Brian Shorland

Francis Brian Shorland OBE (14 July 1909 – 8 June 1999) was a New Zealand organic chemist.

Brian Shorland OBE
Born	Francis Brian Shorland 14 July 1909 Island Bay, Wellington, New Zealand
Died	8 June 1999 (aged 89) Karaka Bay, Seatoun, Wellington, New Zealand
Alma mater	University of Liverpool
Awards	Hector Medal (1955) OBE (1959)
Scientific career
Institutions	Department of Scientific and Industrial Research
Thesis	The composition of some New Zealand fats with special reference to fish oils (1937)
Doctoral advisor	Thomas Percy Hilditch

Biography

After a BSc and a MSc in organic chemistry he worked for the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research, before earning a scholarship to go to the University of Liverpool for a PhD under Thomas Percy Hilditch, studying fish liver oils and fats from farm animals.[1]

After his retirement in 1969, he held several honorary posts at Victoria University of Wellington.[1] He died on 8 June 1999 and was cremated at Karori Crematorium.[2]

Honours and awards

He was awarded a DSc by the University of Liverpool in 1950 and an honorary DSc by Victoria University of Wellington in 1970; a Fellowship of the Royal Society of New Zealand in 1951 and the Hector Medal in 1955.[1] In the 1959 New Year Honours he was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire, in recognition of his role as director of the Fats Research Institute,[3] and in 1990 he received the New Zealand 1990 Commemoration Medal.

Shorland Medal

In 1999 the New Zealand Association of Scientists established the Shorland Medal in Shorland's honour.[4] It is awarded annually in recognition of a "major and continued contribution to basic or applied research that has added significantly to scientific understanding or resulted in significant benefits to society."[5]

References

1. Curtis, Neil F.; Mattingley, Joan (2000). "Francis Brian Shorland". Royal Society of New Zealand. Retrieved 17 August 2014.
2. "Cemeteries search". Wellington City Council. Retrieved 19 August 2014.
3. "No. 41591". The London Gazette (Supplement). 1 January 1959. p. 42.
4. Halton, Brian. "Some unremembered chemists: Francis Brian Shorland, OBE, PhD, DSc (L'pool), Hon. DSc(VUW), FRSNZ (1909-1999)" (PDF). New Zealand Science Review. 75: 37–42. Archived from the original (PDF) on 15 January 2020.
5. "New Zealand Association of Scientists - Shorland Medal". scientists.org.nz. Retrieved 2 May 2020.

Further reading

• Cameron, Joan (2014). Brian Shorland : Doyen of New Zealand science ISBN 978-0-473-27415-3