DEFENCE SCIENCE POSTS

Press, Volume LXXXIV, Issue 25608, 24 September 1948, Page 10

DEFENCE SCIENCE POSTS

FIRST FIVE MEN CHOSEN

ONE FROM WEST COAST From Our Own Reporter WELLINGTON, September 23. The first five entrants to the Defence Scientific Corps have been selected from 38 applicants. They are Mr J. C. Hawke, of Wellington, M.Sc., Flight Lieutenant M. R. Head, D. 5.0., D.F.C., 8.E., B.Sc.. B.A. (Cantab), Messrs D. J. Ross, of Wellington, M.Sc., J. Stephenson of Invercargill, B.Sc., and T. W. Straker, of Westland, M.Sc. They will be given training for a period of up to 12 months and then will take selected courses of study at overseas and New Zealand institutions. These studies will take up to two years of their initial five-year appointments. After completing their scientific training they will be attached to research establishments either in New Zealand, the United Kingdom, or elsewhere in the Commonwealth.

Applications for the 1949 entrance close on November 30. Mr Hawke. was recently nominated by the Victoria University College Council for a Rhodes Scholarship. He has been a member of the fats research laboratory staff for a short period. He will be attached to Army and upon completion of his service training will undertake further studies at Cambridge University on food technology. Flight Lieutenant Head, after a distinguished servico career, was awarded a service bursary and has since been studying at Cambridge under Sir Melville Jones, professor of aeronautical engineering. He will take his Ph.D. at Cambridge, engaging in aerodynamic research of Commonwealth significance. He then will return to New Zealand as a member of the Royal New Zealand Air Force to undertake aeronautical research.

Mr Ross, a member of the Dominion Laboratory staff, has been engaged on organic chemistry research. He will be attached to the Army and will go to the London University for. a two-year course.

Mr J. Stephenson served in the Fleet Air Arm. He will be attached to the Royal New Zealand Air Force and in conjunction with his service training will undertake further aeronautical studies at the Auckland University College. Afterwards he will engage in flight research.

Mr Straker was a brigade major in the 2nd N.Z.E.F. He was mentioned in dispatches and was a prisoner of war in Italy for two years. He escaped to Switzerland in 1943, and on demobilisation in 1944 was a lecturer at the Canterbury University College for a short period. He then went to the Cavendish Laboratory, Cambridge, where he is engaged on radio research for his Ph.D. After he completes his studies in 1949 he will return to New Zealand and work on radio research.