Sir Roy Douglas Wright (7 August 190728 February 1990) was an Australian physiologist and eminent academic administrator.

Biography

He was born in Central

Castra ''Castra'' () is a Latin language, Latin term used during the Roman Republic and Roman Empire for a military 'camp', and ''castrum'' () for a 'Fortification, fort'. Either could refer to a building or plot of land, used as a fortified milita ...

Tasmania Tasmania (; palawa kani: ''Lutruwita'') is an island States and territories of Australia, state of Australia. It is located to the south of the Mainland Australia, Australian mainland, and is separated from it by the Bass Strait. The sta ...

. He became Professor of Physiology at the

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

from 1939 to 1971 and was later

Chancellor Chancellor () is a title of various official positions in the governments of many countries. The original chancellors were the of Roman courts of justice—ushers, who sat at the (lattice work screens) of a basilica (court hall), which separa ...

of the university from 1980 to 1989. He advised the leaders of the optometry profession who were responsible for setting up the Victorian College of Optometry in 1939 and 1940 and helped plan the first four-year optometry course. He was involved again when the optometry course was transferred to the university. Wright married Julia Violet Bell, a nurse, on 24 September 1932 at Camperdown, Victoria; they subsequently divorced. On 22 July 1964 he married Meriel Antoinette Winchester Wilmot, his secretary since 1941, in the registry office, Kensington, England. The young Wright of the 1930s sported circular glasses frames, while an older, more refined Wright turned his attention to a more edgy rectangular frame style by the early 1980s. He was a colourful supporter of causes, as his biography ''Pansy Wright — A biography of Roy Douglas Wright'' by Peter McPhee (1999) attests. He challenged students, colleagues and institutions, asserting at one time: "Whatever you do, whether you do it well or do it badly, do it brilliantly. Avoid mediocrity on all accounts". In the

Australia Day Australia Day is the official national day of Australia. Observed annually on 26 January, it marks the 1788 landing of the First Fleet and raising of the Flag of Great Britain, Union Flag of Great Britain by Arthur Phillip at Sydney Cove, a ...

Honours of 1983, he was made a

Knight of the Order of Australia The Order of Australia is an Australian 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 then ...

(AK). He was the brother of Sir

Reg Wright Sir Reginald Charles Wright (10 July 1905 – 10 March 1990) was an Australian barrister and politician. He was a member of the Liberal Party and served as a Senator for Tasmania from 1950 to 1978. He held ministerial office in the Gorton and ...

, a long-serving Liberal

Senator A senate is a deliberative assembly, often the upper house or Legislative chamber, chamber of a bicameral legislature. The name comes from the Ancient Rome, ancient Roman Senate (Latin: ''Senatus''), so-called as an assembly of the senior ...

from Tasmania, who was also knighted, and who died only ten days later, on 10 March 1990. His eldest brother, John Forsyth Wright was a Member of the

House of Assembly House of Assembly is a name given to the legislature or lower house of a bicameral parliament. In some countries this may be at a subnational level. Historically, in British Crown colonies as the colony gained more internal responsible g ...

in the

Parliament of Tasmania The Parliament of Tasmania is the bicameral legislature of the Australian state of Tasmania. It follows a Westminster-derived parliamentary system and consists of the governor of Tasmania (as representative of the King), the Legislative Counci ...

References

External links

Biographical article
in the ''Encyclopedia of Australian Science''. * {{DEFAULTSORT:Wright, Roy Douglas 1907 births 1990 deaths Australian physiologists Knights of the Order of Australia Chancellors of the University of Melbourne Academic staff of the University of Melbourne People from Tasmania

Biography

See also

References

External links