Monash University took its first undergraduate students in 1961, and it is appropriate after 25 years to look back at the early days of the Department of Physics. One author, RS, occupied the foundation Chair of Physics arriving at Monash University in November 1960 and HCB joined the Department in September 1962.

It is not perhaps widely known that the opening of Monash was the culmination of many years of public discussion and committee work on the need to expand the number of technically trained persons in Victoria. The story goes back to 1940 at the first crisis of World War II and is well described in Sir Robert Blackwood's book.¹ Sir Robert was Chairman of the Interim Council and first Chancellor of the University. The early concern of the public discussion had been to develop technological education. The passage of time brought other pressures, such as the need for more medical doctors and for higher education in general, so that when Monash opened, the intention was that it should develop as a full University with most, if not all the traditional Faculties. The opening of Monash can now be seen as the first stage in the expansionary phase of tertiary education in Victoria and it was followed by the opening of La Trobe and Deakin Universities.

The contribution of the Department of Physics to the 25th Anniversary of Monash has been the preparation of a “Physics Archive” containing details of research in the Department with lists of research projects and of research articles published during those 25 years. Stages of the development of the Department have been recorded with a large collection of photographs including successive annual photographs of staff and research students. The first annual photograph, taken in 1961, is reproduced here.

One of the first decisions that the Faculty of Science at Monash had to make was the choice of departments in which to start teaching. The choice fell on Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics and Zoology.

The Faculty regulations were written around the initial group of four subjects and they assumed an important role. No doubt there was some opinion that they exerted an unduly dominant influence on the development of the Faculty. However, the regulations still require that in the subject choice of first year students there shall be two subjects from Physics, Chemistry, Biology and Mathematical Methods.

From the beginning it was decided to concentrate research in solid state physics. The Department of Physics at the University of Melbourne was well established in the field of nuclear physics and had achieved an international reputation. It had three accelerators working in the decade of the 1950's, one being a variable energy proton cyclotron.² It made sense to develop alternative research opportunities at the newly fledged University. The intention was to create a wider spread of physical ideas and abilities throughout the scientific community in Melbourne. There were already several laboratories in Australia with interests in solid state physics, many with an applied bias. The CSIRO Division of Chemical Physics under Dr. Lloyd Rees was then at Fishermen's Bend, later to move to the Clayton site adjoining the Monash campus. They were not exclusively working on solid state problems but had interests in crystallography, electron diffraction and electron microscopy. The CSIRO Division of Tribophysics under the late Dr. Walter Boas had a reputation for work on metal physics, especially the mechanical properties. Boas and some of his staff had taught units in solid state physics in the physics courses of the University of Melbourne. The CSIRO Division of Applied Physics, then in the grounds of Sydney University, had some of its pure research in the low temperature properties of solids. The Aeronautical Research Laboratories and the Defence Standards Laboratories, both in Melbourne, were concerned largely with metallurgical problems. As subsequent events have demonstrated, the development of opportunities and facilities for research in solid state physics at Monash was a wise choice.

Physics Department, Monash University, early 1961

Front Row, L to R, Peggy Stewart, June Strong, W.A. Rachinger, R. Street, J.H. Smith, Barbara Porteus, Val Holloway.
Back Row, L to R, M.J. Duggin, K.L. Nuske, J.R. Thyer, I. Lecis, R.F. Horan, A.J. O'Brien, G. Newton, G.V.H. Wilson, J.M. Brettell, T.J. Bastow, A.R. Pepper.

Photograph. Rubric

Research colloquia started in the first year in Monash Physics. Also, during the 1960's the many research scientists interested in solid state physics but scattered throughout several laboratories in Melbourne were brought together in an evening research colloquium every month run by Dr. R. Segall at CSIRO Division of Tribophysics with contributions from workers in several local laboratories and from visitors to Melbourne. The current community of Australian workers in solid state physics is being very well served by the annual summer solid state conference run through the Australian Institute of Physics at Wagga Wagga in NSW. In 1986, of 165 participants at the Conference, 19 came from Monash University, mostly from Physics.

