 |
  |
| UC Home | Courses | Departments | Library | Teaching | Research | Students | Contacts | Search | |
 |
|
 |
|
 |
 |
 |
||
Canterbury University scientists elected to prestigious academy
Published by the Communications and Development Department
29 November 2002
They are Associate Professor John Abrahamson, of the Chemical and Process Engineering Department, Professor Robert Davis, Civil Engineering, and Associate Professor David Kelly, o Plant and Microbial Sciences.
Professor Abrahamson, by seeking the fundamental reasons for the behaviour of particulate solids, found common themes in ball lightning and dust collectors, in snow avalanches and turbulence promoters. He was among the first to report on the ‘carbon fibres’ that have come to be known as nanotubes.
An international leader in the development of geotechnical engineering, Professor Davis has made influential contributions with his work on constitutive models of soils, seismic liquefaction and his introduction of thermodynamic concepts into continuum mechanical descriptions for soil behaviour.
Professor Kelly, who has often challenged accepted theories, is an innovative plant ecologist whose work is placing New Zealand’s plant communities on the international stage. He is well known for his work on the erratic production of seeds called ‘masting’ and on climate change evidence from the native grass Chionochloa.
The Canterbury scientists were among 14 new Fellows and 3 Honorary Fellows the Royal Society announced it had elected to its prestigious science academy.
The Society said the selection process was rigorous, involving discipline-specific selection panels and independent international review. Only a small number from those nominated were ultimately selected. New Zealand currently has 307 Fellows.
For more information contact:
|
