The Foundation Professors of Murdoch University

The University’s foundation professors were scholars of international standing and came to Murdoch University with distinguished reputations of the highest level in their respective fields. They officially commenced duties on 1 July 1973. 

The foundation professors had a significant influence on the early development of Murdoch University. They articulated the new university’s ethos, its structure and procedures, served on committees, were very active in developing its early undergraduate and postgraduate courses, and worked to implement the earlier proposals of the Murdoch University Planning Board. Their experience, wisdom and inspirational leadership were essential for guiding the fledgling Murdoch University through its early years.

The Founding Fathers of Murdoch University: Extract from “It Had Better be a Good One” (the first ten years of Murdoch University), by Professor Geoffrey Bolton, 1985.

See entry under Chancellors.

Murdoch University's Foundation Professor of Veterinary Studies (1973-79) was born in 1929 in London, England.

Robert Dunlop was awarded a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (First Class Hons) from the University of Toronto in 1956 and his Doctor of Philosophy from the University of Minnesota in 1961. Robert Dunlop was well qualified for his appointment as the University’s Foundation Professor of Veterinary Studies having worked in four veterinary schools and having a senior role in setting up two of them. Before his appointment at Murdoch University Dr Dunlop was Dean and Professor of Veterinary Pharmacology at Makerere University in Uganda from 1971-73. Prior to then he was Professor and Head of the Department of Physiological Sciences, Western College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Saskatchewan, Canada from 1965-71 and Associate Professor of Veterinary Pharmacology, New York State Veterinary College, Cornell University N.Y. from 1962-65.

Robert Dunlop’s interest in education extended well beyond the University’s veterinary school and he had a considerable influence on the educational philosophies and course structures in the early days of Murdoch University. He led his fledgling school with flair, energy and great imagination and his inspirational leadership helped to develop an infectious camaraderie and pride among the staff of the Veterinary School that persisted even after he left the University. 

Professor Robert Dunlop served as Dean of the of Veterinary Studies from 1973-79. He left Murdoch University in 1979 to take up the position of Dean of the College of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Minnesota, USA.

John Frodsham, Murdoch University's Foundation Professor of Literature, was born in England in 1930. He served as Foundation Dean of the School of Human Communication from 1973-1976. 

As a Robert Davies’ Major Scholar John Frodsham studied at Emmanuel College, the University of Cambridge, England, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts (First Class Honours) in 1953. He took a quintuple First in English and Oriental Languages, gaining five firsts in four years – a university record. He was awarded his PhD in 1962 by the Australian National University. 

John Frodsham commenced his academic career as a Lecturer in English at the University of Baghdad, Iraq, a position he held from 1956-1958. He was a Research Scholar at the Australian National University from 1958-1960 and was then appointed Lecturer in Oriental Studies at the University of Sydney from 1960-1961. 

From 1961-1965 John Frodsham was a Lecturer in History at the University of Malaya, and in 1965 he was Visiting Associate Professor of Chinese at Cornell University,USA. He held a Senior Lecturership in History from 1965-1967 at the University of Adelaide and from 1968-1969 was Visiting Professor of Chinese Literature at the University of Hawaii. 

John Frodsham returned to Australia in 1969 to take up his appointment as Reader in Chinese at the Australian National University in Canberra. In 1971 he held the position of Professor of Literature at the University of Dar-es-Salaam in Tanzania while on secondment from the Australian National University, a position he held until his appointment as Murdoch University's Foundation Professor of Literature in 1973. 

John Frodsham was awarded a Centenary Medal in 2001 for services to Australian society and the humanities in Asian studies.

Brian Hill, Murdoch University’s Foundation Professor of Education, was born in Perth, Western Australia in 1934. 

Brian Hill completed a Bachelor of Arts at the University of Western Australia in 1955 and a Diploma in Education in 1956. He was awarded a Bachelor of Education (First Class Hons) by the University of Western Australia in 1961 and a Master of Arts (First Class Hons) by the University of Sydney in 1968. He received his PhD from the University of Illinois in 1973. 

Brian Hill commenced his career in education as a high school teacher in Western Australia and as travelling secretary of the interschool Christian Fellowship of NSW. He then lectured in education at the University of Western Australia and was Senior Lecturer in Education and foundation head, Department of Education, Wollongong University College of the University of NSW from 1968-1973. 