An indication of the way and the speed at which the Department has developed is enshrined in its Equipment Register Book.³ A big order was placed with UK firms for the teaching laboratories while RS was still at Sheffield University. The orders started from 14 October 1960. The early items have an old-fashioned air about them. They were a Scalamp galvanometer, two fluxmeters, four potentiometers, a mirror galvanometer, two tangent galvanometers, a stop watch, two Weston standard cells, three one-metre Wheatstone bridges (still in use at the time of writing) and a Boyle's Law apparatus. These were ordered for the first year teaching laboratory which opened in 1961. It is entirely possible that today's first year undergraduate students may have no knowledge of or acquaintance with most of these items. In this context it is perhaps reassuring to find against many of the entries in the Equipment Register the words “Write-off authorised by Comptroller”, with a date. Other items that catch the eye are a bar pendulum, a vacuum tube voltmeter made by the new electronics workshop of the Physics Department in July 1961, a sonometer bought through the Melbourne scientific supply firm H.B. Selby and a lamp and scale from the Melbourne scientific instrument manufacturer J.L. William who was later to be awarded an Honorary M.Sc. of Monash for his work in the design and manufacture of scientific equipment. His brother, A.J. William, manufactured high quality moving coil instruments. The names of many local scientific firms appear in the Register; some have now gone from the scientific scene making a great loss in our scientific society.

In addition to the arrival of this early equipment from the UK, largely for the teaching in the first year laboratory, the new mechanical and electronic workshops of the department under R.F. Horan and I. Lecis, respectively, at once commenced making teaching equipment. The high standards set by these first pieces of equipment were foretastes of what was to come. Good experimental physics is done on good equipment made locally by good departmental workshops and it is right to pay tribute here to Ray Horan and “Lex” Lecis for their magnificent contribution to the high standards of physical instrumentation that the department has enjoyed. Lex retired in 1985, Ray in 1986.

The research of the new Department was started at once. On 14 October 1960 an electromagnet was ordered from Newport Magnets, in Newport Pagnel1, UK and the next day two laboratory electromagnets were ordered from J.H. Humphrey and Sons; these were for the research work in solid state magnetism so strongly represented in the first few years. The 14 October 1960 also saw an order for the Klystron power unit; crystal detector and attenuator from W.H. Sanders and an order to the departmental workshop for two "Magic Trees”. These were used in microwave equipment; the electron spin resonance work developed very quickly. Vacuum pumps came in early. Low temperatures are important in solid state work and this is evidenced by the six liquid nitrogen flasks ordered from Guest & Chrimes, Rotherham, UK on 29 December 1960. We note in passing an earlier link of Guest & Chrimes with Australia; it was at this firm that H.J. Grayson and J. Shephard did their mechanical training before emigrating to Melbourne in the 1880's. Both men made micro-ruling engines in the 1890's and Grayson went on to make an international reputation ruling diffraction gratings in Melbourne^4,5.

A binocular and a metallurgical microscope were ordered for the Department on 6 April and 3 May 1961 and saw service in the important area of characterising and examining the materials which were prepared in the Department as specimens for studies in solid state physics. Crystal structure determinations in the Department began using a Philips X-ray set. The first electron microscope, a JEM 6A, was ordered from Watson-Victor on 23 February 1962 and was the basis of a highly successful research programme that continues to the present day.

The piece of equipment which was at the centre of the early solid state physics research of the Department was the Collins Helium Liquefier which was supplied by the firm of A.D. Little from the USA; it was operational by the end of 1961 and the installation was supervised by Mr Milton Streeter who became a firm friend of the department. He was assisted by Ken Hall, recruited from Canada; Ken is still operating the plant. At that time the only other helium liquefier operating in Australia was in the CSIRO Division of Applied Physics in Sydney. According to the late Dr. Stuart Bastow, then a member of the Executive of CSIRO, the temperamental nature of the helium liquefiers of those days would make it highly unlikely for the Monash liquefier to begin producing liquid helium during 1961. A wager was laid and the loss of this wager was acknowledged by Dr. Bastow in the firm of a suitably mounted crown piece.

