Leslie H. Martin
Encyclopedia
Professor
Sir
Leslie Harold Martin CBE
, FAA
, FRS (21 December 1900 - 1 February 1983) was an Australian physicist
and Higher Education
Advisor. He was one of the 24 Founding Fellow
s of the Australian Academy of Science
and had a significant influence on the structure of Higher Education in Australia.
, in Melbourne
. He won a Junior State Scholarship to Melbourne High School
for his final years of secondary schooling. His mathematics teacher, Miss Julia Flynn, encouraged him; he won a Victorian Education Department Senior Government Scholarship and commenced a B.Sc. at the University of Melbourne
with the scholarship. In 1921, in the final year of the course for the B.Sc. degree, he came top of his year with first class honours in Natural Philosophy (physics) and was awarded the Dixson Scholarship in Natural Philosophy. In 1922, under the supervision of Professor T. H. Laby
, he completed a Master's degree in Science obtaining first class honours and both the Dixson and Kernot
Scholarships.
, Cambridge
, under Ernest Rutherford
who himself was an 1851 Exhibition Science Research Scholar. Martin completed his Ph.D. in 1926. The results of this work were published in the Proceedings of the Royal Society of London and the Proceedings of the Cambridge Philosophical Society. He was awarded an International Research Fellowship of the Rockefeller Foundation
.
and then in 1937 Associate Professor in Natural Philosophy
at the University of Melbourne. In 1934, he won the coveted David Syme Research Prize.
Martin commenced projects at the request of the Australian Military. In January 1942, Martin was seconded to the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, Radiophysics Laboratory in Sydney to develop secret valves for Radio Direction Finder
, the precursor to Radar
.
Scientific and Industrial Research created the Atomic Physics Section in 1947 lead by Martin at the University of Melbourne. In 1948 he became a member of the Interim Council of the Australian National University
. He was president of the Australian Branch of the Institute of Physics
in 1952-53. From 1953 to 1963 he was a Trustee of the Science Museum of Victoria and its Chairman in 1962 and 1963. He became a Foundation Fellow of the Australian Academy of Science in 1954 and was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society
of London in 1957. For his work in education and defence he was made a Companion of the Order of the British Empire in 1954. In 1957 he was a Pro-Vice-chancellor for the University of Melbourne. Martin was knighted in 1957 to honour his outstanding contributions to science. Some of his many other posts at this time included a Defence Scientific Adviser and Chairman of the Defence Research and Development Policy Committee and Commissioner of the Australian Atomic Energy Commission
.
.
Academy as an affiliated college of the University of Melbourne in 1961.
In 1967 Martin became the chairman of the government's Tertiary Education (Services' Cadet Colleges) Committee that began planning for the Australian Defence Force Academy
. During this year he also became Professor of Physics and the first Dean of the Faculty of Military Studies for the University of New South Wales, at the Royal Military College, Duntroon
until he retired in 1971.
but then moved back to Melbourne where they could be near their four much-loved grandchildren. Martin suffered a stroke in 1979. He made a remarkable recovery from his first stroke. He died unexpectedly 1 February 1983.
Professor
A professor is a scholarly teacher; the precise meaning of the term varies by country. Literally, professor derives from Latin as a "person who professes" being usually an expert in arts or sciences; a teacher of high rank...
Sir
Sir
Sir is an honorific used as a title , or as a courtesy title to address a man without using his given or family name in many English speaking cultures...
Leslie Harold Martin CBE
CBE
CBE and C.B.E. are abbreviations for "Commander of the Order of the British Empire", a grade in the Order of the British Empire.Other uses include:* Chemical and Biochemical Engineering...
, FAA
Australian Academy of Science
The Australian Academy of Science was founded in 1954 by a group of distinguished Australians, including Australian Fellows of the Royal Society of London. The first president was Sir Mark Oliphant. The Academy is modelled after the Royal Society and operates under a Royal Charter; as such it is...
, FRS (21 December 1900 - 1 February 1983) was an Australian physicist
Physicist
A physicist is a scientist who studies or practices physics. Physicists study a wide range of physical phenomena in many branches of physics spanning all length scales: from sub-atomic particles of which all ordinary matter is made to the behavior of the material Universe as a whole...
and Higher Education
Higher education
Higher, post-secondary, tertiary, or third level education refers to the stage of learning that occurs at universities, academies, colleges, seminaries, and institutes of technology...
Advisor. He was one of the 24 Founding Fellow
Fellow
A fellow in the broadest sense is someone who is an equal or a comrade. The term fellow is also used to describe a person, particularly by those in the upper social classes. It is most often used in an academic context: a fellow is often part of an elite group of learned people who are awarded...
s of the Australian Academy of Science
Australian Academy of Science
The Australian Academy of Science was founded in 1954 by a group of distinguished Australians, including Australian Fellows of the Royal Society of London. The first president was Sir Mark Oliphant. The Academy is modelled after the Royal Society and operates under a Royal Charter; as such it is...
and had a significant influence on the structure of Higher Education in Australia.
