Conversations with Australian scientists

Dorothy Hill (1907–1997) was a pioneering Australian geologist who became the first woman to receive a gold medal for outstanding graduate at the University of Queensland and later the first female graduate from that university to earn a PhD at Cambridge, where she researched Carboniferous corals. She went on to have a distinguished career as a researcher and academic, serving at CSIR, lecturing at the University of Queensland, contributing to the war effort, and ultimately becoming the first female President of the Australian Academy of Science in 1970. Interviewed by Dr John R. Cole (toward a history of the University of Queensland).

Gregg Suaning interviewed by Ms Alison Leigh in 2001. Gregg Suaning was born in 1963 in San Francisco, USA. He studied engineering at California State University (Chico) and received a BSc in 1986. In 1988 he received an MSc in mechanical engineering from California State University (San Jose).

Henry George Burger was born in Vienna, Austria in 1933. Burger completed his secondary schooling at Xavier College in 1950. He then began his compulsory National Service in 1951 before beginning a medical degree. Burger graduated with an MBBS from the University of Melbourne (1956), winning eleven of the twelve prizes on offer. After graduation, Burger worked as a resident medical officer (1957-58) and then registrar (1959) at St Vincent's Hospital.

James Moody interviewed by David Salt in 2002. James Moody graduated from the Queensland University of Technology with degrees in electrical engineering and information technology, winning the University Medal in both. In 1999 he began his PhD research at the Australian National University.

Robert McCredie May was born on 8 January 1938, in Sydney, Australia. He spent a solitary childhood playing puzzles and problem solving games. May attended Woollahra Primary School and Sydney Boys High School (1948–1952). There he became a champion in the school debating team and was greatly influenced by several excellent teachers, especially in science.

Margaret Dick interviewed by Dr Ann Moyal in 2000. Margaret Dick has been described as a pioneer of Australian food microbiology. She made her outstanding career from the early 1940s as a microbiologist in Kraft Foods Australia, and rose quickly to become their Chief Microbiologist.

Natasha Hendrick interviewed by Ms Marian Heard in 2001. Natasha Hendrick received a Bachelor of Applied Science (Hons) in geophysics from the University of Queensland. After this she worked in the geophysics research group at Oxford University for 12 months and was involved with the investigation of fault mapping using seismic wave-guides in the North Sea.

Professor Adrian Horridge interviewed by Professor Bob Crompton in 2002. Professor Adrian Horridge’s research interests include the role of the nervous system in behaviour. His particular specialty was in understanding natural visual processing as an engineering problem. He was the Foundation Director of the Centre for Visual Studies at the Australian National University. In addition to his biological research he has published many titles on Indonesian traditional boats.

Professor Alan Wardrop interviewed by Dr Max Blythe in 1998. Alan Buchanan Wardrop was born in Hobart in 1921. Wardrop was educated at the University of Tasmania, where he obtained a BSc in 1942 and an MSc in 1944 for his work in botany and chemistry. He then spent 1944 and 1945 training RAAF air crews.

Professor Andrew Cole interviewed by Professor Donald Watts 15 October 2010. Andrew Reginald Howard (Andy) Cole was born in Perth, Western Australia in 1924. He qualified for a place at Perth's only selective school, Perth Modern School, in 1937. After finishing secondary school in 1941, Cole was awarded a government university exhibition to study at the University of Western Australia (1942-46).