Another early research interest which developed in the Department was based on the utilization of neutron. diffraction techniques for the elucidation of the structure and properties of magnetic materials. It was fortunate that at this time there was a determined policy for facilities at the Australian Atomic Energy Research Establishment at Lucas Heights, Sydney, to be made available for research by members of the Universities. . The Australian Institute of Nuclear Science and Engineering had been set up and greatly facilitated access to the Lucas Heights reactors and, particularly for us, to HIFAR. The Institute has provided an important example of the way in which scientists and engineers in Universities and Government establishments can work together to utilize expensive and unique national facilities.

The first of the annual photographs of Monash Physics was taken outside the central science block which in those days housed many Departments. There were three academic staff. R.S. is flanked by W.A. Rachinger (physical metallurgy, from Aeronautical Research Laboratories) and J .H. Smith (magnetism, from Sheffield University). A.J. O'Brien joined the Department as Laboratory Manager from Aeronautical Research Laboratories at Fishermen's Bend and he played an important part in the recruitment of a first-class technical staff. The first four members of the technical staff appear in the photograph and are shown here: R.F. Horan (Head, mechanical workshop, from CSIRO), I. Lecis (Head, electrical and electronic workshops, from industry), G. Newton (Head, first year teaching laboratory, from Aeronautical Research Laboratories) and K.L. Nuske (fine mechanical workshop, from CSIRO Organic Chemistry).

The first six research students were M.J. Duggin (now in the USA), J .R. Thyer (now Physics Department, Ballarat CAE), G. V .H. Wilson (now Rector, Defence Academy), J.M. Brettell (now University of New England), T .H. Bastow (now CSIRO Chemical Physics) and A.R. Pepper (now teaching at Shelford Anglican Girls School). The rate of growth of new faces in the research laboratories and workshops was unprecedented and generated a great deal of enthusiasm and excitement, taking place against a background of rapid growth in total undergraduate numbers. The following Table 1 of actual enrolments in the whole University is taken from Blackwood.⁶

The numbers doubled each year for several years. In those days Physics was a popular subject and starting a new year of undergraduate teaching each year imposed great pressures on academic and technical staff. Despite this, by 1964 a review of the research in the department by G.J. Troup, one of the staff, showed that research was well established in the areas of properties of magnetic materials, electron microscopy of defects in solids, superconductivity, quantum electronics and theoretical physics, much of the latter directly related to the solid state experimental work.⁷

In May 1986 at a Graduation Ceremony, five members of the Department of Physics were given medals for 25 years service each to the University. They were Ray Horan, Ken Nuske, Bill Rachinger, Jack Smith and, in absentia, Dennis Coates.

The rapid expansion of the department is revealed by the numbers of students graduating with either an Honours degree or a higher degree (Ph.D. or M.Sc.) which are displayed in Table 2. The year 1971, which saw 22 Ph.D. or M.Sc. degrees awarded from the department, is one whose ferment of activity stays sharply in our minds as a rewarding memory.

This period of very rapid growth in buildings, equipment and the number of persons in the department imposed conditions for the administration of the department which older universities, having grown at more leisurely paces, did not have. The patterns in which the department operated were laid quickly and no-one could expect these patterns to be correct for long. Ad hoc changes had to be made "on the run" and they called for administrative skills of a high order. The two authors would like to say here that the department found these skills in Alan O'Brien, the Laboratory Manager. When we consider the rate at which equipment was being ordered and arriving, there were vast administrative and logistic problems and it was Alan O'Brien who saw to their solutions together with his many friends in Central Administration. If the two authors wanted to have a person to exemplify the worth of the Laboratory Manager they could not have chosen a better person than Alan.

When Alan arrived in late 1960 the First Year Physics Laboratory was nearly finished having been planned before RS was appointed and though there were things that could have been improved, the immediate task was to get ready for the opening in March 1961. The concentration on seeing that the opening day would be right had been so intense that it was all too much for one of the junior laboratory assistants who fainted and had to be taken home.