Early days
Martin was born 21 December 1900 in FootscrayFootscray, Victoria
Footscray is a suburb 5 km west of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Its Local Government Area is the City of Maribyrnong. At the 2006 Census, Footscray had a population of 11,401....
, in Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
. He won a Junior State Scholarship to Melbourne High School
Melbourne High School
Melbourne High School is a selective entry state school for boys in years 9 to 12 located in the Melbourne suburb of South Yarra. Being a selective school, it is known mainly for its strong academic reputation...
for his final years of secondary schooling. His mathematics teacher, Miss Julia Flynn, encouraged him; he won a Victorian Education Department Senior Government Scholarship and commenced a B.Sc. at the University of Melbourne
University of Melbourne
The University of Melbourne is a public university located in Melbourne, Victoria. Founded in 1853, it is the second oldest university in Australia and the oldest in Victoria...
with the scholarship. In 1921, in the final year of the course for the B.Sc. degree, he came top of his year with first class honours in Natural Philosophy (physics) and was awarded the Dixson Scholarship in Natural Philosophy. In 1922, under the supervision of Professor T. H. Laby
T. H. Laby
Thomas Howell Laby, FRS, was an Australian physicist and chemist, Professor of Natural Philosophy, University of Melbourne 1915–1942. Along with G. W. C...
, he completed a Master's degree in Science obtaining first class honours and both the Dixson and Kernot
William Charles Kernot
William Charles Kernot , was an Australian engineer, first professor of engineering at the University of Melbourne and president of the Royal Society of Victoria....
Scholarships.
Family
- Martin was married on 13 February 1923 to Gladys Maude Elaine Bull
- Their first son, Leon Henry Martin, born in Cambridge on 25 April 1924, died at sea in July 1926.
- Their second son, Raymond Leslie Martin, was born on 3 February 1926.
Cambridge
In 1923, Martin won an Overseas Scholarship of the Royal Commission for the Exhibition of 1851 to study at the Cavendish LaboratoryCavendish Laboratory
The Cavendish Laboratory is the Department of Physics at the University of Cambridge, and is part of the university's School of Physical Sciences. It was opened in 1874 as a teaching laboratory....
, Cambridge
University of Cambridge
The University of Cambridge is a public research university located in Cambridge, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest university in both the United Kingdom and the English-speaking world , and the seventh-oldest globally...
, under Ernest Rutherford
Ernest Rutherford
Ernest Rutherford, 1st Baron Rutherford of Nelson OM, FRS was a New Zealand-born British chemist and physicist who became known as the father of nuclear physics...
who himself was an 1851 Exhibition Science Research Scholar. Martin completed his Ph.D. in 1926. The results of this work were published in the Proceedings of the Royal Society of London and the Proceedings of the Cambridge Philosophical Society. He was awarded an International Research Fellowship of the Rockefeller Foundation
Rockefeller Foundation
The Rockefeller Foundation is a prominent philanthropic organization and private foundation based at 420 Fifth Avenue, New York City. The preeminent institution established by the six-generation Rockefeller family, it was founded by John D. Rockefeller , along with his son John D. Rockefeller, Jr...
.
Natural Philosophy
In 1927 Martin was LecturerLecturer
Lecturer is an academic rank. In the United Kingdom, lecturer is a position at a university or similar institution, often held by academics in their early career stages, who lead research groups and supervise research students, as well as teach...
and then in 1937 Associate Professor in Natural Philosophy
Natural philosophy
Natural philosophy or the philosophy of nature , is a term applied to the study of nature and the physical universe that was dominant before the development of modern science...
at the University of Melbourne. In 1934, he won the coveted David Syme Research Prize.
War
With the outbreak of World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
Martin commenced projects at the request of the Australian Military. In January 1942, Martin was seconded to the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, Radiophysics Laboratory in Sydney to develop secret valves for Radio Direction Finder
Radio direction finder
A radio direction finder is a device for finding the direction to a radio source. Due to low frequency propagation characteristic to travel very long distances and "over the horizon", it makes a particularly good navigation system for ships, small boats, and aircraft that might be some distance...
, the precursor to Radar
Radar
Radar is an object-detection system which uses radio waves to determine the range, altitude, direction, or speed of objects. It can be used to detect aircraft, ships, spacecraft, guided missiles, motor vehicles, weather formations, and terrain. The radar dish or antenna transmits pulses of radio...
.
