John Robert de Laeter
John Robert de Laeter | |
---|---|
Born | South Perth, Western Australia | 3 May 1933
Died | 16 August 2010 Curtin University of Technology | (aged 77)
Doctoral advisor | Peter M Jeffery |
John Robert de Laeter,
Early life and education
John Robert de Laeter was born on 3 May 1933 in
Scientific career
De Laeter began teaching in 1957 at the
- I heard two of the world's experts battling it out on how the universe began – the Big Bang Theory versus Steady State Cosmology. It inspired me and I decided there and then to go back to university and do a PhD in physics and get involved in these astrophysical questions.[3]
Further University studies culminated in a thesis on the isotopic composition of terrestrial and meteoritic
De Laeter's scientific interests were broad, but centred on the application of mass spectrometry techniques in cosmochemistry and nuclear physics. He is credited with refining the isotopic composition and atomic weight measurements of elements,, serving as the Secretary of the Commission from 1984 to 1987 and as its chairman from 1988 to 1991. In 1984, he authored the "CIAAW Technical Guidelines" manual, which still serves as a reference for adopting new atomic weight values by the Commission.
Recognising the application of mass spectrometry methods to geology in the 1970s and 1980s, de Laeter also established a series of projects with the Geological Survey of Western Australia and the University of Western Australia to develop geochronology capabilities based on the rubidium–strontium, samarium–neodymium and uranium–lead decay schemes.[5] These projects produced a series of publications that established the geochronological framework of Western Australian geology, for example in the Pilbara Craton[12] and establishing the extreme age of the Narryer Gneiss Terrane of the Yilgarn Craton.[13]
Research and education leadership
As the West Australian Institute of Technology evolved into Curtin University of Technology, De Laeter became Deputy Vice-Chancellor Research and Development and provided important administrative service and guidance to several major projects including the
The early interest in science education continued with significant leadership of projects establishing the
De Laeter retired in 1995. A symposium to mark his retirement was notable for one of the last public speeches by Mark Oliphant. This was noted as a very fitting tribute, because Mark Oliphant had given a lecture in 1950 that had inspired Peter M Jeffrey – John de Laeter's PhD supervisor – to begin the pioneering work in mass spectrometry and geochronology in Australia.[16]
Awards and honors
De Laeter was made an
He also had a minor planet, 3893 DeLaeter, named after him in recognition for his support of the Perth Observatory.[19]
References
- ^ "Vale John de Laeter" (PDF). 2010. Archived from the original (PDF) on 21 February 2011. Retrieved 1 January 2011.
- ^ a b c d e "Emeritus Professor John de Laeter". 2010. Retrieved 1 January 2011.
- ^ a b "Professor John de Laeter dies aged 77". 2010. Retrieved 1 January 2011.
- ^ De Laeter, J.R. (1966). The isotopic composition of terrestrial and meteoritic tin (PhD thesis). University of Western Australia.
- ^ a b c "Professor John de Laeter". 2010. Retrieved 1 January 2011.
- ^ De Laeter, J.R. (1976), "The Age of the Elements", Australian Science Teachers Journal, 22 (3): 73–80
- ^ De Laeter, J.R.; Dekkers, J. (1996), "Science enrolment trends in Australian schools", Search, 27 (9)
- ^ Rosman, K. (1996), "Preface to de Laeter Symposium on Isotope Science Volume", Journal of the Royal Society of Western Australia, 79 (1): i
- ^ "It's an Honour". 2010. Retrieved 1 January 2011.
- ^ "It's an Honour". 2010. Retrieved 1 January 2011.
- ^ "JPL Small-Body Database Browser: 3893 DeLaeter (1980 FG12)". 2003. Retrieved 1 January 2011.