Professional James Morrison interviewed by Professor Anthony Klein
TitleProfessional James Morrison interviewed by Professor Anthony Klein
Reference240000086
Date2010
Scope and ContentVideo interview and transcript of interview.
James Douglas (Jim) Morrison was born in Glasgow, Scotland in 1924. Morrison completed his higher education at Glasgow University with a BSc (Hons) in chemistry (1945) and a PhD in X-ray crystallography (1948). Morrison was also awarded a DSc from Glasgow University in 1958. In 1949 Morrison left the cold and gloom of Scotland for sunny Australia and a position as a research officer in the division of Industrial Chemistry at the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR). At CSIR Morrison changed his focus from x-ray crystallography to mass spectrometry, with great success. One of his major achievements in the field of mass spectrometry was the use of a theoretical deconvolution computer program to sharpen the peaks in mass spectra in 1959. While at CSIR, Morrison was promoted to senior research officer (1953), principal research officer (1956), senior principal research officer (1960) and finally chief research officer (1964).
The newly established La Trobe University in Melbourne offered Morrison the foundation chair of physical chemistry, which he took up in 1967. In 1985 Morrison became the chairman of the Chemistry Department at La Trobe University and was made emeritus professor in 1989, upon his retirement. During his career Morrison went on several fruitful sabbaticals, visiting the University of Chicago (1956-57), Princeton University (1964) and the University of Utah (1971-72), where he became an adjunct professor of the Chemistry department (1973-2001). He was also the first master of Chisholm College at La Trobe University (1968-70).
James Douglas (Jim) Morrison was born in Glasgow, Scotland in 1924. Morrison completed his higher education at Glasgow University with a BSc (Hons) in chemistry (1945) and a PhD in X-ray crystallography (1948). Morrison was also awarded a DSc from Glasgow University in 1958. In 1949 Morrison left the cold and gloom of Scotland for sunny Australia and a position as a research officer in the division of Industrial Chemistry at the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR). At CSIR Morrison changed his focus from x-ray crystallography to mass spectrometry, with great success. One of his major achievements in the field of mass spectrometry was the use of a theoretical deconvolution computer program to sharpen the peaks in mass spectra in 1959. While at CSIR, Morrison was promoted to senior research officer (1953), principal research officer (1956), senior principal research officer (1960) and finally chief research officer (1964).
The newly established La Trobe University in Melbourne offered Morrison the foundation chair of physical chemistry, which he took up in 1967. In 1985 Morrison became the chairman of the Chemistry Department at La Trobe University and was made emeritus professor in 1989, upon his retirement. During his career Morrison went on several fruitful sabbaticals, visiting the University of Chicago (1956-57), Princeton University (1964) and the University of Utah (1971-72), where he became an adjunct professor of the Chemistry department (1973-2001). He was also the first master of Chisholm College at La Trobe University (1968-70).
LanguageEnglish
External document
Persons keyword James Morrison, A. G. Klein
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