Thanks to support from science, business, industry and government, the Physics Foundation’s philanthropic work supporting scientific research, education and outreach has continued for over 50 years.
The University of Sydney Physics Foundation, established in 1954 by Emeritus Professor Harry Messel AC CBE, was the first Foundation established within the University of Sydney and the first of its kind within the Commonwealth.
The Foundation was set up to support the School of Physics as a voluntary philanthropic association of individuals and private organisations dedicated to the pursuit of excellence in science education, research, training and communication. Today, the Foundation still carries out this important role.
Inspire senior secondary students to pursue studies in science and science careers through the Professor Harry Messel International Science School and other school education programs.
Provide funding to the School of Physics to support the Julius Sumner Miller Fellow as well as strategic and education initiatives run by the School.
Increase the resources of the University to assist the Senate and the Vice-Chancellor in the promotion of science, in particular physics.
Collaborate with the School of Physics, the Faculty of Science and the University to promote the significance of science, and broaden knowledge and understanding about science in the wider community.
Over the past fifty years, the Foundation has raised over AUD $100 million to support the School of Physics, fund the International Science School, and enable public engagement with science through teacher training and outreach programs for the community.
The Foundation’s financial support contributes significantly to the School of Physics, providing scholarships and prizes for students and academic staff, teaching infrastructure and equipment and programs in science education and communication. This includes establishing and funding the Physics Grand Challenges.
The Foundation also has a strong history of supporting key educational initiatives including the Science Teachers Workshop, the MyScience website, funding the Julius Sumner Miller Fellowship and the International Science School.
Over the past 15 years, the Physics Foundation has also provided funding for:
Overseas travel, allowing academic staff to present their research to the international community and collaborate with peers around the world.
The SEARFE project, a collaborative outreach project where school students could explore Australia’s radiofrequency environment.
Renovation of major laboratories including the School’s computer laboratories.
Modern digital oscilloscopes for the School’s three undergraduate teaching laboratories.
The Foundation provides annual scholarships, prizes and awards valued at over $30,000 each year, including the Harry Messel Award for Excellence and School of Physics student scholarships.
The Foundation also funds post-graduation and prize-giving ceremony receptions for Physics students.
Head of the School of Physics for 35 years, Emeritus Professor Messel was also founder of the Physics Foundation, the International Science School and many other initiatives.
Education has been my life, to give leadership in education and in quality and in standards. I'm immensely proud of what's happened at the School of Physics in the University of Sydney.
Professor Messel is credited with the reinvigorating of the School of Physics upon his appointment as Head of School in 1952. He inherited a depleted physics department and during his impressive tenure of 35 years, developed it into one of the most accomplished physics departments in Australia.
In 1954, Professor Messel established the Nuclear Research Foundation, which is now the Physics Foundation, in order to raise funds to develop and support research in the School of Physics. It was the first foundation in the British Commonwealth. At that time, the Australian Government funded only the Australian National University for major research and there were no competitive grant schemes for other universities.
As the Head of School, he raised more than $130 million for the Foundation from individual donors, business and governments throughout the world and was able to set up several research groups of international standing within the School.
Professor Messel also played a leading role in the introduction of computers to Australia. In the early 1950s, the Australian Government had decided to shut down and not replace CSIRAC, the only computer in Australia, which had been built a decade earlier by the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation. During the period from 1954 to 1956, he raised the funds for and supervised the construction of SILLIAC in the School of Physics. This computer, the second in Australia, was a clone of ILLIAC at the University of Illinois, USA, which was then one of the most powerful computers in the world.
SILLIAC was used to perform many scientific, engineering and commercial calculations, to demonstrate the utility of computers to state and federal governments and the business community, and to train a generation of computing academics and professionals. This led to a rapid uptake of this important technology throughout Australia.
In the early 1950s, Professor Messel went public with his concerns about the poor quality of science education in Australian high schools. During the next decade, he was responsible for two major initiatives: the International Science School and an integrated science syllabus in high schools.
Around 145 students from Australia, Canada, China, India, Japan, Malaysia, New Zealand, Singapore, Thailand, UK and USA attend the bi-annual International Science School, which involves two weeks of lectures given by eminent scientists from around the world as well as a wide program of science-related activities.
Until the early 1960s the four basic science disciplines were taught separately in Australian high schools. Professor Messel campaigned successfully to require all NSW high school students to study an integrated science syllabus in their first four years. He and the Foundation produced the first textbooks for the new syllabus and helped to provide resource materials for teachers who had training in only one or two of the separate disciplines. The integrated model was introduced in NSW schools in 1963, and subsequently in all Australian states and in many other countries, including New Zealand and the UK.
"Professor Messel is a larger-than-life figure who has made an enormous contribution to Australian society, particularly in education at both secondary and tertiary levels, and in scientific policy and research. His achievements in the field of physics are renowned and numerous within Australia and the international physics community. Many things would be quite different today without his vision, enthusiasm, determination and seemingly unlimited capacity for work," said Professor Bedding.
Professor Messel was also an alumnus of the University of Sydney, gaining a Master of Science in 1987 and in 1992 was awarded an honorary Doctor of Science (Honoris Causa).
Professor Messel was appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in the 1979 New Year's Honours list; and a Companion of the Order of Australia (AC) in the 2006 Australia Day Honours for his service to Australian science and to education as an outstanding educator raising awareness of the importance of the study of science and in particular physics, for instrumental contributions to improving science teaching in schools, and for conservation advocacy relating to endangered crocodile and alligator species.
As a University foundation, the Physics Foundation is responsible to the University Senate.
The Foundation's activities are directed by a Strategy and Development Committee and a Finance Committee.
The Foundation’s Council is made up of representatives of business and industry, community leaders and senior office holders, and academic staff of the University of Sydney. Council members are elected at the Foundation's annual general meeting.
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