June Norma Olley (2 March 1924 – 29 July 2019) was a world-renowned seafood technologist and advocate for women's education. She was among the first to devise a scientific methodology for
predictive microbiology.
Early life
Olley was born on 2 March 1924 in London in a bungalow at the back of Croydon aerodrome. Despite the expense, she was enrolled in boarding school by her mother who even inspected the standard of the school's laboratories.
Her father, an early aviator and airline owner, "didn't believe in education for girls".
Passionate about science from a young age, she was so devoted to her studies that her teachers blocked out the windows of the science library during
the Blitz
The Blitz was a German bombing campaign against the United Kingdom in 1940 and 1941, during the Second World War. The term was first used by the British press and originated from the term , the German word meaning 'lightning war'.
The Germa ...
so she could continue to work there at night.
Early career
Olley completed a Bachelor of Science with Honours from
University College London
, mottoeng = Let all come who by merit deserve the most reward
, established =
, type = Public research university
, endowment = £143 million (2020)
, budget = � ...
in 1944 . She then went on to do a PhD on lipid metabolism in 1950 at the
London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine
The London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM) is a public research university in Bloomsbury, central London, and a member institution of the University of London that specialises in public health and tropical medicine.
The inst ...
.
She then joined the
Torry Research Station
The Central Science Laboratory (CSL) was an executive agency of the UK government branch, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA). It is now part of the Food and Environment Research Agency, which is in turn part of DEFRA. ...
near
Aberdeen
Aberdeen (; sco, Aiberdeen ; gd, Obar Dheathain ; la, Aberdonia) is a city in North East Scotland, and is the third most populous city in the country. Aberdeen is one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas (as Aberdeen City), ...
where she worked for 18 years. The station's research focused on marine fats, in particular
fishmeal
Fish meal is a commercial product made from whole wild-caught fish, bycatch and fish by-products to feed farm animals, e.g., pigs, poultry, and farmed fish.R. D. Miles and F. A. Chapman.FA122: The Benefits of Fish Meal in Aquaculture DietsFisheri ...
and she worked on turning excess herring into margarine.
She also travelled extensively during this time, undertaking research in Jerusalem and Rome.
Career in Australia
Olley met two Australian fisheries scientists in Aberdeen who sought her advice on whether Tasmania should have a fishmeal industry. Having met her future husband, who was also based in
Hobart, Olley eventually moved to Tasmania in 1968. Having visited the abalone factory at
Margate
Margate is a seaside town on the north coast of Kent in south-east England. The town is estimated to be 1.5 miles long, north-east of Canterbury and includes Cliftonville, Garlinge, Palm Bay and Westbrook.
The town has been a significant m ...
, she advised them that their product was tough due to incorrect acidity. She dropped into the CSIRO Regional Laboratory, on
Battery Point
Battery Point is a suburb of the city of Hobart, Tasmania, Australia. It is immediately south of the central business district. It is in the local government area of City of Hobart.
Battery Point is named after the battery of guns which were e ...
, asking to borrow a
pH meter
A pH meter is a scientific instrument that measures the hydrogen-ion activity in water-based solutions, indicating its acidity or alkalinity expressed as pH. The pH meter measures the difference in electrical potential between a pH elect ...
.
"The director had me in and talked to me for about an hour, after which he said, 'I think we need you here.' He rang up the CSIRO headquarters in Sydney and got me an interview, and I went back to lunch and surprised my fiancé by saying, 'Well, I've got a pH meter and a job.'"
She joined the
CSIRO
The Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) is an Australian Government agency responsible for scientific research.
CSIRO works with leading organisations around the world. From its headquarters in Canberra, CSIRO ...
Division of Food Preservation at the Tasmanian Research Laboratory as Senior Principal Research Scientist leading a group which specialised in fish and shellfish in 1969.
Working closely with David Ratkowsky over 30 years, she devised a scientific methodology to predict food safety, continuing to work with him after her retirement in 1989, when she moved to the
University of Tasmania
The University of Tasmania (UTAS) is a public research university, primarily located in Tasmania, Australia. Founded in 1890, it is Australia's fourth oldest university. Christ College (University of Tasmania), Christ College, one of the unive ...
. There she supervised and mentored many students, valuing collaboration. "Why compete when you can have more minds working on the problems, since there are more than enough
roblemsto go round," she is quote as saying.
In 1972, Olley was elected junior vice-president of the Tasmanian Royal Society, becoming senior vice-president in 1973.
Olley was elected a Foundation Fellow of the
Australian Academy of Technology and Engineering
The Australian Academy of Technology and Engineering (ATSE) is a learned academy that helps Australians understand and use technology to solve complex problems. It was founded in 1975 as one of Australia's then four learned academies (now five) ...
.
She received an award of merit from the Australian Institute of Food Science and Technology.
She was appointed a Member of the
Order of Australia
The Order of Australia is an honour that recognises Australian citizens and other persons for outstanding achievement and service. It was established on 14 February 1975 by Elizabeth II, Queen of Australia, on the advice of the Australian Go ...
in 1987.
In 2005, she received the 15th Silver Jubilee Award of Excellence from the Australian Marine Sciences Association. The following year she was inducted to the
Tasmanian Honour Roll of Women
The State Government of Tasmania in Australia established the Tasmanian Honour Roll of Women in 2005 to recognise Tasmanian women who have been distinguished in their contributions to the State. In 2021 Martine Delaney became the first openly tr ...
.
Olley died on 29 July 2019 aged 95.
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Olley, June Norma
1924 births
2019 deaths
Scientists from London
Alumni of University College London
Members of the Order of Australia
Fellows of the Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering
Australian women scientists
English emigrants to Australia