1925 1925 Education - Bachelor of Arts (BA), University of Oxford 1928 1928 Education - Doctor of Philosophy (DPhil), University of Oxford 1929 1929 Education - Master of Arts (MA), University of Oxford 1929 1931 Career Position - Physicist, Radio Research Board, Council for Scientific and Industrial Research 1932 1940 Career Position - Lecturer in Physics, University College, Leicester 1940 1946 Career Position - Principal Scientific Officer, Ministry of Aircraft Production, United Kingdom 1946 1949 Career Position - Reader in Electromagnetism, University of Birmingham, United Kingdom 1949 1960 Career Position - Professor of Physics, University of Adelaide 1950 1950 Award - Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), ad eundem gradum, University of Adelaide 1953 1953 Career event - Petitioner for the Australian Academy of Science 1953 1960 Career Position - Member of Council, University of Adelaide 1953 1965 Career Position - Chairman, National Standards Commission 1954 1955 Career Position - President, Australian Branch, Institute of Physics 1954 1988 Award - Founding Fellow, Australian Academy of Science (FAA) 1956 1959 Career Position - Member of Council, Australian National University 1956 1962 Career Position - Member of Council, Australian Academy of Science 1957 1958 Career Position - Vice-President, Australian Academy of Science 1958 1961 Career Position - Chairman, Radio Research Board 1959 Career Position - Member, National Committee for Space Research, Australian Academy of Science 1959 1962 Career Position - Secretary (Physical Sciences), Australian Academy of Science 1960 1960 Career Position - Member of the Executive, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation 1960 1964 Career Position - Member, US Education Foundation in Australia 1960 1967 Career Position - Vice-Chancellor, Australian National University 1961 1972 Career Position - Member of Council, National Library of Australia 1962 1962 Award - Doctor of Science (DSc), honoris causa, University of Tasmania 1962 1962 Career Position - President, Australian Branch, Institute of Physics 1962 1965 Career Position - President, Australian Institute of Physics 1964 1964 Award - Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire (KBE) - For service as Vice-Chancellor of the ANU 1965 1969 Career Position - Inaugural Chairman, Australian American Educational Foundation 1968 1970 Career Position - Visiting Fellow, Australian National University 1969 1974 Career Position - Member of Council, Canberra College of Advanced Education 1980 1980 Award - Doctor of Science (DSc), honoris causa, Australian National University Australian Branch, Institute of Physics (1928 - 1962)

President 1954 - 1955 and 1962

 Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), Commonwealth of Australia (1949 - )

Member of the Executive 1960

 Australian Academy of Science (1954 - )

Petitioner for the Academy 1953, Founding Fellow 1954 - 1988; Vice-President 1957 - 1958; Secretary (Physical Sciences) 1959 - 1962

 National Standards Commission (1950 - )

Chairman 1953 - 1965

 Radio Research Board (1927 - 1985)

Physicist 1929 - 1931; Chairman 1958 - 1961

 Australian Institute of Physics (1963 - )

Foundation President 1962 - 1965

 Australian National University (1946 - )

Vice-Chancellor 1960 - 1967

 The University of Adelaide (1874 - 2026)

Professor of Physics 1949 - 1960; Member of Council 1953 - 1960

 Advisory Council - CSIRO, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (1950 - 1986)

Member 1960

Wikidata

VIAF - Virtual International Authority File

 Huxley, L G H (19020529-19880904)

