Jack Pettigrew was renowned for his ground-breaking work on physiology of binocular vision in a variety of animals, including cats and owls. Other research has included why birds periodically jiggle their eyeballs without moving their heads; an examination of the brain of a fruit-bat leading to the conclusion that it is a primate; a study of the letterwing kite to gain an insight into how an eyeball is formed; and optical images of the response of a living brain to visual stimuli. Pettigrew was Professor of Physiology at the University of Queensland for over 20 years and Director of the Vision, Touch and Hearing Research Centre at the University from 1988 to 2007.
Quote from the Magistrates Court of Tasmania, Coronial Division "Record of Investigation into Death (Without Inquest)" 4 January 2022 of John Douglas Pettigrew:
"Mr Pettigrew was born on the 2 of October 1943 at Wagga Wagga, in NSW and was 75 years of age, single and he resided alone at the date of his death. He was the eldest of three children.
At the age of 2 he moved with his family from Wagga Wagga to Katoomba in NSW where he lived until he studied medicine at the University of Sydney. After Mr Pettigrew completed his studies he completed an internship at the Prince Alfred Hospital before working at a neuroscience laboratory in Sydney.
While studying at university in the 1960's Mr Pettigrew met Iluna Bluwater and they married in 1968. Following their marriage, the couple moved to California where Mr Pettigrew worked for approximately 9 years at the Californian Institute of Technology as a Professor of Physiology. They had three children Tara Kurrajong and Galen Greenleaf who were both born in the USA, and Chloe Callistemon who was born in Brisbane, QLD.
On returning to Australia Mr Pettigrew worked at Monash University for approximately 4 years before the family moved to Brisbane where he worked as the Professor of Physiology at the University of Queensland. Mr Pettigrew continued working at the University of Queensland until
he retired in 2011."
John Pettigrew died in Hobart on 7 May 2019 from injuries suffered in a car crash on the Midland Highway, Kempton on 6 May 2019.
1966
1966
Education - Bachelor of Science (BSc) Medicine, University of Sydney
1968
1968
Education - Master of Science (MSc), University of Sydney
1969
1969
Education - MB BS, University of Sydney
1969
1969
Career position - Resident Medical Officer, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Camperdown, New South Wales
1970
1972
Career position - Miller Postdoctoral Fellowship, University of California, Berkeley, California, U.S.A.
1973
1973
Career position - Research Associate, Department of Physiology-Anatomy, University of California, Berkeley, California, U.S.A.
1974
1976
Career position - Assistant Professor of Biology, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California, U.S.A.
1976
1981
Career position - Associate Professor of Biology, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California, U.S.A.
1978
1978
Award - Newcomb-Cleveland Medal, American Association for Advancement of Science
1981
1983
Career position - Director, National Vision Research Institute of Australia, Melbourne
1983
2006
Career position - Professor of Physiology, University of Queensland
1987
1987
Award - Fellow, Australian Academy of Science (FAA)
1987
1987
Award - Fellow, The Royal Society, London (FRS)
1988
2007
Career position - Director, Vision, Touch and Hearing Research Centre, University of Queensland
1998
2001
Career position - Member of Council, Australian Academy of Science
1 Jan 2001
1 Jan 2001
Award - Centenary Medal - for service to Australian society and science in phylogeny
2006
2006
Life event - Retired
2010
2010
Award - H. Barry Collins Medal, Optometrists Association Australia