Alan Billings
BILLINGS, Alan Reginald, BSc(Eng) PHD FTSE FIEE FIEAust SMIEEE AM (1925-2009)
Alan Billings was born in Wandsworth, London on April 14, 1925. He was the son of Reginald James Billings and his wife Lillian Ruth Billings née Gunnett. His secondary education was at the Woolwich Polytechnic Junior School for Boys, a school that had been set up in 1912 specifically to train students for a career in engineering. He then completed a Bachelor of Science in Engineering in 1949 at the University of London. Alan then worked as a Scientific Officer at the Royal Naval Scientific Service from 1950 to 1951, creating a connection to defence activities that continued throughout his career.
Alan married Joyce Gertrude Gardiner at Thurrock, Essex, on December 26, 1951, and they had three children, Ann, Christine and Mark. From 1952 to 1959, Alan was a lecturer in electrical engineering at the University of Bristol. He also completed a PhD at the University of London in 1956.
Alan Billings came to Western Australia with his wife and three young children on the “Stratheden”, via Sydney, to take up the position of Professor of Electrical Engineering in 1959.
In “Vale Professor Billings” in the University News, Professor John Hullet noted:
“Alan Billings joined the Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering at UWA as its Head and immediately set about building what became one of the strongest EE departments in Australia, recognised for its particular strength in electronics and materials. In support of the Department's electronics programme he set up a thin film microelectronics fabrication facility, a very significant undertaking at the time.
Because of his expertise he was often called upon as a consultant to Government. Professor Billings was a Member of the Working Party set up by the Department of Defence to report on Australian facilities for the production of custom built microcircuits for defence purposes, 1974-1975.
He was a member of the Rees Committee appointed by the Federal Government to undertake External Review of the Defence Science and Technology Organisation whose report was tabled in Parliament in 1980. In Western Australia he was a Member of the Working Party on Energy Research set up by the Energy Advisory Council of W.A. in 1978, and Member of the Electronics Task Force established by the State Government 1981-83.
Academically and professionally Alan Billings was a strong advocate of research and at UWA one of his first endeavours was to foster postgraduate research and strong PhD programmes. He recognised and promoted scholarship in many areas as well as engineering, and he published widely in the journals of learned societies.
A noteworthy publication of his was the Monograph ‘Tensor Properties of Materials' published by John Wiley in 1968. He served on numerous research boards and funding bodies including the Australian Research Grants Committee, and the Radio Research Board, and was a fellow of the Academy of Technological Sciences.
Alan Billings was a most gregarious person with a wide circle of friends, a lover of music and the arts, and an avid follower of cricket and football. With Joyce, his wife, he was a well loved family man and leaves behind three children, eleven grandchildren and one great grandchild. He will be sadly missed by family, friends and the profession”.
Alan was a Member of the University of Western Australia's Senate from 1974 to 1976; Chair of the UWA Professorial Board from 1975 to 1976; and acting Deputy Vice Chancellor of UWA from 1977 to 1978. He was made a Fellow of the Academy of Technological Sciences in 1977.
He held the position of Professor of Electrical Engineering from 1959 until he retired in 1990. Alan died on September 26, 2009 aged 84, survived by his wife and their children.
In 1962, Alan became a Member of the Institution of Engineers, Australia, and by 1970 was elevated to being a Fellow. He was active in IEAust activities and was Chair of the College of Electrical and Electronic Engineering. Alan was also a Fellow of the Institution of Electrical Engineers and a Senior Member of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers.
In 1982, Alan was appointed Chair of the Solar Energy Research Institute of WA, and when this body was merged into the Minerals and Energy Research Institute of WA, he became a foundation Director of that body. When the Australian Telecommunications and Electronics Research Board was created in 1985, Alan was appointed as its inaugural Chair.
In June 1992, Alan was awarded as a Member of the Order of Australia for services to electrical and electronic engineering and education. He was also awarded a Centenary Medal in January 2001 for services to Australian society in electronics and applied physics.
References:
Cumming Papers
Margaret A Sacks, Editor, The WAY 79 Who is Who, Crawley Publishers, Nedlands, 1980
https://prabook.com/web/alan_reginald.billings/459838 accessed October 27, 2020
https://www.news.uwa.edu.au/200910121758/issue-18-15-october-2009/vale-professor-alan-billings accessed October 27, 2020
