Geoffrey Wickham
Encyclopedia
Geoffrey Gordon Wickham AO
MIIE
was one of the pioneers of cardiac pacemaking
, born at Camperdown, Victoria, Australia to dairy farmer parents on 28 October 1933.
In 1963 he co-founded the medical instruments company Telectronics Pty Ltd in Sydney, and served as the company's Technical Director from 1963 to 1978. He is an Honorary Life Governor of Royal Prince Alfred Hospital
, Sydney (elected September 1982) and was appointed Officer Of The Order Of Australia
in June 2000 "for service to the design of medical equipment, particularly in the development of the implantable cardiac pacemaker".
His accomplishments are remarkable in that he had no formal engineering training, finishing High School at year 8 to commence work as a radio/electrical repairman. At age 21 he passed the year 12 examinations by night study at the Adelaide
School of Mines
, while working as a senior technician at the Department of Supply Long Range Weapons Establishment in South Australia, and being appointed the same year on merit as an electrical engineer at graduate level by the Netherlands
Philips
company subsidiary T.C.A. Pty.Ltd.
In 1958-9 he studied application of the new technology of the transistor
at Philips establishments in Holland and England; being relocated after that to Philips' Sydney headquarters.
In 1964, after being co-founding technical director of Telectronics Pty. Ltd. in 1963, the company was invited to participate in artificial cardiac pacemaker research in which co-founder Noel Gray
and he made significant contributions. His involvement as a director of Telectronics ceased in about 1982.
Subsequently, while continuing involvement in bio-engineering particularly in paediatrics, he studied aerodynamics and structural engineering which led to construction of a fuel efficient light aircraft which was awarded the SAAA prize of the "Henry Millicer
Best Australian Technical Innovation and Design" in 1998.
He was the recipient of the Institute of Engineers, Engineers Australia
, 2007 "David Dewhurst Award " "In recognition of his outstanding contribution to the profession of Biomedical Engineering".
At age 77, he was the lead co-researcher of a team at Sydney's The Children's Hospital at Westmead developing and clinically trialling a new form of therapy for a childhood condition, funded by a A$330,000 Grant by the National Health and Medical Research Council
. Patent PCT/AU2009/001257 "A Wireless Code Game Enuresis Alarm", assigned to the Royal Alexandra Hospital for Children
.
He is the father of four children and has nine grandchildren (at January 2011)
Order of Australia
The Order of Australia is an order of chivalry established on 14 February 1975 by Elizabeth II, Queen of Australia, "for the purpose of according recognition to Australian citizens and other persons for achievement or for meritorious service"...
MIIE
IIE
IIE can stand for:* The Institut d'Informatique d'Entreprise, one of the French public Grandes écoles of engineering, specializing in computer science...
was one of the pioneers of cardiac pacemaking
Artificial pacemaker
A pacemaker is a medical device that uses electrical impulses, delivered by electrodes contacting the heart muscles, to regulate the beating of the heart...
, born at Camperdown, Victoria, Australia to dairy farmer parents on 28 October 1933.
Royal Prince Alfred Hospital
The Royal Prince Alfred Hospital is a major public teaching hospital in Sydney, Australia, located on Missenden Road in Camperdown...
, Sydney (elected September 1982) and was appointed Officer Of The Order Of Australia
Order of Australia
The Order of Australia is an order of chivalry established on 14 February 1975 by Elizabeth II, Queen of Australia, "for the purpose of according recognition to Australian citizens and other persons for achievement or for meritorious service"...
in June 2000 "for service to the design of medical equipment, particularly in the development of the implantable cardiac pacemaker".
His accomplishments are remarkable in that he had no formal engineering training, finishing High School at year 8 to commence work as a radio/electrical repairman. At age 21 he passed the year 12 examinations by night study at the Adelaide
Adelaide
Adelaide is the capital city of South Australia and the fifth-largest city in Australia. Adelaide has an estimated population of more than 1.2 million...
School of Mines
School of Mines
A school of mines is a term used for many engineering schools established in the 18th and 19th centuries that originally focused on mining engineering and applied science...
, while working as a senior technician at the Department of Supply Long Range Weapons Establishment in South Australia, and being appointed the same year on merit as an electrical engineer at graduate level by the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
Philips
Philips
Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. , more commonly known as Philips, is a multinational Dutch electronics company....
company subsidiary T.C.A. Pty.Ltd.
In 1958-9 he studied application of the new technology of the transistor
Transistor
A transistor is a semiconductor device used to amplify and switch electronic signals and power. It is composed of a semiconductor material with at least three terminals for connection to an external circuit. A voltage or current applied to one pair of the transistor's terminals changes the current...
at Philips establishments in Holland and England; being relocated after that to Philips' Sydney headquarters.
In 1964, after being co-founding technical director of Telectronics Pty. Ltd. in 1963, the company was invited to participate in artificial cardiac pacemaker research in which co-founder Noel Gray
Noel Gray
Noel Desmond Gray was an Australian technician, co-founder and initial financier of the medical electronics company Telectronics Pty Ltd.-Early life:...
and he made significant contributions. His involvement as a director of Telectronics ceased in about 1982.
Subsequently, while continuing involvement in bio-engineering particularly in paediatrics, he studied aerodynamics and structural engineering which led to construction of a fuel efficient light aircraft which was awarded the SAAA prize of the "Henry Millicer
Henry Millicer
Henry K. Millicer, born Henryk Kazimierz Milicer , was a Polish-Australian aircraft designer and pilot....
Best Australian Technical Innovation and Design" in 1998.
He was the recipient of the Institute of Engineers, Engineers Australia
Engineers Australia
The Institution of Engineers Australia, often shortened to IEAust and trading as Engineers Australia, is a professional body and not-for-profit organisation dedicated to being the national forum for the advancement of the engineering field within Australia...
, 2007 "David Dewhurst Award " "In recognition of his outstanding contribution to the profession of Biomedical Engineering".
At age 77, he was the lead co-researcher of a team at Sydney's The Children's Hospital at Westmead developing and clinically trialling a new form of therapy for a childhood condition, funded by a A$330,000 Grant by the National Health and Medical Research Council
National Health and Medical Research Council
The National Health and Medical Research Council is Australia's peak funding body for medical research, with a budget of roughly 700 million dollars a year...
. Patent PCT/AU2009/001257 "A Wireless Code Game Enuresis Alarm", assigned to the Royal Alexandra Hospital for Children
Royal Alexandra Hospital for Children
The Royal Alexandra Hospital for Children is a children's hospital in Sydney, Australia. The Hospital was founded in 1880 as "The Sydney Hospital for Sick Children"...
.
He is the father of four children and has nine grandchildren (at January 2011)