National Research Council of Canada : Dr. R. W. Boyle

Abstract

DR. ROBERT WILLIAM BOYLE, who, since 1929, has been director of the Division of Physics, National Research Council of Canada, retired last year. Born in Carbonear, Newfoundland, he received his early education at St. John's College and then proceeded to McGill University, where he graduated in electrical engineering in 1905, obtaining his master's degree in 1906, and doctorate in 1909. As an 1851 Exhibition scholar he studied radioactivity under Rutherford at Manchester during 1909-11, and then returned to McGill as lecturer. From 1912 to 1929 he was pro fessor and dean of applied science in the University of Alberta, During 1916-19 he had a brilliant record of service, first with the Admiralty Board of Inven tions and Research and later with the Anti-submarine Division. Here he was in charge of the scientific research and development of what later became known as the 'Asdic' for submarine detection. It is in this sphere of ultra-sonics that Dr. Boyle has specialized, and he and his co-workers have produced a wealth of data on ultra-sonic propagation, energy distribution in beams, reflexion, transmission, inter ference and detection. Dr. Boyle organised the Division of Physics and Engineering of the National Research Council in 1929, and the steady growth and expansion of this Division owes much to his director ship. In 1937 it became the Division of Physics and Electrical Engineering ; and during the Second World War the radio and electrical engineering branches expanded so greatly that they were split off in 1948 as a separate Division, and the parent was renamed the Division of Physics. Dr. Boyle has been succeeded by Dr. G. Herzberg (see Nature, February 12, p. 241).