Physics
In 1945 he became Professor of Physics at the University of Melbourne until 1959. The Council forScientific and Industrial Research created the Atomic Physics Section in 1947 lead by Martin at the University of Melbourne. In 1948 he became a member of the Interim Council of the Australian National University
Australian National University
The Australian National University is a teaching and research university located in the Australian capital, Canberra.As of 2009, the ANU employs 3,945 administrative staff who teach approximately 10,000 undergraduates, and 7,500 postgraduate students...
. He was president of the Australian Branch of the Institute of Physics
Institute of Physics
The Institute of Physics is a scientific charity devoted to increasing the practice, understanding and application of physics. It has a worldwide membership of around 40,000....
in 1952-53. From 1953 to 1963 he was a Trustee of the Science Museum of Victoria and its Chairman in 1962 and 1963. He became a Foundation Fellow of the Australian Academy of Science in 1954 and was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society
Royal Society
The Royal Society of London for Improving Natural Knowledge, known simply as the Royal Society, is a learned society for science, and is possibly the oldest such society in existence. Founded in November 1660, it was granted a Royal Charter by King Charles II as the "Royal Society of London"...
of London in 1957. For his work in education and defence he was made a Companion of the Order of the British Empire in 1954. In 1957 he was a Pro-Vice-chancellor for the University of Melbourne. Martin was knighted in 1957 to honour his outstanding contributions to science. Some of his many other posts at this time included a Defence Scientific Adviser and Chairman of the Defence Research and Development Policy Committee and Commissioner of the Australian Atomic Energy Commission
Australian Atomic Energy Commission
The Australian Atomic Energy Commission was a statutory body of the Australian government.It was established in 1952, replacing the Atomic Energy Policy Committee. In 1981 parts of the Commission were split off to become part of CSIRO, the remainder continuing until 1987, when it was replaced by...
.
Australian Universities Commission
Martin was the full-time chairman of the Australian Universities Commission in August 1959 until he retired in 1966. He oversaw a rapid expansion of Australian higher education, including the commencement of five new universities. In 1961 he became Chairman of the Committee on the Future Development of Tertiary Education in Australia. The Committee’s advice led to a formalised ‘binary divide’ between the universities, as research and teaching institutions, and other higher education teaching institutions, mostly colleges of advanced educationCollege of Advanced Education
The College of Advanced Education was a class of Australian tertiary education institution that existed from 1967 until the early 1990s. They ranked below universities, but above Colleges of Technical and Further Education which offer trade qualification...
.
Military Education
The links between his academic activities and his defence activities led him to work for the establishment of the Royal Australian Air ForceRoyal Australian Air Force
The Royal Australian Air Force is the air force branch of the Australian Defence Force. The RAAF was formed in March 1921. It continues the traditions of the Australian Flying Corps , which was formed on 22 October 1912. The RAAF has taken part in many of the 20th century's major conflicts...
Academy as an affiliated college of the University of Melbourne in 1961.
In 1967 Martin became the chairman of the government's Tertiary Education (Services' Cadet Colleges) Committee that began planning for the Australian Defence Force Academy
Australian Defence Force Academy
The Australian Defence Force Academy is a tri-service military Academy that provides military and tertiary academic education for junior officers of the Australian Defence Force in the Royal Australian Navy , Australian Army and Royal Australian Air Force .Tertiary education is provided by the...
. During this year he also became Professor of Physics and the first Dean of the Faculty of Military Studies for the University of New South Wales, at the Royal Military College, Duntroon
Royal Military College, Duntroon
The Royal Military College, Duntroon is the Australian Army's officer training establishment. It was founded at Duntroon, in the Australian Capital Territory, in 1911 and is situated on picturesque grounds at the foot of Mount Pleasant near Lake Burley Griffin, close to the Department of Defence...
until he retired in 1971.
Retirement
At first he and Lady Martin lived quietly in CanberraCanberra
Canberra is the capital city of Australia. With a population of over 345,000, it is Australia's largest inland city and the eighth-largest city overall. The city is located at the northern end of the Australian Capital Territory , south-west of Sydney, and north-east of Melbourne...
but then moved back to Melbourne where they could be near their four much-loved grandchildren. Martin suffered a stroke in 1979. He made a remarkable recovery from his first stroke. He died unexpectedly 1 February 1983.
LH Martin Institute
The University of Melbourne formed the LH Martin Institute for Higher Education Leadership and Management on 30 August 2007. The Institute is interdisciplinary and has as its key objectives:- to train the next generation of leaders of Australia’s higher education and VET institutions in the strategic management of their institutions;
- to provide a forum in which public policy makers, public and private sector institutions and national and international experts can explore, assess and anticipate the changing national and international environment in which higher education and VET operates; and
- to support its educational programs with scholarship and research.
