Woolley, Richard van der Riet - Bright Sparcs Biographical entry

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Woolley, Richard van der Riet (1906 - 1986)

FAA, FRS

Online Sources

Published Sources

Astronomer

Born: 24 April 1906 Weymouth, Dorset, England. Died: 24 December 1986.

(Sir) Richard van der Riet Woolley was Director of the Mount. Stromlo Observatory 1939-55, Astronomer Royal, United Kingdom 1956-71 and Director of the South African Astronomical Observatory 1972-76. he was an early and consistent advocate for the Anglo-Australian telescope.

Career Highlights

Born Weymouth, Dorset, England, 24 April 1906. Died 24 December 1986. Educated Universities of Cape Town (MSc) and Cambridge (BA 1928, PhD 1931, ScD 1951). OBE 1953, Kt cr 1963. Commonwealth Fund Fellowship, Mt Wilson Observatory, California 1929-31, Isaac Newton Student, Cambridge 1931-33, Chief Assistant, Royal Observatory, Greenwich 1933-37, John Couch Adams Astronomer, University of Cambridge 1937-39, director, Mount Stromlo Observatory 1939-55, professor of astronomy, Australian National University 1950-55, Astronomer Royal, UK 1956-71, first Director, South African Astronomical Observatory 1972-76. President, Royal Astronomical Society 1963-65, President, ANZAAS 1955. Fellow, Royal Society 1953, Foundation Fellow, Australian Academy of Science 1954, Gold Medal, Royal Astronomical Society 1971.

Online Sources

Published Sources

'Woolley, Richard van der Reit', in Physics in Australia to 1945, R.W. Home, with the assistance of Paula J. Needham, Australian Science Archives Project, June 1995, http://www.asap.unimelb.edu.au/bsparcs/physics/P000915p.htm. [ Details ]

'Woolley, Richard van der Riet', in The Giant's Eye: the Optical Munitions Exhibition, A Bright Sparcs Exhibition, Australian Science Archives Project, 1997, http://www.asap.unimelb.edu.au/bsparcs/exhib/omp/people/woolley.htm. [ Details ]

See Also

Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering, Technology in Australia 1788-1988, Online edn, Australian Science and Technology Heritage Centre, Melbourne, 3 May 2000, http://www.austehc.unimelb.edu.au/tia/scripts/tia-dynindex.php3?EID=P000915. [ Details ]
Bolton, H. C., 'Optical Instruments in Australia in the 1939-45 War: successes and lost opportunities', Australian Physicist, 1990, http://www.asap.unimelb.edu.au/bsparcs/exhib/papers/bolton2.htm. [ Details ]
Mellor, D.P., 'Optical Munitions', Chapter 12 in Australia in the War of 1939-1945, Series 4: Civil, volume 5 'The Role of Science and Industry', Canberra: Australian War Memorial, 1958, 1958, http://www.asap.unimelb.edu.au/bsparcs/exhib/papers/mellor.htm. [ Details ]

Sherratt, Tim; Condé, Anne-Marie, A Wartime Observatory Observed - the Mount Stromlo Community, 1940-1945, Australian Science Archives Project, Canberra, 1994, http://www.asap.unimelb.edu.au/pubs/articles/tps/tps_stromlo_draft.htm. [ Details ]

Structure based on ISAAR(CPF) - click here for an explanation of the fields.

Prepared by: Rosanne Walker
Created: 20 October 1993
Modified: 28 June 2005

Published by The University of Melbourne eScholarship Research Centre on ASAPWeb, 1994 - 2007
Originally published 1994-1999 by Australian Science Archives Project, 1999-2006 by the Australian Science and Technology Heritage Centre
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Prepared by: Acknowledgements
Updated: 26 February 2007
http://www.asap.unimelb.edu.au/bsparcs/biogs/P000915b.htm

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