Trove

 'Huxley, Leonard George Holden', in Encyclopedia of Australian Science and Innovation, Centre for Transformative Innovation, Swinburne University of Technology Huxley, Leonard George Holden Swinburne University of Technology, Centre for Transformative Innovation Encyclopedia of Australian Science and Innovation Book Section: Sir Leonard George Holden Huxley, 1902-1988 Lovell, Bernard Sir Leonard George Holden Huxley, 1902-1988 Oxford Oxford University Press 2004 Oxford Dictionary of National Biography Resource Section: Huxley, Leonard George Holden Huxley, Leonard George Holden Australian Science Archives Project 1995 Physics in Australia to 1945 R.W. Home, with the assistance of Paula J. Needham Journal Article: Leonard George Holden Huxley 1902-1988 Crompton, R. W. Leonard George Holden Huxley 1902-1988 1991 Historical Records of Australian Science 8 4 249-264 Resource Section: Huxley, Leonard George Holden - Ms 102 Huxley, Leonard George Holden - Ms 102 Australian Academy of Science 1994 Listing of Adolph Basser Library holdings Resource Section: Sir Leonard George Holden Huxley Ward, C. Sir Leonard George Holden Huxley Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) 2011 CSIROpedia Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) Book: Atmospherics in Australia, 1 Munro, G. H.; and Huxley, L. G. H. Atmospherics in Australia, 1 Melbourne Government Printer 1932 Book: The diffusion and drift of electrons in gases Huxley, L. G. H.; and Crompton, R.. W. The diffusion and drift of electrons in gases New York Wiley 1974 Book Section: Research in Mathematics and Physics Huxley, L. G. W. Research in Mathematics and Physics Melbourne Melbourne University Press 1958 Introducing South Australia : [prep. originally for the 33rd meeting of the Australian and New Zealand Association for the Advancement of Science] Rupert Best Journal Article: Radio Research Australia, 1927-39 White, F. W. G.; and Huxley, L. G. H. Radio Research Australia, 1927-39 1975 Records of the Australian Academy of Science 3 1 7-29 Resource Section: Huxley, Sir Leonard George Holden (1902 - 1988) Anon Huxley, Sir Leonard George Holden (1902 - 1988) Canberra National Centre of Biography, Australian National University 1988 Obituaries Australia Book Section: Huxley, Sir Leonard George Holden (1902 - 1988), physicist and vice-chancellor Crompton, Robert W. Huxley, Sir Leonard George Holden (1902 - 1988), physicist and vice-chancellor Melbourne Melbourne University Press 2007 Australian dictionary of biography, volume 17: 1981 - 1990 A-K Diane Langmore Book: Measurement in Australia, 1938-1988: a History of Australia's National Standards Laboratory Wright, J.F.H. Measurement in Australia, 1938-1988: a History of Australia's National Standards Laboratory Sydney CSIRO, Division of Applied Physics 1998 Journal Article: Edward George Bowen 1911-1991 Brown, R. Hanbury; Minnett, Harry C; White, Fredrick W. G. Edward George Bowen 1911-1991 1992 Historical Records of Australian Science 9 2 151-166 Journal Article: Patrick Alfred Pierce Moran 1917-1988 Heyde, C. C. Patrick Alfred Pierce Moran 1917-1988 1992 Historical Records of Australian Science 9 1 17-30 Leonard George Holden Huxley - Records University of Adelaide, Physics Department Leonard George Holden Huxley - Records 1949 - 1959 Papers relating to the incumbency of L.G.H. Huxley including correspondence, records of university committees and boards, university administration and the administration and research of the physics department; files relating to university and non-university scientific organisations and visiting lecturers; personal papers including notes, notebooks and manuscript papers; reprints, notices and journal issues, proceedings and abstracts 1925-48 [11 boxes]. 11 boxes Leonard George Holden Huxley - Records Adolph Basser Library, Australian Academy of Science Leonard George Holden Huxley - Records MS 102 1933 - 1948 Letters to Huxley from J.S.E. Townsend c.1933 and Lord Rutherford 1935; manuscript of calculations by G.N. Watson 1947-1948; material relating to Huxley's time in England, 1930s-1940s; material relating to Huxley's time in Adelaide, 1950s; CSIRO Executive, 1959-1960; Australian National University, 1960-1976; National Library of Australia Council, 1952-1967; Radio Frequency Allocation Review Committee, 1960-1964; large telescope, 1961-1970; miscellaneous boards and committees, 1957-1968; personal correspondence, 1948-1973; letters of congratulations, 1960-1964; correspondence with and biographical information on other scientists, 1931-1983; testimonial, 1945-1971; scientific publications, 1974-1987; personal material, c.1920-1987; material relating to Huxley relatives; lecture notes; photographs; glass slides, mainly on astronomy. 2.48 m, 8 boxes Photographs Thomas Henry Huxley - Records Adolph Basser Library, Australian Academy of Science Thomas Henry Huxley - Records MS 134 1851 - 1971 Testimonials of Huxley in relation to his application for the Chair of Natural History, University of Toronto 1851; copy of an audiotape of an interview with Sir Leonard Huxley (distant cousin) 1971 (original held by the National Library of Australia) and part of a transcript. 0.02 m Audio Leonard George Holden Huxley Leonard George Holden Huxley All rights reserved.

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