Brian J. Orr is an Australian scientist known for various experimental and theoretical contributions to molecular and optical physics, including laser

spectroscopy Spectroscopy is the field of study that measures and interprets electromagnetic spectra. In narrower contexts, spectroscopy is the precise study of color as generalized from visible light to all bands of the electromagnetic spectrum. Spectro ...

and

optical parametric oscillator An optical parametric oscillator (OPO) is a parametric oscillator that oscillates at optical frequencies. It converts an input laser wave (called "pump") with frequency \omega_p into two output waves of lower frequency (\omega_s, \omega_i) by mea ...

Biography

Born in 1942, Orr grew up in Sydney and graduated with BSc (Hons I) and MSc from the

University of Sydney The University of Sydney (USYD) is a public university, public research university in Sydney, Australia. Founded in 1850, it is the oldest university in both Australia and Oceania. One of Australia's six sandstone universities, it was one of the ...

. He received his PhD from the

University of Bristol The University of Bristol is a public university, public research university in Bristol, England. It received its royal charter in 1909, although it can trace its roots to a Merchant Venturers' school founded in 1595 and University College, Br ...

(UK) in 1968 and, after a postdoctoral period in Ottawa (Canada), returned to Sydney in 1969 to take up an academic position at the

University of New South Wales The University of New South Wales (UNSW) is a public research university based in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. It was established in 1949. The university comprises seven faculties, through which it offers bachelor's, master's and docto ...

. In 1988, he became Professor of Chemistry in the Faculty of Science at

Macquarie University Macquarie University ( ) is a Public university, public research university in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. Founded in 1964 by the New South Wales Government, it was the third university to be established in the Sydney metropolitan area. ...

. Since 2003, Orr has been an Emeritus Professor, based in Macquarie University’s Department of Physics and Astronomy. His roles at Macquarie University have included service as Head of School/Department (1989–92/1999–2002), as Deputy Chair of the Academic Senate (1989–92), and as a member of the University Council (1999–2002). He is Founding Director (2007–2010) of ''MQ Photonics'' – a University Research Centre incorporating the former Special Research Centre for Lasers and Applications, of which he was Deputy Director (1988–2002) and then Director (2003–07). Orr has been an editor for the international journals ''Optics Express'', ''JOSAB'' and ''Chemical Physics Letters''. Many of the accomplishments of Brian Orr and his research students and colleagues have been summarized in the

Optical Society Optica, founded as the Optical Society of America (later the Optical Society), is a professional society of individuals and companies with an interest in optics and photonics. It publishes journals, organizes conferences and exhibitions, and ca ...

's citation for his 2004 W. F. Meggers Award: "for advancing molecular spectroscopy by experiment and theory on infrared- and Raman-ultraviolet double resonance, coherent Raman spectroscopy, cavity ringdown spectroscopy, photoelectron spectroscopy, nonlinear optics, and tunable coherent light sources."

Recognition

* 1995: Fellow of the

* 1987: Fellow of the

Australian Institute of Physics The Australian Institute of Physics was established in 1963, when it replaced the Australian Branch of the British Institute of Physics based in London.

* 1978: Fellow of the

Royal Australian Chemical Institute The Royal Australian Chemical Institute (RACI) is both the qualifying body in Australia for professional chemists and a learned society promoting the science and practice of chemistry in all its branches. The RACI hosts conferences, seminars and ...

* 1994: Inaugural Physical Chemistry Division Medal from the

* 2004: William F. Meggers Award in Spectroscopy from the

* 2005: W. H. (Beattie) Steel Medal from the Australian Optical Society

References

External links

* Brian Orr's research group page at Macquarie Universit
MOPL
{{DEFAULTSORT:Orr, Brian Living people Year of birth missing (living people) Spectroscopists Australian physicists Fellows of the Australian Institute of Physics Fellows of Optica (society) University of Sydney alumni Alumni of the University of Bristol Academic staff of Macquarie University Academic staff of the University of New South Wales