Westfold, Kevin Charles

Positions summary

Foundation professor of Mathematics, 1960-1962 ; Dean of the Faculty of Science, 1962-1975; Professor of Astronomy, 1976-1982; Pro-Vice-Chancellor, 1976; Deputy Vice-Chancellor 1982-1986; Emeritus Professor 1987. Chairman, Committee on Overseas Professional Qualifications Expert Panel on Qualifications, 1972-1985; Chairman, Astronomy Advisory Committee, 1974-1985; member of State Government Committee on Solar Eclipse, 1974-1976, and Chairman, Expert Sub-Committee of the Interdepartmental Committee to Review Observatory Facilities, 1976-1977. Council member, 1968-1978, Vice-President 1973-1975, and President 1975-1977, of the Astronomical Society of Australia.

Biography

Kevin Westfold was born in Melbourne and educated at Melbourne University where he graduated as Bachelor of Arts with Honours in Mathematics (1942), Bachelor of Science (1943) and Master of Arts (1946). After taking his first degrees Westfold was engaged in teaching and research in the Mathematics Department of the University of Melbourne. In 1946 he was appointed Research Officer with the CSIRO Division of Radiophysics, Sydney, where he was engaged in theoretical work on solar radiation. From 1949-51 Westfold was at Oxford working on theoretical problems of radio astronomy for which he was awarded a PhD. From 1952-60 Westfold was a member of staff of the Department of Applied Mathematics at the University of Sydney. During this time he spent a period of study leave at the California Institute of Technology where he was active in getting two new 90 ft. radio telescopes into operation at the Owen's Valley Radio Observatory, and carried out fundamental investigations on the polarisation of radiation and the synchrotron process for the emission of radiation. 

Westfold was appointed Monash University's first professor of Mathematics in November 1960. He served as Dean of the Faculty of Science between 1962 and 1975, and Professor of Astronomy between 1976 and 1982. He was co-opted as Pro-Vice-Chancellor in 1976 and served as the university's second Deputy Vice-Chancellor from 1982 until his retirement at the end of 1986. During his years at Monash Westfold also served as Chairman of the Committee on Overseas Professional Qualifications' Expert Panel on Qualifications (1972-85); Chairman of the Astronomy Advisory Committee (1974-85); member of the State Government Committee on Solar Eclipse (1974-76); and Chairman of the Expert Sub-Committee of the Interdepartmental Committee to Review Observatories Facilities (1976-77). Westfold made important contributions to the development of mathematics generally and in particular to his special field of astronomy. He was a Council member of the Australian Mathematical Society in its early days, from 1960-64, and an associate editor of its Journal for 1968-73. He was a Council member of the Astronomical Society of Australia from 1968-78, Vice-President 1973-75, and President 1975-77.

Papers

Australian Committee for Research correspondence and working papers 1970-1982

Files related to Victorian Institute of Secondary Education and the Inter-University Standing Committee on University Entrance 1972-1982

Monash University ephemera 1962-1982

Subject files 1957-1985
Files related to work in astronomy and to other outside activities while Dean of Science, Professor of Astronomy, Pro-Vice-Chancellor and Deputy Vice-Chancellor.