The Birth of Mineral Physics at the ANU in the 1970s

Abstract

In 1970, I established the first mineral physics laboratory in Australia at the Australian National University (ANU) under the auspices of A.E. (Ted) Ringwood. Over the next six years, we published 25 research papers in peer-reviewed journals, many of them in collaboration with graduate students, Ian Jackson and Leonie Jones. This research was focused on measurements of sound velocities in minerals (and their structural analogues) at high pressures and temperatures, as well as studies of melting and elastic shear instabilities in materials and applications of these experimental data to interpreting seismic models of the Earth’s interior.

Stony Brook’s Collaborations with Czech Scientists

“…Over the past decade, I have written papers on my history pursuing a scientific career in mineral physics. The first 3 of these papers appeared in a Special Issue of the journal Minerals and were later included in the book volume on "Mineral Physics: In Memory of Orson Anderson": these included "The Orson Anderson era of mineral physics at Lamont in the 1960s" [1]; "The birth of mineral physics at the ANU in the 1970s" [2]; "My career as a mineral physicist at Stony Brook: 1976-2019" [3]; and "Bob-san and high-pressure science and technology in Japan: A 40-year history" [4]. More recently, I have also published a paper on "Stony Brook's high-pressure laboratory collaborations with French scientists" in the International Journal of Geosciences [5].…”

Reminiscences of Days as an Undergraduate at Caltech in the 1960s: Geology, Student Body Politics and Intercollegiate Football

“…Over the past decade, I have concentrated on writing papers on my history pursuing a scientific career in mineral physics. The first 3 of these papers appeared in a Special Issue of the journal Minerals and were later included in the book volume on "Mineral Physics: In Memory of Orson Anderson": these included "The Orson Anderson era of mineral physics at Lamont in the 1960s" [1]; "The birth of mineral physics at the ANU in the 1970s" [2]; "My career as a mineral physicist at Stony Brook: 1976-2019" [3]; and "Bob-san and high pressure science and technology in Japan: A 40-year history" [4]. More recently, I have also published a papers on "Stony Brook's high-pressure laboratory collaborations with French scientists" and "Stony Brook's Collaborations with Czech Scientists" in the International Journal of Geosciences [5] [6].…”