P002643 revised AU-VU:EOAS Encyclopedia of Australian Science and Innovation

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 English AACR2 Anglo-American Cataloguing Rules Person created 1997-06-30 human Rosanne Walker & Annette Alafaci updated 2024-12-02 human https://www.eoas.info/biogs/P002643b.htm person Swanson Thomas Baikie CBE FRACI AACR2 5 October 1910 18 August 1995 Place of Birth Broken Hill, New South Wales, Australia Place of Death Australia Chemist Thomas Swanson worked for Imperial Chemical Industry of Australia and New Zealand from 1945-1971, serving as Executive Deputy Chairman from 1964. He was chairman of the Australian Commission on Advanced Education from 1971-1976 and founding chairman of the Australian Maritime College Council from 1976-1983.

After completing a chemistry degree at the University of Adelaide (MSc 1938), Thomas Baikie Swanson took up a lectureship there in pharmaceutical chemistry. One year later Swanson moved to New South Wales to take charge of the newly formed Department of Chemistry at the University of New England. Wanting a change from academia, Swanson joined Imperial Chemical Industry of Australia and New Zealand in 1939. Initially he worked as a technician in the area of pharmaceutics, then the biological and general chemical fields. Within six years he was made General Manager of the Chemical Group, then an Executive Director from 1955 and Executive Deputy Chairman from 1964.

Thomas Swanson's reputation was now well established. He was invited to chair many commissions, including the Australian Commission on Advanced Education (1971-76), the Swanson Committee of Inquiry into the Trade Practices Commission, and the Australian Maritime College Council. Swanson also served as Commissioner to the Victorian Health Commission (1978-80), President of the Australian Chemical Industry Council, President of the Victorian Branch of the Royal Australian Chemical Institute and National President from 1970-71. He was awarded the Leighton Medal (Royal Australian Chemical Institute) in 1972 and a CBE in 1976 for his service to education and industry.

1938 1938 Education - Master of Science (MSc), University of Adelaide 1938 1938 Career position - Lecturer in Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of Adelaide 1939 1945 Career position - Head of the Department of Chemistry, University of New England 1945 1952 Career position - Technician at Imperial Chemical Industry of Australia and New Zealand 1953 1954 Career position - General Manager of the Chemical Group at Imperial Chemical Industry of Australia and New Zealand 1955 1963 Career position - Executive Director of the Chemical Group at Imperial Chemical Industry of Australia and New Zealand 1962 1962 Career position - President, Royal Australian Chemical Institute, Victorian branch 1964 Career position - Executive Deputy Chairman of Imperial Chemical Industry of Australia and New Zealand 1968 Career position - Tedlands beef farming partnership established 1970 1971 Career position - President, Royal Australian Chemical Institute c. 1970 c. 1980 Career position - Chairman, Eastern Nitrogen and Australian Fertilisers 1971 1976 Career position - Chairman, Australian Commission on Advanced Education 1972 1972 Award - Leighton Memorial Medal, Royal Australian Chemical Institute 1976 1976 Award - Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) 1976 1983 Career position - Founding Chairman of the Australian Maritime College Council in Launceston 1978 1980 Career position - Chair of the Swanson Committee of Inquiry into the Trade Practices Commission and Commissioner, Victorian Health Commission Imperial Chemical industry of Australia and New Zealand Limited (1928 - 1971)

Executive Director 1955 - 1963

 RACI - Victorian Branch, Royal Australian Chemical Institute (1953 - )

President 1962

 Royal Australian Chemical Institute (RACI) (1953 - )

President 1970 - 1971

 Leighton Memorial Medal, Royal Australian Chemical Institute (1965 - )

Awarded the Medal 1972

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

Member 1973-1978

 Swanson, T B (1910-1995)

Trove

 'Swanson, Thomas Baikie', in Encyclopedia of Australian Science and Innovation, Centre for Transformative Innovation, Swinburne University of Technology Swanson, Thomas Baikie Swinburne University of Technology, Centre for Transformative Innovation Encyclopedia of Australian Science and Innovation