Professor William Henry Wittrick

FAA The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is the largest transportation agency of the U.S. government and regulates all aspects of civil aviation in the country as well as over surrounding international waters. Its powers include air traffic m ...

FRS (1922–1986) was a British engineer and academic who spent 20 years in Australia, including 10 years as Professor of Aeronautical Engineering at the

University of Sydney The University of Sydney (USYD), also known as Sydney University, or informally Sydney Uni, is a public research university located in Sydney, Australia. Founded in 1850, it is the oldest university in Australia and is one of the country's si ...

(1956–1964). He was Professor of Structural Engineering at the

University of Birmingham , mottoeng = Through efforts to heights , established = 1825 – Birmingham School of Medicine and Surgery1836 – Birmingham Royal School of Medicine and Surgery1843 – Queen's College1875 – Mason Science College1898 – Mason Univers ...

(1964–69), and Beale Professor of Civil Engineering, University of Birmingham (1969–82). Wittrick, William Henry, (FAA, FRS) (1922-1985)
trove.nla.gov.au (Also a

) Wittrick was born on 29 October 1922 in

Huddersfield Huddersfield is a market town in the Kirklees district in West Yorkshire, England. It is the administrative centre and largest settlement in the Kirklees district. The town is in the foothills of the Pennines. The River Holme's confluence into ...

, Yorkshire, went to high school at

Huddersfield College Huddersfield New College is a former grammar school and current sixth form college located in Salendine Nook on the outskirts of Huddersfield, in the county of West Yorkshire, England. The current principal is Angela Williams. On 17 May 2016 the ...

(1933–1940), and was awarded scholarships which allowed him to attend the

University of Cambridge , mottoeng = Literal: From here, light and sacred draughts. Non literal: From this place, we gain enlightenment and precious knowledge. , established = , other_name = The Chancellor, Masters and Schola ...

(BA 1943, MA 1947). In 1950 he received the first PhD awarded by the University of Sydney, titled 'Torsion and bending of swept and tapered wings with ribs parallel to the root', and he was awarded Sc.D. by the University of Cambridge in 1969. During the war Wittrick briefly worked at the Hawker Aircraft Company (1942), then at Cambridge teaching Royal Engineer Officer Cadets (1942–1944), and later as a Scientific Officer at the Royal Aircraft Establishment, Farnborough (1944–1945). In June 1945 he married Joyce, and aged 23 he accepted a position as a senior lecturer at the Department of Aeronautics of the University of Sydney (1945–1954). He was Reader (1954–1956), and appointed Lawrence Hargrave Professor of Aeronautical Engineering (1956–1964). In 1958 he was elected a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Science (FAA). In 1964 Wittrick accepted the position of chair of Structural Engineering at the University of Birmingham (1964–1969), and subsequently Beale Professor of Civil Engineering, University of Birmingham (1969–1982). In 1980 he was elected a

Fellow of the Royal Society Fellowship of the Royal Society (FRS, ForMemRS and HonFRS) is an award granted by the judges of the Royal Society of London to individuals who have made a "substantial contribution to the improvement of natural science, natural knowledge, incl ...

(FRS). He retired in 1982 due to ill-health, aged 60, and was appointed Emeritus Professor. He died on in Birmingham, England.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Wittrick, Bill 1922 births 1986 deaths Fellows of the Australian Academy of Science Aeronautical engineering academics Structural engineers English civil engineers Alumni of the University of Cambridge University of Sydney alumni Academic staff of the University of Sydney Academics of the University of Birmingham Fellows of the Royal Society British expatriates in Australia People from Huddersfield