Albert Lloyd George Rees (15 January 1916 – 14 August 1989) was an Australian chemical physicist. Originally published in ''Historical Records of Australian Science'', Vol.9, No.1, 1992. He was born the son of the Rev. G.P. Rees of Melbourne, Australia and educated at

Carey Baptist Grammar School Carey Baptist Grammar School, commonly known as Carey, is an private school, independent, co-educational, Baptists, Baptist day school in Victoria (Australia), Victoria, Australia. The school has five campuses: Kew, Victoria, Kew (ELC to Year ...

, at Kew, Victoria, Australia. He then worked part-time as a laboratory assistant at

Melbourne University The University of Melbourne (colloquially known as Melbourne University) is a public research university located in Melbourne, Australia. Founded in 1853, it is Australia's second oldest university and the oldest in the state of Victoria. Its ...

whilst studying for a Chemistry degree, which he obtained in 1936. After further study for an M.Sc (awarded in 1938) he travelled to England to work at

Imperial College Imperial College London, also known as Imperial, is a public research university in London, England. Its history began with Prince Albert, husband of Queen Victoria, who envisioned a cultural district in South Kensington that included museums ...

. As war had broken out en route he found himself investigating potential war gases, for which he was awarded a PhD in 1941. After a few years of research at Philips Electrical Industries U.K., where he led a team studying problems associated with the manufacture of cathode ray tubes, he returned to Australia to take up a post at CSIR in Melbourne as leader of a new Section of Chemical Physics devoted to the application of physical techniques to chemical problems, including protein structure investigations, chemico-physical studies of the solid state, the determination of molecular structure and energetics, and the development of new and improved chemico-physical techniques. In 1958, having grown to a staff of 30 and equipped with X-ray diffraction equipment, a mass spectrometer, an ultra-violet and an infra-red spectrometer, the section became the Chemical Physics Division. He was elected a fellow of the Australian Chemical Institute (FRACI) in 1948 and awarded their Rennie (1945), Smith (1951) and Leighton (1970) Medals. He became a fellow of the

Australian Academy of Science The Australian Academy of Science was founded in 1954 by a group of distinguished Australians, including Australian Fellows of the Royal Society of London. The first president was Sir Mark Oliphant. The academy is modelled after the Royal Soci ...

(FAA) in 1954 and was awarded

Commander of the Order of the British Empire The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding valuable service in a wide range of useful activities. It comprises five classes of awards across both civil and military divisions, the most senior two o ...

(CBE) in 1978. He retired from

CSIRO The Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) is an Australian Government agency that is responsible for scientific research and its commercial and industrial applications. CSIRO works with leading organisations arou ...

in 1978 and died in 1989. He had married Marion Mofflin and had three daughters.

Lloyd Rees Lecture

In 1990, the Council of the

agreed on the proposal of Sir Alan Walsh to initiate a series of lectures by distinguished researchers in chemical physics, to recognise the contributions of Rees to science, industry and education. The award has been made to: * 2018 — Paul Mulvaney * 2016 — Keith Nugent * 2014 — Cathy Foley * 2012 — Joanne Etheridge * 2010 — Stephen W. Wilkins * 2008 — Michelle Simmons, ''Atomic electronics: When will scaling reach its limit?'' * 2006 — Jose Varghese * 2004 — Peter Hannaford * 2002 — D. Cockayne * 2000 — Peter Malcolm Colman * 1998 — R.A. Lee * 1996 — William R. Blevin * 1993 — William Edwin James * 1991 — John M. Cowley

References

1916 births 1989 deaths Australian Commanders of the Order of the British Empire Fellows of the Australian Academy of Science Scientists from Melbourne 20th-century Australian scientists Alumni of Imperial College London People educated at Carey Baptist Grammar School University of Melbourne alumni {{physicist-stub