Summary
Roderick William Boswell AM FAA FTSE (born 1932 in `Yackandandah)[1] is an Australian physicist. He is a professor at the Australian National University in Canberra, in the Space Plasma, Power and Propulsion group of the Plasma Research Laboratory.[2] He invented a technology which become the basis for the development of a new type of rocket thruster, the Helicon Double Layer Thruster: the ongoing development of the Australian Plasma Thruster is supported by the European Space Agency.[3]
After taking his B.Sc. at the University of Adelaide, he completed a Ph.D. at Flinders University.[1] His graduate studies were undertaken at Flinders University, in South Australia where, in 1969, he was instrumental in establishing the radical student newspaper "Empire Times" by purchasing and running, in the living room of his home, an offset press, thereby liberating the new newspaper from the censorious tendencies of commercial printers.[4]
His honours and awards include:
- In 2000, he received the Plasma Science & Technology Division Plasma Prize from the American Vacuum Society "for outstanding scientific and technical contributions to the fields of plasma science and technology."[5]
- In 2001 he was awarded a Centenary Medal "for service to Australian society in applied physics".[6]
- In 2008 he was elected a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Science[7][8]
- In 2012 he was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) "for service to science in the field of plasma physics as an academic and researcher and through contributions to the international scientific community".[9]
References edit
- ^ a b Rod W. Boswell - The Story, people.physics.anu.edu.au
- ^ "To infinity and beyond: Progress of the Australian Plasma Thruster". School Seminar Program. Research School of Physics & Engineering, Australian National University. 20 September 2012.
- ^ "ESA and Australian team develop breakthrough in space propulsion". ESA. 18 January 2006. Retrieved 1 March 2023.
- ^ Aidan Cornelius-Bell (18 October 2021). Student Activism in Higher Education: The politics of students' role in hegemonic university change (PDF) (Thesis). Flinders University. Retrieved 1 March 2023.
- ^ "Plasma Science & Technology Division Plasma Prize". American Vacuum Society. Retrieved 26 January 2024.
- ^ "Centenary Medal". It's an Honour. 1 January 2001.
- ^ "Fellows elected in 2008". Archived from the original on 23 March 2016.
- ^ "Boswell". People.physics.anu.edu.au. Retrieved 11 August 2015.
- ^ "Member of the Order of Australia (AM)". It's an Honour. 26 January 2012.
External links edit
- "ANU people given The Order on Australia Day". States News Service. 27 January 2012. Archived from the original on 19 March 2016. Retrieved 19 April 2015.(subscription required)
- "A vision to Mars". Australasian Business Intelligence. 2 April 2004. Archived from the original on 8 March 2016. Retrieved 19 April 2015.(subscription required)