Baxter, Benjamin Alexander

Ben Baxter began working at the University as a Technical Officer in the Department of Chemistry in 1961. His role included preparation of lecture demonstrations, preparation of slides of diagrams and charts for lectures, making molecule demonstration models, completing all departmental photography and control of all cameras, projectors and other visual aids equipment. Ben was regarded as a creative, innovative person with considerable initiative, ingenuity and extraordinary versatility. He designed and constructed a number of devices which improved the efficiency of the preparation room services. He developed multiple image photographic techniques for recording the period of oscillation of a body and the path and velocity of moving objects. This work was done to assist academic staff in the Department of Chemical Engineering and resulted in his being a co-author of the two published papers. Ben also did work for other departments and general photography of University events, people and buildings. He became Chief Technical Officer in Chemistry in 1973 and retired in 1980.