Dr Alwyn Robbins (1920 – 10 January 2002) was a distinguished British geodesist, being Chairman of the Royal Society's Geodesy Subcommittee, and was a Founding Fellow of

St Cross College St Cross College is a constituent college of the University of Oxford in England. Founded in 1965, St Cross is an all-graduate college with gothic and traditional-style buildings on a central site in St Giles', just south of Pusey Street. It a ...

in Oxford. Robbins' scientific publications covered a wide field in

Geodesy Geodesy ( ) is the Earth science of accurately measuring and understanding Earth's figure (geometric shape and size), orientation in space, and gravity. The field also incorporates studies of how these properties change over time and equivale ...

and

Photogrammetry Photogrammetry is the science and technology of obtaining reliable information about physical objects and the environment through the process of recording, measuring and interpreting photographic images and patterns of electromagnetic radiant ima ...

, with outstanding contributions to knowledge in Geodetic astronomy and the design and development of the Chronochord (printing crystal clock). His scientific achievements were recognised by the International Association of Geodesy which elected him Secretary of Section (Control Surveys) of the Association, and President of the Special Study Group on Geodetic Astronomy. He was a United Kingdom delegate to many international scientific assemblies and symposia. As Chairman of the Geodesy Subcommittee of the National Committee for Geodesy and Geophysics, he was appointed Chief United Kingdom Delegate to the XVI General Assembly of the International Association of Geodesy in Grenoble in 1975 and in Canberra in 1979.

Early life

Alwyn Robbins was born in Lydney in Gloucestershire and educated at Blundell's School in Tiverton and Hertford College in Oxford where he read mathematics (and where he won an open mathematical scholarship and two exhibitions). In 1940 Robbins obtained a commission in the Survey Branch of the

Royal Engineers The Corps of Royal Engineers, usually called the Royal Engineers (RE), and commonly known as the ''Sappers'', is a corps of the British Army. It provides military engineering and other technical support to the British Armed Forces and is heade ...

and was posted to West Africa. Demobilised in 1946, he returned to Oxford to complete his degree, which he was awarded with first class honours.

Career

In 1947 Robbins was appointed Demonstrator in the then Department of Surveying at Oxford and, after successive promotions, he became, in 1966, Reader and Head of the Department of Surveying and Geodesy. His obituary records: Robbins wrote a number of important papers and held several appointments in committees of the International Association of Geodesy. He was chairman of the Geodesy Sub-committee of the Royal Society. He had extensive international links and spent sabbatical periods in the United States, Canada and New Zealand, as well as a two-year secondment with the

Ministry of Defence {{unsourced, date=February 2021 A ministry of defence or defense (see spelling differences), also known as a department of defence or defense, is an often-used name for the part of a government responsible for matters of defence, found in states ...

Sources

Obituary of Alwyn Robbins, St Cross College, Oxford, Extracted 20 November 2009
{{DEFAULTSORT:Robbins, Alwyn 1920 births 2002 deaths People educated at Blundell's School Alumni of Hertford College, Oxford British geodesists Royal Engineers officers British Army personnel of World War II