The Senior Physics Building included the Research Laboratories which were, correctly, considered to be as important as the teaching laboratories. The Senior Physics Building was underway in 1961 and nearly every member of staff was involved in its planning and fitting. Alan O'Brien has drawn our attention to the fine co-operation that he received from the staff and from the planning architects, builders and engineers, even though the department made some changes to the buildings and services while it was in progress. Such action of course meant that the possibility of exceeding the budget was real and there were anxious discussions on cost cutting. One such decision was the surface finish of the walls and a cheaper "bagged" surface was suggested. RS asked Alan O'Brien for his views; “A bagged wall may be alright for a stable but not for a science laboratory”. A week later there was a planning meeting in the architect's office. RS and Alan were faced with an array of architects chaired by the formidable "Ossie" McCutcheon who early in the meeting said “I have here a minute which says that the Physics Department have stated that a bagged finish is fit only for a stable. Who said that?” All eyes were on the Physics representatives; Alan recalls his sudden attack of paralysis and RS, for once, was speechless. The silent scrutiny was broken only by Ossie smiling and saying “I agree”.

We have mentioned the high quality of the departmental technical staff and their devotion to the interests of the experiments being done in the department. A fine example was the development of the Mount Burnett Observatory in the Dandenong Hills. The Jeffree Telescope was acquired by Monash a few years after the opening of the University and by that time most of the money from the "honeymoon" funds had gone. Two or three technicians from the departmental workshop worked on the site for most of a winter. When at a later date a support building was needed, the same technicians volunteered to build the excellent timber cabin on the site. The enthusiasm of the technical staff to embark on projects with both confidence and high competence is an abiding happy memory, especially to Alan O'Brien and Ray Horan. The Mount Burnett telescope (now an 18 inch) is an efficient facility of the Department.

Since Monash University was founded 25 years ago the perception of Physics by the general public, and indeed by physicists themselves has changed markedly. It is now very clear that the public, through its Government agencies, is unwilling to support disinterested science with the purpose simply of adding to the sum of human knowledge. The large majority of students is sensitive to community perceptions and no doubt can easily discern that the Physics-based degree courses may lead to frustrating careers in an unsympathetic environment. Recent comments on this point are given by T.F. Smith⁸.

However, attitudes to Science generally and to Physics in particular must change if Australia is to overcome the much-publicized economic difficulties we now face. Everyone subscribes to the view that we must develop competitive manufacturing industries but efforts to do so have been less than encouraging. The solution is to make a conscious and determined effort to utilize the undoubted creativity of Australian scientists and technologists, the large majority of whom would greatly welcome the challenge. It seems most likely that the successful science-based industry will require new associations of disciplines in the sciences and engineering and these in turn will create opportunities for demanding and interesting teaching and research programmes, particularly in Physics. Monash University is well placed to participate in these endeavours and our hope is that Monash Physics will be at the forefront of this renaissance of science.

Acknowledgements

We would like to acknowledge here the help given to us in preparing this article by the following members of the Physics Department who were present in its early days; A.J. O'Brien, G. Davies, R.F. Horan, I. Lecis, K.L. Nuske. The Archives of Monash University supplied the detailed information about the Physics Department.

References

1. Blackwood, Sir Robert. Monash University: the first ten years (1968). Hampden Hall, Melbourne.
2. Spicer, B.M. Physics at the University of Melbourne. Australian Physicist (1980) 17 pp. 113-116.
3. Equipment Register Book, Physics Department, Monash University. Held by Department.
4. Bolton, H.C. and the late McNeill, J.J. H.J. Grayson, a pioneer ruler of diffraction gratings. Victorian Historical Journal (1981) 52 p. 63-66.
5. Bolton, H.C. The development of ruling engines in Melbourne 1890-1940. Submitted for publication.
6. Blackwood, Ibid. p.252.
7. Troup, G.J. Profile of a university physics department. Australian Physicist (1964, December) 1 pp.141-143.
8. Smith, T.F. President's Column. Australian Physicist (1986, April) 23 p.54.