John Paul Wild

Dr John Paul (Paul) Wild AC CBE MA ScD (Cantab.) FRS FTSE FAA (17 May 1923 – 10 May 2008) was a British-born Australian radio astronomer and national science leader who served as chairman of the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) 1978-1985.

Paul Wild was born in Sheffield, England in 1923. His scientific specialization was radio astronomy, including radio observations of the Sun. The Paul Wild Observatory at Narrabri, New South Wales is named after him. In 1972 he invented the Interscan microwave landing system. In 1984, a year before his retirement from CSIRO, he instigated and subsequently led the Very Fast Train project, intended to run TGV-like trains between Sydney and Melbourne via Canberra. The project collapsed in 1991, principally through half-hearted cooperation by some of the four governments involved. He died in 2008 in Canberra.

Honours

Paul Wild received the following honours for his research and science leadership:

• Commander of the Order of the British Empire (1978) for service to the science of radiophysics.^[1]

• Companion of the Order of Australia (1986), for service to science and to the CSIRO.^[2]

• Centenary Medal (2001), for service to Australian society and to science and to the CSIRO.^[3]

• Edgeworth David Medal, Royal Society of New South Wales (1957).^[4]

• The Arctowski Medal, National Academy of Sciences (1969).^[5]

• Balthasar van der Pol Gold Medal, International Union of Radio Science (1969).^[6]

• Herschel Medal, Royal Astronomical Society (1974).^[7]

• Thomas Ranken Lyle Medal, Australian Academy of Science (1975).^[8]

• Royal Medal, The Royal Society (1980).^[9]

• Hale Prize for Solar Astronomy, American Astronomical Society (1980).^[10]

• ANZAAS Medal, Australian and New Zealand Association for the Advancement of Science (1984).^[11]

• Hartnett Medal, Royal Society of Arts London (1988).^[12]

References

External links

• Bright Sparcs Biographical entry on John Paul Wild
• Listening to the Sun

Persondata
Name	Wild, John Paul
Alternative names	Wild, Paul
Short description	Distinguished Australian radiophysicist and national science leader
Date of birth	17 May 1923
Place of birth	Sheffield, England
Date of death	10 May 2008
Place of death	Canberra, Australia