Professor Hill commenced as the inaugural Professor of Education at Murdoch University in 1974 and served the University until his retirement in 1999. He served two terms as the Dean of the School of Education from 1974-1979 and from 1985-1988 and chaired a number of committees of inquiry and review, and was a member of many government, advisory and other bodies. He is also the author of several books and articles.

In recognition of his outstanding contribution to the field of education, to the School of Education and to Murdoch University, in 1999 the Brian Hill Lecture Theatre was named in his honour.

Jack Loneragen was Murdoch University’s Foundation Professor of Biological Sciences. He was born in Guildford, Western Australia, in 1926. 

After serving with the RAAF in the latter stages of World War 11, Jack Loneragen entered the University of Western Australia where he graduated with a Bachelor of Science with First Class Honours (majoring in Botany) in 1950. He proceeded on a coveted Hackett Studentship to the University of California at Berkeley, where he obtained his PhD in plant physiology in 1953. 

Upon returning to Australia Jack Loneragen joined the CSIRO in 1953 where he worked for seven years as a Research Officer and then a Senior Research Officer in the Division of Plant Industry. In 1961 he returned to Perth having accepted an appointment as Senior Lecturer in Soil Sciences at the University of Western Australia. He later served as Associate Professor in Plant Nutrition from 1969-1973. During these years Jack Loneragen also held positions as visiting research scholar at a number of prestigious international universities. He was Dean of Agriculture at the University of WA at the time of his appointment as Murdoch University’s Foundation Professor of Biology in 1974.

Professor Loneragen served as the University’s Foundation Professor of Biology until his retirement in 1990. During those sixteen years he served two terms as Dean of the School of Environmental and Life Sciences from 1974-77 and 1981-1984, held positions of Pro Vice Chancellor (Academic), Pro Vice Chancellor (Research) and acting Vice Chancellor  (4 months) and served on the University’s Senate and Academic Council as well as various other boards and committees.

Jack Loneragen was awarded an Honorary Degree (Doctor of the University) by Murdoch University in 1989 (citation). In 1993 the University Senate approved a request from the Board of the School of Biological and Environmental Sciences to name the new science building the Loneragan Building in recognition of the contribution of Professor Jack Loneragan as the School’s Foundation Dean, and of his wife, Mona, for her work for the University community.

The University’s Foundation Professor of Physics in the School of Mathematical & Physical Sciences, Dr Bruce Mainsbridge, was a Tasmanian born in Devonport in 1930. 

Bruce Mainsbridge was educated at the University of Tasmania where he was awarded a Bachelor of Science Degree in 1951, and at the Australian National University where he earned his doctorate in 1961. 

From 1951-1952 Bruce Mainsbridge served as a Science Master in the Education Department of Tasmania and occupied the same position from 1952-1955 at Christ’s College, London. He then worked for the Atomic Energy Research Establishment in England from 1955-1957 before returning to Australia to undertake his postgraduate studies at the Australian National University. From 1957-1960. He spent the next two years as a Research Fellow at Rice University in Houston, Texas. 

Bruce Mainsbridge lectured in Physics at the University of NSW from 1962-66 and was Professor of Physics at the University of Papua New Guinea from 1967- 1973. He was appointed as Murdoch University’s Foundation Professor of Physics in 1974 and served in that capacity until 1995. He served as Dean of the School of Mathematical and Physical Sciences from 1983-1986.

The University’s Foundation Professor of Environmental Science, Desmond O’Connor, was born in Picton, New South Wales in 1926. 

Desmond O’Connor was educated at the University of Sydney (1950-1954) where he was awarded a Bachelor of Engineering in Civil Engineering, and the University of NSW where he completed a Master of Engineering in Civil Engineering in 1960. He attended the International Training Centre for Aerial Survey, Delft (Netherlands) in 1961 and was awarded a Master of Science in Photogrammetric Engineering. He received his doctorate from the University of Illinois where he studied from 1966-1967. 

