Dame Charmian Jocelyn O'Connor (née Bishop, born 4 August 1937) is a New Zealand
physical organic chemist. She became the first female professor of chemistry at the
University of Auckland
, mottoeng = By natural ability and hard work
, established = 1883; years ago
, endowment = NZD $293 million (31 December 2021)
, budget = NZD $1.281 billion (31 December 2021)
, chancellor = Cecilia Tarrant
, vice_chancellor = Dawn F ...
in 1986, and retired in 2004.
Early life and education
Born in
Woodville on 4 August 1937, the daughter of Cecil and Kathrene Bishop, O'Connor was educated at
Hastings High School and
Auckland Girls' Grammar School
"Through trials to triumph"
, colours = gold, navy blue
, type = State single-sex girls' secondary school (Years 9–13)
, established = 1878
, address = Howe Street, Newton, Auckland
, coordinates =
, principal = Ngaire Ashmore ...
.
She went on to study chemistry at
Auckland University College
, mottoeng = By natural ability and hard work
, established = 1883; years ago
, endowment = NZD $293 million (31 December 2021)
, budget = NZD $1.281 billion (31 December 2021)
, chancellor = Cecilia Tarrant
, vice_chancellor = Dawn F ...
, graduating
Bachelor of Science
A Bachelor of Science (BS, BSc, SB, or ScB; from the Latin ') is a bachelor's degree awarded for programs that generally last three to five years.
The first university to admit a student to the degree of Bachelor of Science was the University of ...
in 1957,
Master of Science
A Master of Science ( la, Magisterii Scientiae; abbreviated MS, M.S., MSc, M.Sc., SM, S.M., ScM or Sc.M.) is a master's degree in the field of science awarded by universities in many countries or a person holding such a degree. In contrast to ...
with first-class honours in 1958, and completing a
PhD PHD or PhD may refer to:
* Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), an academic qualification
Entertainment
* '' PhD: Phantasy Degree'', a Korean comic series
* ''Piled Higher and Deeper'', a web comic
* Ph.D. (band), a 1980s British group
** Ph.D. (Ph.D. albu ...
in physical organic chemistry in 1963 at what by that time had become the University of Auckland.
In 1963, she married Peter Selwyn O'Connor, and the couple had two children.
Academic and research career
O'Connor was appointed as a lecturer in chemistry at Auckland University College in 1958, rising to the rank of professor in 1986, and becoming Auckland's first female professor of chemistry.
When she retired in 2004, O'Connor was conferred the title of
professor emeritus
''Emeritus'' (; female: ''emerita'') is an adjective used to designate a retired chair, professor, pastor, bishop, pope, director, president, prime minister, rabbi, emperor, or other person who has been "permitted to retain as an honorary title ...
by the University of Auckland.
O'Connor authored or co-authored more than 300 scientific papers in refereed journals.
Her research focused on the
mechanisms and
kinetics
Kinetics ( grc, κίνησις, , kinesis, ''movement'' or ''to move'') may refer to:
Science and medicine
* Kinetics (physics), the study of motion and its causes
** Rigid body kinetics, the study of the motion of rigid bodies
* Chemical ki ...
of reactions involving
biologically active
In pharmacology, biological activity or pharmacological activity describes the beneficial or adverse effects of a drug on living matter. When a drug is a complex chemical mixture, this activity is exerted by the substance's active ingredient or ph ...
compounds. In 1973, she was conferred the degree of
Doctor of Science
Doctor of Science ( la, links=no, Scientiae Doctor), usually abbreviated Sc.D., D.Sc., S.D., or D.S., is an academic research degree awarded in a number of countries throughout the world. In some countries, "Doctor of Science" is the degree used f ...
(DSc) by the University of Auckland on the basis of published papers submitted, becoming the first woman in New Zealand to be awarded a DSc.
During her career at Auckland, O'Connor held many administrative roles at the university, including serving as the inaugural assistant vice-chancellor, equal employment opportunities and staff development, from 1987 to 1998, and deputy vice-chancellor in 1994.
