CHAIR OF PHYSICS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26614, 10 November 1947, Page 4

CHAIR OF PHYSICS

DR R. R. NIMMO CHOSEN DISTINGUISHED SCIENTIST NOTED ROLE IN ATOMIC RESEARCH One of the most notable scientists in the British Commonwealth and one who has contributed greatly to Britain's knowledge of atomic energy has been appointed as professor of physics at the University of Otago. He is Dr Robert Rutherford Nimmo, M.Sc. (N.Z.), Ph.D. (Cambridge)', F.1.P., son of Mrs R. D, Nimmo, of Neidpath road, Mornington, who is lecturer in the Department of Physics at Birmingham University. He will succeed Dr R. Jack, who will retire at the end of this year. The appointment was made by the University Council and confirmed by the University Senate. While Dr Nimmo has had a brilliant academic career since he left the

Otago Boys’ High School, it is in the field of atomic research that he has become especially distinguished. He. gained his M.Sc. degree at the University of Otago with first-class honours in physics, and for a year was an assistant lecturer in physics before going overseas in August, 1926, with an 1851 Exhibition Scholarship. At Cambridge Dr Nimmo began to develop his interest in the atom, for he studied under the late Lord Rutherford. He was engaged while at Clare College in physical research at the Cavendish JLaooratory, and in 1929 received his degree of Ph.D., his main work being on an aspect of the splitting of the atom by electric ray bombardment.

An appointment as lecturer in physics at the University of Western Australia followed in June, 1929, but, although he stayed there for 10 years, he was anxious to return to Britain and pursue his atomic studies. Early in 1939 he sailed for England and did research on the construction of a cyclotron. In October of that year he was appointed to a Nuffield Fellowship at the University of Birmingham. Work With Professor Oliphant His appointment to the physics department at Birmingham University marked the commencement of a new phase of his career, for there he was working under the direction of Professor M. L. E. Oliphant, the famous British scientist who developed the main instrument responsible for the Allied victory in the submarine war, and subsequently worked with such signal success on the perfect of the atomic bomb. While engaged on the erection of a cyclotron—the machine that has come to be well known as the means of smashing the atom—Dr Nimmo was severely injured. He was directing operations at the bottom of a pit in the grounds of Birmingham University when a heavy steel plate crashed down on him and broke his legs. Professor Oliphant stated at the time that the accident would considerably delay the installation of the machine. Dr Nimmo, he said, was the man principally responsible for the erection of the cyclotron and he had returned to Britain specially for the work. Visit to United States Dr Nimmo’s services were in great demand at the Outbreak of war. He carried out some research on radar and then was appointed chief of Professor O'.iphant’s research staff which was engaged on defeating the U-boat menace. During 1942 Professor Oliphant went on an official mission to Australia and Dr Nimmo was left in chmge of the research work being done’ for the Admiralty, a position he held for a year. In 1943 Dr Nimmo worked on the separation of the uranium isotopes for the atomic bomb. Early in 1944 he went to California and took part with other members of Professor Oliphant’s team in atomic bomb work in the University of California's laboratory. This team of British scientists worked in close co-operation with the American research workers both at the University of California and at Oakridge Tennessee, and largely by their efforts the atomic bomb that hastened Japan’s surrender was perfected. From the work of these and other research workers have come valuable peacetime uses for atomic power. Dr Nimmo. who is in his early forties, married an Englishwoman and has two children, both of whom were sent to Canada during the blitz on England. Mrs Nimmo accompanied her husband to America and the family was united and lived at Oakridge. In September. 1945, they returned to England and Dr Nimmo resumed his work at Birmingham. Since then he has written a book entitled “Atomic Energy.”