Bill obtained his B.Sc. and M.Sc. degrees from Rhodes University in South Africa, and his Ph.D. degree from the University of Manchester in 1963. He was among the first students to use the large (250 foot diameter) Mark I radio telescope at Jodrell Bank. He came to UBC in 1965 to start a research program in radio astronomy and astrophysics.
His first research programs at UBC were carried out at the Dominion Radio Astrophysical Observatory (DRAO) in Penticton, and thus Bill established a connection between the DRAO and the UBC Physics Department. Some of our students continue to do research there.
He was instrumental in bringing to UBC the 15 foot diameter millimeter wavelength radio telescope which operated for several years on the south campus. This began Canadian involvement in short wavelength (2.6 mm) radio astronomy which continues now at sub-millimeter wavelengths with the Canadian partnership in the James Clerk Maxwell Telescope in Hawaii.
Bill was a source of numerous interesting scientific ideas and most recently was working with a group on a design for liquid mirror telescopes which could be used away from the Zenith.
He gave service to the astronomical community with memberships on the initial Council of the Canadian Astronomical Society, the NRC Associate Committee for Astronomy, the Canadian National Committee for the International Astronomical Union, and as chairman of Canadian Commission V of URSI.
He was a well prepared teacher who found greatest enjoyment in the undergraduate engineering project labs. Several of the newer labs in our Physics department were developed wholly, or in part by him. He worked with Engineering Physics students to develop refracting telescopes for reception of transmissions from satellites, and was a consultant to the BC Provincial Government on Satellite TV systems.
Bill is survived by his wife Beverly, and by two sons, William and Edward. He will be missed by all of his family, and his many friends and colleagues.
Lore Hoffmann secretary to Brian G. Turrell, Head, Physics, UBC
Killam Fellowship Announcement: Chris Pritchett
Up to Cassiopeia index.
Up to CASCA Home Page
Please e-mail any suggestions/comments to Jack Penfold (jpenfold@mtroyal.ab.ca)