Davies, Louis Walter (Lou) - Bright Sparcs Biographical entry

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Davies, Louis Walter (Lou) (1923 - 2001)

AO, FAA, FTSE, FAIP, FIEEE, FIEAust

Online Sources

Published Sources

Radiophysicist

Born: 27 August 1923 Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. Died: 28 September 2001 Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.

Louis Walter (Lou) Davies was a renowned radiophysicist who began his career as a Research Officer at the CSIRO (Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation). After nine years there (1951-1960), Davies made the courageous move from the secure environment of CSIRO to the commercial world of AWA Ltd. (Amalgamated Wireless Australasia). He remained at AWA Ltd. until 1995 and held numerous top positions including Director. From 1965 to 1984 Davies moved to part-time employment so he could spend two days per week working as Visiting Professor (later Emeritus Professor) at the University of New South Wales. He founded the Department of Solid State Electronics and remained at the university until 1984. After retiring from AWA, Davies continued his links with industry, becoming a board member of Ludowici & Son Ltd (also a one-time chairman), Radio 2CH Pty Ltd, Alsafe Safety Industries Pty Ltd and the Australian Caption Centre. Lou Davies was Fellow of the Australian Academy of Science (FAA), (Foundation Fellow) Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering (FTSE), Australian Institute of Physics (FAIP), Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers, USA (FIEEE) and of the Institute of Engineers, Australia (FIEAust). He was appointed a Commander Officer in the Order of Australia (AO) in 1981 in recognition of his outstanding contributions to radiophysics and telecommunications in Australia.

Career Highlights

Alternative Names: Davies, Bill (Also known as)

Chronology
1941 - 1948 Bachelor of Science (BSc) completed at the University of Sydney
1942 - c. 1945 Navigator with the 1 Squadron of the Royal Australian Air Force in Darwin
1948 - 1951 Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) completed at the University of Oxford, UK (New South Wales Rhodes Scholarship)
1951 - 1954 Research Officer at the CSIRO (Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation) Division of Radiophysics
1954 - 1960 Co-founder of the CSIRO Division of Radiophysics semi-conductor laboratory
1958 Visiting Fellow at the Bell Telephone Laboratories, USA
1960 - 1965 Chief Physicist at AWA Ltd. (Amalgamated Wireless Australasia)
1965 - 1972 Chief Physicist (part-time) at AWA Ltd. (Amalgamated Wireless Australasia)
1965 - 1984 Visiting Professor (part-time), later Emeritus Professor, at the University of New South Wales
c. 1970 - 1982 Founder and Head of the Department of Solid State Electronics at the University of New South Wales
1972 - 1986 Chief Scientist at AWA Ltd.
1975 - Foundation Fellow of the Australian Academy of Technological Sciences (now the Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering) (FTSE)
1976 - Fellow of the Australian Academy of Science (FAA)
1976 - 1983 Foundation Member of the Australian Science and Technology Council (ASTEC)
1978 Officer of the Order of Australia (AO)
1981 - Fellow of the Institution of Electrical and Electronic Engineers, USA (FIEEE)
1982 - 1984 Vice-President of the Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering
1983 - 1986 Council member of the Australian Academy of Science
1984 - 1986 Manager of the Microelectronics Section at AWA Ltd.
1986 - Established and ran a grazing property in New South Wales
1987 - 1995 Director of AWA Ltd.
1987 - c. 1995 Board member of AWA Ltd.
1990 - 1994 Director of Radio 2CH Pty. Ltd.

Online Sources

Published Sources

Craig, David, Interview with Professor Louis Davies (1923-2001), Interviews with Australian scientists, Australian Academy of Science, 15 December 1999, http://www.science.org.au/scientists/ld.htm. [ Details ]

Structure based on ISAAR(CPF) - click here for an explanation of the fields.

Prepared by: Annette Alafaci
Created: 14 February 2006

Published by The University of Melbourne eScholarship Research Centre on ASAPWeb, 1994 - 2007
Originally published 1994-1999 by Australian Science Archives Project, 1999-2006 by the Australian Science and Technology Heritage Centre
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Prepared by: Acknowledgements
Updated: 26 February 2007
http://www.asap.unimelb.edu.au/bsparcs/biogs/P004672b.htm

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