Colin Maiden

Sir Colin Maiden
Vice-Chancellor of the University of Auckland
In office
1971–1994
Preceded by Kenneth John Maidment
Personal details
Born 1933
Auckland, New Zealand
Scientific career
Fields Hypervelocity flight
Institutions Canadian Armament Research and Development Establishment
Auckland University College
General Motors Research Laboratories
Alma mater Auckland University College
Exeter College, Oxford
Thesis The effect of temperature on the static and dynamic strength properties of materials (1957)

Sir Colin James Maiden (born 1933) is a New Zealand mechanical engineer, university administrator and company director.

Biography

Born in Auckland in 1933, Maiden attended Auckland Grammar School where he played in the school's 1st XV rugby union team.[1] He then attended Auckland University College completing a Bachelor and Master of Engineering, graduating with the latter degree in 1956.[2] In 1955 he was awarded a Rhodes Scholarship to attend the University of Oxford, where he completed his doctorate in 1957.[1] While at Oxford, Maiden was award a tennis Blue.[1]

Maiden then took up a research post at the Canadian Armament Research and Development Establishment in Quebec, where he investigated the flight of high-velocity projectiles into space. In 1960 he returned to the School of Engineering at Auckland, and a senior lectureship in mechanical engineering. However, after a year he moved to the General Motors (GM) defence division in Santa Barbara, California, to research hypervelocity flight, and in 1966 he was appointed head of GM's metal-forming and die department in Detroit.[1]

He then served as vice chancellor of the University of Auckland from 1971 to 1994. At his appointment he was the youngest vice chancellor in the Commonwealth, and by the time he left the post he was the longest serving Commonwealth vice chancellor. During this period he served on a number of New Zealand government committees, including the Energy Research and Development Committee and the Liquid Fuels Trust Board.[1]

Following his retirement as vice chancellor, Maiden has held directorships of many leading New Zealand companies including Fisher & Paykel Healthcare, DB Breweries, Mason Industries, Farmers Trading Company, Progressive Enterprises, ANZ Banking Group, Foodland Associated, New Zealand Steel, Winstone, Wilkins & Davies, National Insurance, Tower Corporation, and Independent Newspapers.[1]

In the 1992 New Year Honours, Maiden was appointed a Knight Bachelor for services to education and business management,[3] and in 1994 he was awarded an honorary LLD by the University of Auckland.[4] He is an Honorary Fellow of his University of Oxford alma mater, Exeter College, where he studied as a Rhodes Scholar.[5]

Honorific eponym

Colin Maiden Park in the Auckland suburb of Saint Johns is named in his honour.[6]

See also

Bibliography

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 La Roche, John (March 2009). "Book review: "An Energetic Life" by Sir Colin Maiden" (PDF). IPENZ Engineering Heritage Newsletter. Institution of Professional Engineers New Zealand: 8–9. Retrieved 28 January 2015.
  2. ↑ "NZ university graduates 1870–1961: Ma". Retrieved 28 January 2015.
  3. ↑ "No. 52768". The London Gazette (Supplement). 30 December 1991. p. 29.
  4. ↑ University of Auckland Calendar 1996 (PDF). p. 636. Retrieved 28 January 2015.
  5. ↑ http://www.exeter.ox.ac.uk/college/rectorandfellows/honorary
  6. ↑ Recreation - Tāmaki Innovation Campus. The University of Auckland. Retrieved 8 January 2013.
Academic offices
Preceded by
Kenneth John Maidment		 Vice-Chancellor of the University of Auckland
1971–1994 		Succeeded by
Kit Carson
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