Phyllis Mary Nicol (2 March 1903 – 13 June 1964) was an Australian physics professor who taught at the University of Sydney's physics department.

Life

Nicol was born in Wollongong's seaside suburb of

Thirroul Thirroul () is a northern seaside suburb of the city of Wollongong, New South Wales, Wollongong, Australia. Situated between Austinmer, New South Wales, Austinmer and Bulli, New South Wales, Bulli, it is approximately 13 kilometres north of Wo ...

in 1903. She was the first child of Florence (Reeves) and Walter George Phillip Nicol, a

bullocky A bullocky is an Australian English term for the driver of a bullock team. The American term is bullwhacker. Bullock drivers were also known as teamsters or carriers. History Bullock teams were in use in Sydney in 1795 when they were used ...

. She attended

North Sydney Girls High School North Sydney Girls' High School (abbreviated as NSGHS, more commonly known as NSG) is a government-funded single-sex academically selective secondary day school for girls, located in Crows Nest, in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. Esta ...

, before studying physics at the University of Sydney, graduating in 1926. She did research on the properties of selenium which was published in 1926. She and a fellow demonstrator at the university,

Edgar Booth Edgar Booth (13 April 1888 – c. 1945) was a German and naturalized Brazilian footballer. Booth played for Grêmio FBPA, and was famously involved in the first Porto Alegre derby match between Grêmio and SC Internacional (a derby commonly know ...

wrote a textbook together about physics for high school students. Their book, ''Physics, Fundamental Laws and Principles with Problems and Worked Solutions'' was published in 1931. She was still living at the Women's College and in 1933 she became its sub-principal. She was known as Philly Nic and for being a spinster in a hurry and dressing without care. Conversely she told her students that they would gain confidence if they dressed smartly for examinations. Nicol was undervalued and overlooked. The leading cricketer

Betty Archdale Helen Elizabeth Archdale (21 August 1907 – 11 January 2000) was an English-Australian sportswoman and educator. She was the inaugural Test captain of the England women's cricket team in 1934. A qualified barrister and Women's Royal Naval Se ...

was the college's principal from 1946 and she also served on the university's senate.

Harry Messel Harry Messel, , (3 March 1922 – 8 July 2015) was a Canadian-born Australian physicist and educator. Life and work Messel was born in Canada to Ukrainian parents. He was born in Levine Siding in Manitoba, and brought up in Rivers, Manitoba. H ...

joined the University of Sydney as Professor of physics in 1952 and in that year Nicol applied to be a senior lecturer. Her application was unsuccessful. All the department's staff designated as temporary had their grades assessed by a senate committee in 1953. Messel wrote well of Nicol's ability to coach students but he did not consider her a lecturer. In the same year she had a mastectomy. She left the Women's College in 1954, and her position as sub-principal, to move to the Sydney suburb of

Lane Cove Lane Cove is a suburb on the Lower North Shore of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. Lane Cove is nine kilometres north-west of the Sydney central business district and is the administrative centre for the local government area of the ...

to live with her sister.

Death and legacy

Nicol's physics 1931 book with Edgar Booth achieved its 16th edition in 1962. She died in her home in Lane Cove in 1964 of cancer. She had resigned from the department, that she had joined in 1921 as a student, a few days before her death.

References

External links

Biography at ADB
{{DEFAULTSORT:Nicol, Phyllis Mary 1903 births 1964 deaths People from Wollongong University of Sydney people Australian physicists Australian women educators