Ian Clunies Ross
Sir
Ian Clunies Ross (
1899-
1959) is described as the 'architect' of Australia's scientific boom, for his stewardship of Australia's scientific organisation the
CSIRO.
Clunies Ross was born in Bathurst,
New South Wales on
February 22,
1899. His father's father, Robert Clunies Ross, was a brother of that John Clunies Ross who settled with his family and crew on
Cocos (Keeling) Islands in 1826-7 and proclaimed a kingdom. He was educated at Newington College, Sydney, and in 1917 he entered
Sydney University, in the Agriculture Faculty, and transferred to
Veterinary Science at the beginning of 1918, graduating with honours in 1920. In 1921, Clunies Ross was given a temporary lectureship in veterinary anatomy, the following year he was made a
The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research Fellow allowing him to a travel overseas. He spent a year working on animal
parasites at the
Molteno Institute for Parasitology in
Cambridge and the School of Tropical Medicine in
London. He also spent time in the
United States, mainly in
Texas and
Louisiana, where he looked at methods of field control of parasitic diseases.
When he returned to Sydney he set up a veterinary practice, lectured at the University and continued his own research on
hydatid parasite (
Echinococcus granulosus), the liver fluke (
Fasciola hepatica), and the dog-tick (
Ixodes holocyclus). He developed an
immunization for dogs to protect against the dog-tick.
In
1926 Clunies Ross was appointed parasitologist to the newly established Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), and was funded to continue research at the Sydney University Veterinary School. By mid-1931, three other researchers were working with him, and in November 1931 the team moved into CSIR's new McMaster Animal Health Laboratory, Clunies Ross was appointed as the Officer-in-Charge of the laboratory. In 1928, his thesis on the hydatid parasite was accepted by the University of Sydney for the degree of Doctor of Veterinary Science. Work at the McMaster Laboratory on the control of
sheep liver-fluke, made a significant improvement to animal heath and the returns from agriculture in the 1930s.
|
Ian Cluines Ross and the research at the CSIRO appeared on the Australian $50 note |
Following his time at the McMaster Laboratory, Clunies Ross spent times in
Asia, and he was the Australian representative at the International Wool Secretariat in
London from 1937- 1940. He enjoyed this administrative role. He also served as a member of Australia's Delegation to the
League of Nations Assembly in 1938. He and his family returned to Australia when
World War II broke out, he returned to the Veterinary school at the University of Sydney. He was president of the
Australian Institute of International Affairs from 1941â€"1945. He was a vocal commentator on international affairs throughout the remainder of his career.
In 1943, Clunies Ross was appointed Director of Scientific Personnel in the Commonwealth Directorate of Manpower and also Adviser on the Pastoral Industry to the Department of War Organization of Industry. He held these positions until 1945 while continuing work connected with his university position. At the end of the war he left the university to assist the CSIR in planning
sheep and
wool-textile research. In 1946 he was appointed a full-time member of the CSIR Executive Committee, which was situated in
Melbourne.
He served as the executive officer of the CSIR until 1949 when it was renamed the CSIRO. He was chair of the CSIRO until his death in 1959. During this time he oversaw the release of
myxomatosis for
rabbit control in
Australia.
Ian attended Newington College in Stanmore, Sydney and in 1917 commenced a course in Agricultural Science at Sydney University.
Centaur, a magazine of Sydney Veterinary School, shortly after Ian's death related that as 'a third year student in 1919 he was a tall, slender young man, whose immacualte dress and general appearance on all occasions led him to be regarded by other students as the model of sartorial excellence.'
On October 6th 1927, Ian married Janet Carter. They had three sons: Anthony, Adrian and David, each of whom have carved distinguished career paths for themselves.
*Clunies Ross was
knighted in 1954 and in the same year awarded the
Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George.
*Clunies Ross National Science and Technology Award.
*Clunies Ross Street in Canberra, Australia.
*O'Dea, C. 1997.
Ian Clunies Ross - a biography. Hyland House, South Melbourne ISBN 1864470186
*Australian Academy of Science Biography- Ian Clunies Ross [
1]
*
Clunies Ross Foundation