In 1954 Desmond O’Connor was appointed a Lecturer in Civil Engineering at the University of New South Wales and from 1959-1963 he was a Senior Lecturer in Civil Engineering at the same institution. He resigned in 1963 to commence as a Research Engineer with a US Army engineering agency. From 1967-1971 Desmond O’Connor served as Associate Director, then Director, at the US Army Engineer Topographic Laboratories Research Institute. Before taking up his position at Murdoch University in 1973 Desmond O’Connor was Chief, Environmental Sciences Division, US Army Research Office. 

Professor O’Connor served as Dean of the School of Environmental and Life Sciences from 1978-1981.

Jim Parker, the University’s Foundation Professor of Chemistry from 1973-1982, was a scientist of international standing. He was born in 1933, the son of distinguished engineer, Sir John Parker. 

Jim Parker was educated at the University of Western Australia which awarded him a Bachelor of Science Degree in 1954 and his PhD in 1957. 

In 1958 Jim Parker was Visiting Research Scientist at the University of Southern California and from 1959-1961 he was Visiting Research Scientist at University College London. In 1961 Jim Parker was appointed Visiting Research Scientist at the University of Bergen in Norway. 

In 1962 Jim Parker returned to Australia to take up his position as a Senior Lecturer at the University of Western Australia, a position he served in until 1965. The following year he was appointed Reader at the same institution and from 1968-1973 he was a Professorial Fellow at the Australian National University. In 1974 he commenced as Murdoch University’s Foundation Professor of Chemistry. 

Professor Parker made a notable contribution to the University through his teaching and research, as first Dean of the School of Mathematical and Physical Sciences, as Director of the Mineral Chemistry Research Unit and chairman and member of a number of University boards and committees. Jim Parker passed away suddenly at the age of only 48 in 1982 (vale Jim Parker).

The University’s Foundation Professor of Social Sciences, John Raser, was born in 1935 in Iowa, USA. 

John Raser studied Political Science at San Diego State College earning a Bachelor of Arts from that institution in 1960. The following year he obtained a Master of Arts in International Law from Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy and was awarded his PhD (Political Science) in 1964 by Stanford University. 

Between 1963-1970 John Raser was a Research Fellow, Project Director, and Director of Post-Doctoral Fellowship Program at Western Behavioural Sciences Institute, California, USA. 

In 1970 John Raser was appointed Associate Professor of Government and International Relations at Claremont Graduate School, California, USA and in the following year was appointed Associate Professor of Political Studies at Otago University, New Zealand. 

In 1973 John Raser was appointed Foundation Professor of Social Sciences at Murdoch University, a position he held until his resignation from the University in 1986. He held a number of visiting positions at universities during this time and was Dean of the School of Social Inquiry from1973-1986. 

See also: "John Raser: a Memoir”, by Professor Geoffrey Bolton, On Campus, July 2000.

Alexander Robertson, a distinguished and internationally acclaimed specialist in Functional Analysis was born in 1925, Scotland.  He was the University’s Foundation Professor of Mathematics in the School of Mathematical & Physical Sciences. 

In 1946 Alexander Robertson was awarded a Master of Arts (First Class Hons) by the University of Glasgow. He subsequently studied at Cambridge University earning a Bachelor of Arts in 1949 and his PhD in 1954. He held a Research Fellowship at St John's College, Cambridge University from 1954-1955.

Alexander Robertson started his academic career as a Lecturer at the University of Glasgow from 1951-1962 and as a Senior Lecturer at the same university from 1962-1965. He was appointed Professor of Mathematics at the University of Keele in England in 1965 and served in that capacity until 1973 when he was appointed Foundation Professor of Mathematics at Murdoch University. During these years Alex Robertson also held a number of Visiting Lecturer and Visiting Professor positions at overseas universities. 

Professor Robertson was very active in the formulation of Murdoch University's early academic programmes, being Foundation Chair of the Admissions Committee, a member of Senate from 1973-1978, and a Chair of the Part 1 Committee.  He was also involved in many other University committees and represented the University for many years on various external bodies.

Alex Robertson served as Dean of the School of Mathematical and Physical Sciences at Murdoch University from 1980-83.

In honour of Professor Alex Robertson's longstanding  and substantial contribution to the University, the Senate in 1995 named the Science and Computing lecture theatre the Robertson Lecture Theatre (vale Alexander Robertson).