Sir Leslie Martin Prize
In 1971 RMC Duntroon established the Sir Leslie Martin Prize which has been awarded every year until 1985, and from then at the Australian Defence Force Academy (ADFA) since 1986 to the present. The prize is awarded for 'distinguished performance by a First Year Officer Cadet in First Year Physics' from all streams, that is, all Physics, Engineering and Arts students who take Physics I.Career Highlights
- 1921 Bachelor of Science (BSc) completed at the University of Melbourne
- 1923 Master of Science (MSc) completed at the University of Melbourne
- 1923 - 1926 1851 Exhibition Scholar at the University of OxfordUniversity of OxfordThe University of Oxford is a university located in Oxford, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest surviving university in the world and the oldest in the English-speaking world. Although its exact date of foundation is unclear, there is evidence of teaching as far back as 1096...
- 1927 Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) completed at the University of Cambridge (Cavendish Laboratory), UK
- 1927 Rockefeller Fellow
- 1927 - 1937 Senior Lecturer in Natural Philosophy at the University of Melbourne
- 1934 David Syme Prize jointly received
- 1937 - 1945 Associate Professor of Natural Philosophy at the University of Melbourne
- 1945 - 1959 Professor of Physics at the University of Melbourne
- 1945 John Smyth Memorial Medal received from the University of Melbourne
- 1946 R.M. Johnston Memorial Medal received from the Royal Society of TasmaniaRoyal Society of TasmaniaThe Royal Society of Tasmania was formed in 1844.The RST was the first Royal Society outside the United Kingdom. It started as the "Tasmanian Society" formed by Sir John Franklin assisted by Ronald Campbell Gunn....
- 1948 - 1968 Defence Scientific Adviser and Chairman of the Defence Research & Development Policy Committee
- 1952 - 1953 President of the Institute of Physics, Australian branch
- 1954 Foundation Fellow of the Australian Academy of Science (FAA)
- 1954 Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE)
- 1957 Fellow of the Royal Society (FRS)
- 1957 Knight BachelorKnight BachelorThe rank of Knight Bachelor is a part of the British honours system. It is the most basic rank of a man who has been knighted by the monarch but not as a member of one of the organised Orders of Chivalry...
- 1958 - 1968 Commissioner with the Australian Atomic Energy Commission
- 1959 - 1966 Chairman of the Australian Universities Commission
- 1966 Honorary Fellow, Australian College of EducatorsAustralian College of EducatorsThe Australian College of Educators is the principal organisation representing the field of teaching and education in Australia, and acts as the independent interest body for Australian teachers...
(FACE) - 1967 - 1970 Dean of Military Studies and Professor of Physics at the Royal Military College, Duntroon in Canberra
- 1971 - Sir Leslie Martin Prize established at the Royal Military College
Publications
- The high frequency K series absorption spectrum of erbium. Royal Society of Victoria. Proceedings., 35 (1922), 164-169.
- (With E.C. Stoner) The absorption of x-rays. Proceedings of the Royal Society of London, A, 107 (1925), 312-331.
- Some measurements on the absorption of x-rays of long wave-length. Cambridge Philosophical Society. Proceedings., 23 (1927), 783-793.
- The efficiency of K series emission by K ionised atoms. Proceedings of the Royal Society of London, A, 115 (1927), 420-442.
- (With K.C. Lang) X-ray absorption coefficients in the range 0.3 to 2.0 Å. Proceedings of the Royal Society of London, A, 137 (1932), 199-216.
- (With K.C. Lang) The thermal conductivity of water. Physical Society, London. Proceedings., 45 (1933), 523-529.
- (With W.G. Kannuluik) Conduction of heat in powders. Proceedings of the Royal Society of London, A, 141 (1933), 144-158.
- (With W.G. Kannuluik) The thermal conductivity of some gases at 0°C. Proceedings of the Royal Society of London, A, 144 (1934), 496-513.
- (With J.C. Bower and T.H. Laby) Ionization in gases by x-rays as shown by expansion chamber observations. Sydney. University. Cancer Research Committee. Journal., 6 (1934), 131-143.
- (With J.C. Bower and T.H. Laby) Auger effect in argon. Proceedings of the Royal Society of London, A, 148 (1935), 40-46.
- (With F.F.H. Eggleston) The Auger effect in xenon and krypton. Proceedings of the Royal Society of London, A, 158 (1937), 46-54.
- (With F.F.H. Eggleston) The angular distribution of photoelectrons from the K shell. Proceedings of the Royal Society of London, A, 162 (1937), 95-110.
- (With A.A. Townsend) The beta-ray spectrum of RaE. Proceedings of the Royal Society of London, A, 170 (1939), 190-205.