Arthur Birch (organic chemist)
Dr Arthur John Birch (August 3, 1915 - December 8 1995) was an organic chemist from Australia. Birch developed the "Birch Reduction" of aromatic rings which is widely used in synthetic organic chemistry, the Birch Reduction enables the modification of steroids allowing for the development of the contraceptive pill, other steroid drugs and antibiotics.
Birch won a scholarship to attend the University of Sydney graduating with a BSc in 1937 and a MSc in 1938. He travelled to Oxford University to undertake his PhD, graduating in 1940. He remained a research Fellow at Oxford until 1948 working under Sir Robert Robinson, when he became the Smithson Fellow at the University of Cambridge were he remained until 1952. At Cambridge he worked with Lord Alexander Todd.
He returned to Australia in 1952 to take up a Prefessorship in organic chemistry at the University of Sydney, he was made a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Science in 1954. He held his position at the University of Sydney until 1955 when he took a similar position at Manchester University. He was made a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1958.
Birch returned to Australia again in 1967 to establish the Research School of Chemistry at the Australian National University in Canberra, becoming its founding dean. He remained involed with the school until 1980. He served as President of the Royal Australian Chemical Institute from 1977 to 1978, and also chaired the 1977 Independent Inquiry into CSIRO.
He served as President of the Australian Academy of Science from 1982 to 1986. Birch was made a Companion of the Order of Australia (AC) in 1987 for his contributions to science in Australia.He was awarded Honorary Fellowship of the Royal Australian Chemical Institute, in 1994. He was also a founding member of the Australian Science and Technology Council.
Following his death in 1995, the Reseach School of Chemistry building was named the Birch Building in his honour.
References
- Australian Academy of Science. Contents of the Arthur Birch Archive
- Birch, A. J. 1995. To See the Obvious. Oxford University Press, ISBN 0841218404
- McCarthy, G.J. Birch, Arthur John (1915 - 1995), 2004