John Paul Wild
Dr John Paul (Paul) Wild AC CBE MA ScD (Cantab.) FRS FTSE FAA (17 May 1923 – 10 May 2008) was a British-born Australian radio astronomer and national science leader who served as chairman of the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) 1978-1985.
Paul Wild was born in Sheffield, England in 1923. His scientific specialization was radio astronomy, including radio observations of the Sun. The Paul Wild Observatory at Narrabri, New South Wales is named after him. In 1972 he invented the Interscan microwave landing system. In 1984, a year before his retirement from CSIRO, he instigated and subsequently led the Very Fast Train project, intended to run TGV-like trains between Sydney and Melbourne via Canberra. The project collapsed in 1991, principally through half-hearted cooperation by some of the four governments involved. He died in 2008 in Canberra.
[edit] Honours
Paul Wild received the following honours for his research and science leadership:
- Commander of the Order of the British Empire (1978) for service to the science of radiophysics.[1]
- Companion of the Order of Australia (1986), for service to science and to the CSIRO.[2]
- Centenary Medal (2001), for service to Australian society and to science and to the CSIRO.[3]
- Edgeworth David Medal, Royal Society of New South Wales (1957).[4]
- The Arctowski Medal, National Academy of Sciences (1969).[5]
- Balthasar van der Pol Gold Medal, International Union of Radio Science (1969).[6]
- Herschel Medal, Royal Astronomical Society (1974).[7]
- Thomas Ranken Lyle Medal, Australian Academy of Science (1975).[8]
- Royal Medal, The Royal Society (1980).[9]
- Hale Prize for Solar Astronomy, American Astronomical Society (1980).[10]
- ANZAAS Medal, Australian and New Zealand Association for the Advancement of Science (1984).[11]
- Hartnett Medal, Royal Society of Arts London (1988).[12]
[edit] References
[edit] External links
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- 1923 births
- Australian astronomers
- People from Sheffield
- 20th-century astronomers
- Fellows of the Australian Academy of Science
- Royal Medal winners
- Commanders of the Order of the British Empire
- Companions of the Order of Australia
- Recipients of the Centenary Medal
- Fellows of the Royal Society
- 2008 deaths
- National Academy of Sciences laureates
- Astronomer stubs
- Australian scientist stubs
