P006956 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 2022-05-13 human Helen Cohn updated 2025-11-11 human https://www.eoas.info/biogs/P006956b.htm person O'Brien Brian John AO FTSE AACR2 27 February 1934 7 August 2020 Place of Birth Sydney, New South Wales, Australia Place of Death Perth, Western Australia, Australia Physicist Brian O'Brien is a physicist with a distinguished career in space exploration, focused on radiation and dust. He was the principal investigator of experiments deployed on several Apollo missions, and built Injun 1, the first satellite to use digital telemetry. Other inventions included thermoelectric and thermomagnetic refrigerators, and the lunar dust detector. He determined the cause of satellite failure from damaged solar cells and conducted the first satellite-based studies of auroras. His publications include a series of papers of the movement of lunar dust. O'Brien was the first Australian to be awarded the NASA Medal for Exceptional Space Achievement. On returning to Australia, O'Brien was appointed the inaugural Chairman of the Western Australian Environmental Protection Authority. With his wife, he founded the environmental and strategic analysis consultancy Brian J. O'Brien and Associates Pty Ltd. 1954 1954 Award - U.S. National Speleological Society Award 1956 1956 Career position - Foundation President, Australian Speleological Federation 1957 1957 Education - Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), University of Sydney 1958 1959 Career position - Deputy Chief Physicist, Australian National Antarctic Research Expedition 1959 1962 Career position - Assistant Professor, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa, U.S.A. 1962 1963 Career position - Associate Professor of Physics, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa, U.S.A. 1963 1968 Career position - Professor of Space Science, Rice University, Houston, Texas, U.S.A. 1964 1964 Career position - Visiting Professor of Space Science, University of Sydney 1969 1970 Career position - Visiting Professor of Space Science, University of Sydney 1971 1977 Career position - Chairman, Environment Protection Authority, Western Australia 1973 1973 Award - Paul Harris Medal and Sapphire, NASA Medal for Exceptional Scientific Achievement 1978 2020 Career position - Managing Director, Brian J. O'Brien and Associates Pty Ltd 1980 2005 Career position - Member, Communications Advisory Council 1993 1993 Award - Fellow, Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering 1996 Career position - Co-ordinator, Rotary East Java Hearing Project 2000 2006 Career position - Professor of Natural Resource Management, University of Notre Dame Australia 1 Jan 2001 1 Jan 2001 Award - Centenary Medal - for service to Australian society in environmental science and technology 2009 Career position - Adjunct Professor of Physics, University of Western Australia 2021 2021 Award - Officer of the Order of Australia (AO) (posthumous) - for distinguished service to science, particularly to lunar dust research, to tertiary education in the field of physics, and to the environment The University of Western Australia (1911 - )

Adjunct Professor of Physics 2009 -

 The University of Notre Dame Australia (1989 - )

Professor of Natural Resource Management 2000 -2006

 Western Australian Environmental Protection Authority [1], State of Western Australia (1971 - 1987)

Chairman 1971 - 1977

 Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering (1987 - )

Elected Fellow 1993

 'O'Brien, Brian John', in Encyclopedia of Australian Science and Innovation, Centre for Transformative Innovation, Swinburne University of Technology O'Brien, Brian John Swinburne University of Technology, Centre for Transformative Innovation Encyclopedia of Australian Science and Innovation Journal Article: Apollo 11 carried my scientific experiment to the moon, but so what? O'Brien, Brian Apollo 11 carried my scientific experiment to the moon, but so what? 2019 Impact: magazine of the Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering 209 46-7 Journal Article: Brian John O'Brien: space scientist who reached for the moon Anon Brian John O'Brien: space scientist who reached for the moon 2021 Impact: magazine of the Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering 211 62 Resource Section: The late Dr Brian John O'Brien, Officer of the Order of Australia The late Dr Brian John O'Brien, Officer of the Order of Australia Australian Government, Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet 2021 It's an Honour Australian Honours and Awards Secretariat Edited Book: Who's who in Australia 2019 Robson, Alexandra K.; Production Manager and Editor Who's who in Australia 2019 55th Southbank, Vic. AAP Directories 2018