ATNF Deputy Director awarded Public Service Medal on eve of departure

Dr. John Whiteoak, Deputy Director of the Australia Telescope National Facility since1989, has been awarded a Public Service Medal in the Australia Day honours for his contribution to the ATNF and his role in establishing high-frequency spectrum allocations for astronomical research.

One of John's major contributions in the international radio astronomy world has been his work on the protection of radio frequencies for astronomy, as chairman of an International Telecommunications Union (ITU) Working Party (WP7D). This group has proposed vastly increased protection in the radio spectrum at frequencies between 71 and 275GHz, the proposals endorsed at the recent World Radiocommunications Conference in Istanbul (see article in the October issue of the ATNF newsletter).

Dr. John Whiteoak with Anna Fullerton (1999/2000 summer vacation student) on the Mopra telescope.

John retired from the ATNF in February 2001 after a highly distinguished career. He first joined the CSIRO Division of Radio Physics in 1965 and was the Project Secretary during the construction of the Australia Telescope. Since 1989 he has been the Deputy Director of the Australia Telescope. The "John Bartlett Whiteoak Scientific Symposium" was held at the ATNF headquarters on 7^th February 2001 to honour his career and many contributions which have included three years as Office-in-Charge at Narrabri, an immense scientific output, many former students who have gone on to become professional astronomers and his role with the ITU .

We all wish John and his wife Mary well for their retirement.

Steven Tingay, Jessica Chapman
(Steven.Tingay@atnf.csiro.au)