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Rudolf Prince interviewed by Alex and Annette Hood in the Alex Hood folklore collection [sound recording]
Bib ID 3643499
Format AudioAudio
Author
Prince, Rudolf, 1928-
 
Access Conditions Access open for research, personal copies and public use. 
Description 2005-2006. 
4 digital audio tapes (ca. 253 min.) 
Series

Alex Hood folklore collection

Summary

Folkloric recording. Rudolf Prince, born 1928 in Germany speaks of family background; childhood in pre-war Germany and Italy; father's involvement in World Wars; moving with mother and sister to Italy in 1936, then Northern Ireland (1938), and New Zealand in 1940; his education, including engineering at Canterbury University and PhD at Sydney University; meeting Laurel at Canterbury; their marriage; university life; moving to Australia in 1950; lecturing at Sydney University in chemical engineering; moving to England in 1953; their first child, Jane, born in 1956; returning to New Zealand; teaching at Canterbury University; taking a position at Sydney University; living in Turramurra. Rolf speaks about his sister Renata and her visit to Germany and meeting with their father; his daughter, Jane; changes in university administration; university Staff Club; colleagues and students; moving to University of Queensland in 1964 as a professor; becoming Professor of Chemical Engineering at Sydney University in 1969; predecessor Tom Hunter; portraits of Rolf and Hunter painted by Robert Hannaford; retirement; continuing teaching and consulting after retirement; chairing State Government panel on desalination; Esso disaster.

In the second part of the interview, Rolf speaks more about changes to universities, including pay structures, standards, research, corporate sponsorship; being President of the Institute of Chemical Engineers; teaching methods; women students; scholarships; Shell Company's use of students in the early 1960's; chemical disasters at Bhopal, Chernobyl, 3 Mile Island and Botany; chemical dumping at sea; environmental issues; being President of the English Institution of Chemical Engineers; his contract work; nuclear submarines; chemical engineering in China; Rolf lists some of his students who have succeeded. Rolf talks about ways of identifying excellence; organisations and institutions; National Awards of Excellence and his Chairmanship of this; his work on boards of other institutions; the Peter Russell Medal; his involvement in Rotary; his awards; starting new Professors' Association; Major Industrial Placement Scheme (MIPS);being Chairman of Academy of Technology Science and Engineering; his awards, including the Order of Australia and Centenary medals; continued involvement in engineering projects; the future of engineering and innovation in Australia.

Biography/History

Rolf Prince was born in Germany in 1928 to a Jewish mother and Prussian father. He moved to Italy in 1936 with his mother and sister when the family split up. In 1938 they moved to England and then New Zealand. Rolf studied Chemical Engineering at Canterbury University, where he met his wife Laurel, and then a PhD at Sydney University. Rolf and Laurel moved to England in 1953, where Laurel gave birth to their first child. Shortly afterwards they returned to New Zealand, where Rolf taught at Canterbury University. In the 1960's Rolf took a post at Sydney University and in 1964, a professorship at the University of Queensland. In 1969, he was offered the professorship at Sydney University, where he remained until his retirement in 1998. He is now an Emeritus Professor and continues an active involvement in the field of Chemical Engineering.

Notes

Recorded on Dec. 19, 2005 and April 13, 2006 at Turramurra, N.S.W.

Digital master; National Library of Australia, Oral History collection;

Index/Finding Aid Note Timed summary (13 p.) 
Subjects Prince, Rudolf, - 1928- - Interviews.  |  Chemical engineers - Australia - Interviews.  |  College teachers - New South Wales - Sydney - Interviews.  |  Chemical engineering - Study and teaching (Higher) - Australia.
Occupation Chemical engineers.  |  Academics.
Other authors/contributors Hood, Alex, 1935-  |  Hood, Annette, 1948-

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    Details Collect From
    ORAL TRC 5533/11
    Copy: Recording
    Petherick Reading Room (Oral History)
    ORAL TRC 5533/11 (summary)
    Copy: Summary
    Petherick Reading Room (Oral History)

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    Members of Aboriginal, Torres Strait Islander and Maori communities are advised that this catalogue contains names and images of deceased people. All users of the catalogue should also be aware that certain words, terms or descriptions may be culturally sensitive and may be considered inappropriate today, but may have reflected the author's/creator's attitude or that of the period in which they were written.