P000565 revised AU-VU:EOAS Encyclopedia of Australian Science and Innovation

All key entry types: Awards; Concepts; Corporate Bodies (Organisations); Cultural Artefacts; People; etc

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 English AACR2 Anglo-American Cataloguing Rules Person created 1993-10-20 human Gavan McCarthy [P004098]; Ken McInnes updated 2026-05-12 human https://www.eoas.info/biogs/P000565b.htm person Leech Thomas David James CBE AACR2 22 January 1902 4 November 1973 Place of Birth Sydney, New South Wales, Australia Place of Death Cooma, New South Wales, Australia Civil engineer Scientist Thomas Leech, CBE BSc BE was a Lecturer in Civil Engineering, University of Sydney and was the foundation Geoffrey Sulman Memorial Lecturer in Aerodynamics. In 1940, he was appointed Professor of Engineering at Auckland University College, New Zealand, and before and during the Second World War, was heavily involved with the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research in Auckland and was awarded a CBE for his services. From 1950 to 1967, he was Engineer-in-charge, Scientific Services Division of the Snowy Mountains Hydro-Electric Authority, establishing and managing the research laboratory and all its associated research programs. During the 1960s, he was also an advocate of the use of diffusion blasting - the use of underground nuclear explosion technology - and their potential to create inland reservoirs and was involved with the "Australian Plowshare Committee" associated with the Australian Atomic Energy Commission. He is commemorated by the "Professor TDJ Leech Study Area" at the University of Auckland, and in a Heritage NSW "Blue Plaque" at the SMEC Fluid Mechanics Laboratory, Cooma NSW. 1921 1921 Career event - Student Member (StudIEAust), Institution of Engineers Australia 1923 1923 Education - Bachelor of Science (BSc(Hons)), University of Sydney 1924 1924 Lecture - Presented "The application of X-rays to engineering problems", Sydney Division, Institution of Engineers Australia 1925 1925 Education - Bachelor of Engineering (Civil Engineering), University of Sydney 1926 1926 Career event - Junior Member (JrIEAust), Institution of Engineers Australia 1926 1939 Career position - Lecturer, Civil engineering, University of Sydney 1928 1928 Career event - Associate Member (AMIEAust), Institution of Engineers Australia 1931 1931 Publication - Book: "The principles of flight, or, An Introduction to the study of aerodynamics" 1934 1934 Career position - Foundation Geoffrey Sulman Memorial Lecturer in Aerodynamics, University of Sydney 1935 1935 Award - Warren Memorial Prize 1935, Institution of Engineers Australia 1940 1948 Career position - Associated with development projects for the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research 1940 1950 Career position - Professor of engineering, Auckland University, New Zealand 1947 1947 Award - Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) - New Zealand 1950 1967 Career position - Engineer-in-Charge, Scientific Services Division, Snowy Mountains Hydro-Electric Authority 1958 1958 Career event - Member (MIEAust), Institution of Engineers Australia 3 Oct 1962 3 Oct 1962 Lecture - Presented lecture 'Some contributions of science to the Snowy Mountains Scheme' at "Horizons in science" conference, Melbourne 13 Sep 1968 13 Sep 1968 Career event - Fellow (FIEAust), Institution of Engineers Australia [Former Members were designated Fellows on this date.] 1969 1969 Award - Warren Memorial Prize 1969, Institution of Engineers Australia 1973 1973 Buried - Cremated, Norwood Park, Mitchell ACT Snowy Mountains Hydro-Electric Authority (1949 - )

Engineer-in-Charge, Scientific Services Division 1950 - 1967

 Oliphant, Marcus Laurence Elwin (1901 - 2000)

Associated through the "Australian Plowshare Committee" and the Australian Atomic Energy Commission 1960-1967.

 W. H. Warren Medal, Institution of Engineers, Australia (1926 - )

Awarded Warren Memorial Prize 1935 and 1969.
Awarded Warren Memorial Prize 1935, for the paper "Technical investigations by means of models - with special reference to fluid mechanics' problems", Journal of the Institution of Engineers, Australia, vol.7, no.8, Aug 1935, pp.265-281.
Awarded Warren Memorial Prize 1969, for the paper "Diffusion blasting and its potential for the development of Australia's inland surface water resources", Journal of the Institution of Engineers, Australia, vol.41, 1969, pp.165-173.

 The University of Sydney (1850 - )

Demostrator and Lecturer in Civil Engineering, 1926-1939, foundation Geoffrey Sulman Memorial Lecturer in Aerodynamics 1934.

