University of Adelaide (B.Sc., 1945; B.Sc. Hons, 1947; M.Sc., 1948) University of Birmingham (Ph.D., 1951)
Spouse
Miriam Stella Silver
Children
3
Awards
Tom W. Bonner Prize (1977)
Scientific career
Fields
Theoretical Physics
Institutions
Cornell University Australian National University University of Sydney Australian Atomic Energy Commission
Doctoral advisor
Rudolph Peierls
Stuart Thomas Butler AAS (4 July 1926 – 15 May 1982) was an Australian nuclear physicist who served as Director of the Australian Atomic Energy Commission from 1977 until 1982, and was noted for his contributions to theoretical physics including stripping reactions, energy loss of particles in plasma and atmospheric tides induced by absorption of solar radiation in the ozone layer.[1]
Butler was born in Naracoorte in South Australia; he was the eldest of three sons born to his Welsh school teacher father and Australian mother. He attended Murray Bridge and Gumeracha primary schools and Birdwood High School where he showed aptitude in mathematics, science, English and music. When he completed high school he considered studying piano at the Conservatorium of Music, but he received a scholarship to do his undergraduate studies at the University of Adelaide, here he was greatly influenced by physicist Kerr Grant and mathematician Hans Schwerdtfeger.[2] He completed his BSc in mathematics and physics in 1945, received first-class honours in 1946 and his MSc in 1947.
Butler was awarded a scholarship by the Australian National University to work in theoretical physics in the University of Birmingham. He arrived in Birmingham in 1949 and completed his PhD studies in 1951. At Birmingham he formed a close relationship with his thesis advisor, the famous physicist Rudolf Peierls.[2][3] While at Birmingham, Butler began his work on nuclear stripping reactions, he is recognized as the pioneer of this field and was awarded the Tom W. Bonner Prize in Nuclear Physics for his work in this area. After completing his PhD Butler took a research position at Cornell University, then returned to Australia in 1953 to a research fellowship at the Australian National University and in 1954 took a position at the University of Sydney where he went on to head the Faculty of Science from 1970 to 1973. During his time at the University of Sydney, Butler continued his research on stripping reactions, and also studies energy loss of particles in a plasma, superconductivity and atmospheric tides induced by absorption of solar radiation in the ozone layer; for these contributions he was awarded the Thomas Ranken Lyle Medal from the Australian Academy of Science and a DSc from the Australian National University.[2]
In 1977 Butler was appointed Director of the Australian Atomic Energy Commission Research Establishment in Lucas Heights. He was still engaged in this position when he died in 1982.
^Austern, Norman; McKellar, Bruce H. J.; McManus, Hugh; Salpeter, Edwin E. (October 1982). "Obituary: Stuart T. Butler". Physics Today. 35 (10): 96. Bibcode:1982PhT....35j..96A. doi:10.1063/1.2914815.
^ abcWatson-Munro, CN. 1983. Stuart Thomas Butler 1926–1982. Historical Records of Australian Science 5:82–88
^Fernandez, Bernard (September 2010). "From the discovery of the atomic nucleus to the DWBA, a (short) history of nuclear reactions, and of the instruments which permitted their study" (PDF). Euroschool on Exotic Beams. (See pages 35–37.)
and 17 Related for: Stuart Thomas Butler information
StuartThomasButler AAS (4 July 1926 – 15 May 1982) was an Australian nuclear physicist who served as Director of the Australian Atomic Energy Commission...
stratospheric ozone. This was rectified in 1963 by the Australian physicist StuartThomasButler and his student K.A. Small who showed that stratospheric ozone absorbs...
org. April 2020. Retrieved 11 November 2020. "Nomination Archive - StuartThomasButler". NobelPrize.org. April 2020. Retrieved 11 November 2020. "Nomination...
Frontiers of Science was an illustrated comic strip created by Professor StuartButler of the School of Physics at the University of Sydney in collaboration...
dancer and singer (The Pussycat Dolls); in Miami, Florida Died: StuartThomasButler, 55, Australian nuclear physicist Marty Hoey, 30–31, American mountaineer;...
awarded the Thomas Lyle Ranken Medal for 1963", The Sydney Morning Herald, 7 September 1964. Watson-Munro, C.N. (1983), "StuartThomasButler 1926–1982"...
Centenary Medal 1992: Walter Boas Medal, Australian Institute of Physics 1991: Thomas Ranken Lyle Medal, Australian Academy of Science 1987: Fellow of the Australian...
Justice of the Supreme Court of New South Wales (died 2018) 4 July – StuartThomasButler, nuclear physicist (died 1982) 9 July – Peter Mullins, decathlete...
Marty Stuart (born September 30, 1958) is an American country and bluegrass music singer, songwriter, and musician. Active since 1968, Stuart initially...
the same title written by Gordon Thomas and Max Morgan-Witts. The screenplay was written by Steve Shagan and David Butler. The film was produced by ITC Entertainment...
William Stuart Adamson (11 April 1958 – 16 December 2001) was a Scottish rock guitarist and singer. Adamson began his career in the late 1970s as a founding...
Sir ThomasStuart Legg KCB KC (13 August 1935 – 8 October 2023) was a British senior civil servant, who was Permanent Secretary of the Lord Chancellor's...
Josephine Elizabeth Butler (née Grey; 13 April 1828 – 30 December 1906) was an English feminist and social reformer in the Victorian era. She campaigned...
used for the image of 'Peg', the sister of butler Alfred Pennyworth, in the 1997 film Batman & Robin. Stuart's husband Arthur Sheekman died in January 1978...
Died. At Tudor Place, thereat of Thomas Peter, esq- near George-Town, Mrs. Eleanor Stuart, consort of David Stuart, esq.-of Osian Hall, in the county...