McAulay, Alexander Leicester

Council of Heads of Australasian Herbaria
Australian National Herbarium
Biographical Notes

Home > CANBR | CHAH > Collectors & Illustrators > Biography

McAulay, Alexander Leicester (1895 - 1969)

Born on 15 November 1895, probably in Tasmania, and died in Hobart in 1969.

He graduated from the University of Tasmania in 1916, joined the staff as a lecturer in 1922 and was Professor of Physics from 1926 to 1959. In an obituary, the Australian Journal of Science (July 1969) stated —

"Professor McAulay contributed significantly to the advancement of science in Tasmania, both as a teacher and a researcher. Even during the pre-war period when, at first alone and then with only one assistant, he carried a very heavy teaching load, he still averaged one scientific paper a year. His research work began with atomic studies which followed his work under Rutherford in the Cavendish Laboratories, and from there he moved to the study of biophysics and he produced his first paper on chromosome numbers in species of eucalypts in 1936."

During World War II he experimented with methods of burning charcoal for producer gas motors, but his greatest contribution was with experiments he initiated for techniques in the production of precision optical work. In collaboration with Mr E. N. Waterworth and Dr F. D. Cruikshank he developed a large optical factory which played a role in war-time supplies. He also initiated methods for use in the design of aircraft camera lenses. After the war he returned to his earlier interest in biophysical work, which was to become a strong line of specialized research in the Department of Physics.

Source: Extracted from: Hall, N. (1978) Botanists of the eucalypts. Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, Melbourne

Australian National Herbarium - updated 13 November, 2007 by webmaster (cpbr-info@anbg.gov.au)