 Horizons in Science, Professional Officers Association (1962)

Presented lecture 'Some contributions of science to the Snowy Mountains Scheme'

 Leech, Thomas David James

Trove

 'Leech, Thomas David James', in Encyclopedia of Australian Science and Innovation, Centre for Transformative Innovation, Swinburne University of Technology Leech, Thomas David James Swinburne University of Technology, Centre for Transformative Innovation Encyclopedia of Australian Science and Innovation Journal Article: Technical investigations by means of models with special reference to fluid mechanics' problems (Discussions and communications) Leech, T. D. J. (Gibson, W. H. H.) Technical investigations by means of models with special reference to fluid mechanics' problems (Discussions and communications) 1935 Journal of the Institution of Engineers, Australia 8 7 258 Journal Article: Prizes of the Institution [Warren Memorial Prize 1935; Institution of Engineers Prize 1937] Prizes of the Institution [Warren Memorial Prize 1935; Institution of Engineers Prize 1937] 1937 Journal of the Institution of Engineers, Australia 9 8 339 Report: Fifty-first Annual Report [1970] Institution of Engineers Australia Fifty-first Annual Report [1970] 1971 Resource Section: Engineering Heritage : Biographies Engineering Heritage : Biographies Engineering Heritage Australia 2024 Engineering Heritage Australia : wiki website Journal Article: Eighteenth Annual Report [1937] Institution of Engineers Australia Eighteenth Annual Report [1937] 1938 Journal of the Institution of Engineers, Australia MacLean, E. S. 10 5 182-196 Conference Paper: Experience in grouting rock bolts Leech, T. D. J.; Pender, E. B. Experience in grouting rock bolts International Conference on Soil Mechanics and Foundation Engineering (5th : 1961 : Paris, France) Journal Article: Warren Memorial Prize - 1969 Award Warren Memorial Prize - 1969 Award 1971 Journal of the Institution of Engineers, Australia 43 1-2 31 Book: The principles of flight, or, An introduction to the study of aerodynamics Leech, T. D. J.; Hart, K. R. M. The principles of flight, or, An introduction to the study of aerodynamics Sydney, NSW Commonwealth Publications Limited 1931 Journal Article: Aeronautical engineering training and research in Australia - I Leech, T. D. J.; Rennie, E. J. C. Aeronautical engineering training and research in Australia - I 1937 Journal of the Institution of Engineers, Australia 9 6 247-255 Journal Article: The determination of stresses in space frames (Other matters of technical interest) Leech, T. D. J. The determination of stresses in space frames (Other matters of technical interest) 1934 Journal of the Institution of Engineers, Australia 6 2 66-70 Journal Article: The determination of wind structure with regard to vertical currents. The magnitude of vertical air currents in the vicinity of Sydney, New South Wales Leech, T. D. J. The determination of wind structure with regard to vertical currents. The magnitude of vertical air currents in the vicinity of Sydney, New South Wales 1933 Journal of the Institution of Engineers, Australia 5 2 66-68 Journal Article: The Snowy Mountains Scheme and the application of scientific services Leech, T. D. J. The Snowy Mountains Scheme and the application of scientific services 1958 Journal of the Institution of Engineers, Australia 30 3 99-112 Journal Article: Technical investigations by means of models with special reference to fluid mechanics' problems Leech, T. D. J. Technical investigations by means of models with special reference to fluid mechanics' problems 1935 Journal of the Institution of Engineers, Australia 7 8 265-281 Journal Article: The training and use of sub-professional staff Leech, T. D. J. The training and use of sub-professional staff 1959 Journal of the Institution of Engineers, Australia 31 10-11 247-259 Journal Article: Diffusion blasting and its potential for the development of Australia's inland surface water resources Leech, T. D. J. Diffusion blasting and its potential for the development of Australia's inland surface water resources 1969 Journal of the Institution of Engineers, Australia 41 10-11 165-173 Journal Article: Role of science in the Snowy Mountains Scheme Leech, T. D. J. Role of science in the Snowy Mountains Scheme 1953 Australian Journal of Science 16 3 79-86 Journal Article: Aeronautical engineering training and research in Australia - III Leech, T. D. J.; Rennie, E. J. C. Aeronautical engineering training and research in Australia - III 1937 Journal of the Institution of Engineers, Australia 9 8 322-330 Journal Article: Aeronautical engineering training and research in Australia - II Leech, T. D. J.; Rennie, E. J. C. Aeronautical engineering training and research in Australia - II 1937 Journal of the Institution of Engineers, Australia 9 7 283-290 Conference Paper: Engineers' Papers: An Undervalued Historical Source Dwyer, M. R. Engineers' Papers: An Undervalued Historical Source Perth, Western Australia Institution of Engineers, Australia. Western Australian Division 1990 Fifth National Conference on Engineering Heritage 1990: Interpreting Engineering Heritage; Preprints of Papers 29-34 Resource: Blue Plaques program Heritage NSW Blue Plaques program 2021 Book Section: Chapter 16: Aeronautical engineering McArthur, Ian Chapter 16: Aeronautical engineering Crows Nest, New South Wales Engineers Australia 1989 Sydney: from settlement to city: an engineering history of Sydney Don Fraser 299-318 Thomas David James Leech - Records University of Sydney, Archives Thomas David James Leech - Records P 59 1947 - 1973 Cooma community correspondence, addresses and related records 1947-67; research correspondence and related records 1954-73; Snowy Mountains Scheme records 1954-66 [40 cm, P 59]. 0.4 m Thomas David James Leech - Records National Library of Australia Manuscript Collection Thomas David James Leech - Records MS 4837 1930 - 1940 Papers including correspondence; a report on 'The Failure of the Mt Kembla Colliery railway line 1934'; papers on aeronautics, dams, power stations and other engineering works; papers on engineering education and qualification and on a variety of scientific subjects [4 boxes, MS 4837]. 4 boxes