New Post For Physicist

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31279, 27 January 1967, Page 1

New Post For Physicist

One of New Zealand’s leading physi-, cists, Dr. J. B. Gregory, has been appointed director of the University of Saskatchewan Institute of Space and Atmospheric Studies at Saskatoon.

Dr. Gregory, who took up the appointment of professor of physics at the university in 1965, will replace Dr. B. W. Currie, who has been dir-

ector of the institute since its establishment in 1937. Dr. Gregory was a lecturer at the University of Canter-

bury before he went to Sas-1 katoon. His main research in-|

terests are atmospheric and space studies, including the effects of atmospheric motion on the absorption of solar radiation at high altitudes. For these studies, he devised new radio techniques and applied them in New Zealand and Antarctica. He initiated and conducted the first high-altitude rocket research in New Zealand, and has carried out co-opera-tive rocket programmes with the United States National Aeronautics and Space Administration. The University of Otago awarded him the Michaelis Medal for his work.

From 1959 to 1961, Dr. Gregory was a visiting professor in the United States on a Fulbright award, and studied with Professor J. A. Van Allen, the discoverer of earth radiation belts. Dr. Currie is internationally known for his studies of aurora borealis. He was head of the physics department of the University of 'Saskatchewan from 1952 to 1961.