Other activities
O'Connor served as a member of the Ministerial Advisory Group for science and technology, and on the national commission for UNESCO.
Between 1979 and 1981, she was the national president of the New Zealand Federation of University Women, and later was chair of the board of trustees of the Kate Edger Educational Charitable Trust for nine years from 2005.
She served on the councils of a number of educational institutions, including the
Manukau Institute of Technology
Established in 1970, Manukau Institute of Technology (MIT) ( mi, Te Whare Takiura o Manukau) is a large Category One institute of technology in Auckland, New Zealand.
Category One is the highest possible educational rating as evaluated by the ...
,
Unitec Institute of Technology
Unitec Institute of Technology (Māori: Te Whare Wānanga o Wairaka) is the largest institute of technology in Auckland, New Zealand. 16,844 students study programmes from certificate to postgraduate degree level (levels 1 to 9) across a range of ...
, and the
Diocesan School for Girls.
Between 1961 and 1962, O'Connor was the secretary of the Auckland branch of the New Zealand Institute of Chemistry, and was later a member of the Academy Council of the
Royal Society of New Zealand
Royal may refer to:
People
* Royal (name), a list of people with either the surname or given name
* A member of a royal family
Places United States
* Royal, Arkansas, an unincorporated community
* Royal, Illinois, a village
* Royal, Iowa, a cit ...
.
In 1982, O'Connor was appointed as a
justice of the peace
A justice of the peace (JP) is a judicial officer of a lower or ''puisne'' court, elected or appointed by means of a commission ( letters patent) to keep the peace. In past centuries the term commissioner of the peace was often used with the sa ...
.
Honours and awards
In the
1989 Queen's Birthday Honours
Queen's Birthday Honours are announced on or around the date of the Queen's Official Birthday in Australia, Canada, New Zealand and the United Kingdom. The dates vary, both from year to year and from country to country. All are published in supple ...
, O'Connor was appointed a
Commander of the Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding contributions to the arts and sciences, work with charitable and welfare organisations,
and public service outside the civil service. It was established o ...
, for services to chemistry, education and the community. She became a
Dame Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit
The New Zealand Order of Merit is an order of merit in the New Zealand royal honours system. It was established by royal warrant on 30 May 1996 by Elizabeth II, Queen of New Zealand, "for those persons who in any field of endeavour, have rend ...
, for services to chemistry and education, in the
2018 Queen's Birthday Honours
The 2018 Queen's Birthday Honours are appointments by some of the 16 Commonwealth realms of Queen Elizabeth II to various orders and honours to reward and highlight good works by citizens of those countries. The Birthday Honours are awarded as p ...
.
O'Connor was elected a
Fellow of the Royal Society of New Zealand
A fellow is a concept whose exact meaning depends on context.
In learned or professional societies, it refers to a privileged member who is specially elected in recognition of their work and achievements.
Within the context of higher education ...
in 1986,
and is also a
Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry
Fellowship of the Royal Society of Chemistry (FRSC) is an award conferred by the Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC) in the United Kingdom.
FRSC award
Achieving Fellow status in the chemical profession denotes to the wider community a high level of ...
and a Fellow of the New Zealand Institute of Chemistry.
In 2018, during the celebrations to mark 125 years of women's suffrage in New Zealand, the science faculty at the University of Auckland was temporarily renamed the Dame Charmian O'Connor Faculty of Science in honour of O'Connor's contribution to science.
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:OConnor, Charmian
1937 births
Living people
People from Woodville, New Zealand
People educated at Hastings Girls' High School
People educated at Auckland Girls' Grammar School
University of Auckland alumni
Academic staff of the University of Auckland
New Zealand women academics
Dames Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit
New Zealand chemists
New Zealand women chemists
New Zealand women scientists
New Zealand justices of the peace
Fellows of the Royal Society of New Zealand
Fellows of the Royal Society of Chemistry
New Zealand Commanders of the Order of the British Empire
New Zealand scientists
Fellows of the New Zealand Institute of Chemistry