CSIRO and the Universities

As previously mentioned the Bureau was involved in assisting CSIRO'S Division of Radiophysics in monitoring rainfall in areas where cloud seeding was carried out and in discussing the significance of results of seeding. While our closest interactions with the CSIRO were with the Section (later Division) of Meteorological Physics at Aspendale and the Division of Radiophysics in Sydney, staff of Central and Divisional Offices worked with staff of a number of other divisions from time to time. Relations were generally cordial and beneficial to the Bureau although Taffy Bowen's critical attitude toward the Bureau was not ameliorated when Bureau Central Office staff crossed swords with him when discussing the results of cloud seeding and the accuracy of his long-range rainfall forecasts.

Although the research interests of the Division of Meteorological Physics at Aspendale had little common ground with those of the Bureau, many of our staff were keen to know more of their work in turbulence and the general circulation. There was close and frequent contact with Bill Priestley, who served as Academy of Science representative in many areas in which the Bureau was involved. Len Dwyer, busy with a heavy commitment in reorganising the Bureau, participating in the work of the Atomic Weapons Safety Committee and deeply involved in WMO programs, saw less of Bill than many others in the Bureau. They had a cordial relationship only occasionally impaired by a difference of opinion and attitude which one might expect between a Director of Meteorology and the head of a Division of CSIRO.

Bureau contacts with universities were mainly with the University of Melbourne although there were associations with staff of the ANU, Universities of Sydney, New South Wales, Queensland and Adelaide, and institutes like the Waite in Adelaide.

Our main associations were with staff of the University of Melbourne, Fritz Loewe, Uwe Radok, Vic Hopper and Professors Forster and Leeper. Fritz Loewe retired from his position as Reader-in-Charge of the Meteorological Department late in 1960 and was succeeded by Uwe Radok. Loewe was a man of great dignity whose background was of great interest to me. His lectures to our training course in 1940 fascinated me, particularly when we students were able to divert him from a blackboard tabulation of meteorological data by asking an unrelated question about his experiences on the Greenland ice-cap.

Bureau of Meteorology