Brian J. Orr is an Australian scientist known for various experimental and theoretical contributions to molecular and optical physics, including laser

spectroscopy Spectroscopy is the field of study that measures and interprets the electromagnetic spectra that result from the interaction between electromagnetic radiation and matter as a function of the wavelength or frequency of the radiation. Matter wa ...

and

optical parametric oscillator An optical parametric oscillator (OPO) is a parametric oscillator that oscillates at optical frequencies. It converts an input laser wave (called "pump") with frequency \omega_p into two output waves of lower frequency (\omega_s, \omega_i) by means ...

Biography

Born in 1942, Orr grew up in Sydney and graduated with BSc (Hons I) and MSc from 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 ...

. He received his PhD from the

University of Bristol , mottoeng = earningpromotes one's innate power (from Horace, ''Ode 4.4'') , established = 1595 – Merchant Venturers School1876 – University College, Bristol1909 – received royal charter , type ...

(UK) in 1968 and, after a postdoctoral period in Ottawa (Canada), returned to Sydney in 1969 to take up an academic position at the

University of New South Wales The University of New South Wales (UNSW), also known as UNSW Sydney, is a public research university based in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. It is one of the founding members of Group of Eight, a coalition of Australian research-intensive ...

. In 1988, he became Professor of Chemistry in the Faculty of Science at

Macquarie University Macquarie University ( ) is a public research university based in Sydney, Australia, in the suburb of Macquarie Park. Founded in 1964 by the New South Wales Government, it was the third university to be established in the metropolitan area of S ...

. Since 2003, Orr has been an Emeritus Professor, based in Macquarie University’s Department of Physics and Astronomy. His roles at Macquarie University have included service as Head of School/Department (1989–92/1999–2002), as Deputy Chair of the Academic Senate (1989–92), and as a member of the University Council (1999–2002). He is Founding Director (2007–2010) of ''MQ Photonics'' – a University Research Centre incorporating the former Special Research Centre for Lasers and Applications, of which he was Deputy Director (1988–2002) and then Director (2003–07). Orr has been an editor for the international journals ''Optics Express'', ''JOSAB'' and ''Chemical Physics Letters''. Many of the accomplishments of Brian Orr and his research students and colleagues have been summarized in the

Optical Society Optica (formerly known as The Optical Society (OSA) and before that as the Optical Society of America) is a professional society of individuals and companies with an interest in optics and photonics. It publishes journals and organizes conference ...

's citation for his 2004 W. F. Meggers Award: "for advancing molecular spectroscopy by experiment and theory on infrared- and Raman-ultraviolet double resonance, coherent Raman spectroscopy, cavity ringdown spectroscopy, photoelectron spectroscopy, nonlinear optics, and tunable coherent light sources."William F. Meggers Award (The Optical Society, OSA, 1970-...)
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Recognition

* 1995: Fellow of the

* 1987: Fellow of the

Australian Institute of Physics The Australian Institute of Physics was established in 1963, when it replaced the Australian Branch of the British Institute of Physics based in London.

* 1978: Fellow of the

Royal Australian Chemical Institute The Royal Australian Chemical Institute (RACI) is both the qualifying body in Australia for professional chemists and a learned society promoting the science and practice of chemistry in all its branches. The RACI hosts conferences, seminars and ...

* 1994: Inaugural Physical Chemistry Division Medal from the

* 2004: William F. Meggers Award in Spectroscopy from the

* 2005: W. H. (Beattie) Steel Medal from the Australian Optical Societ

References

External links

* Brian Orr's research group page at Macquarie Universit

{{DEFAULTSORT:Orr, Brian Living people Year of birth missing (living people) Spectroscopists Australian physicists Fellows of the Australian Institute of Physics Fellows of the Optical Society University of Sydney alumni Alumni of the University of Bristol Macquarie University faculty University of New South Wales faculty