Sir Robert Stevenson Aitken (16 April 1901 – 10 April 1997) was a

physician A physician (American English), medical practitioner (Commonwealth English), medical doctor, or simply doctor, is a health professional who practices medicine, which is concerned with promoting, maintaining or restoring health through th ...

and university administrator from New Zealand. He was

vice-chancellor A chancellor is a leader of a college or university, usually either the executive or ceremonial head of the university or of a university campus within a university system. In most Commonwealth of Nations, Commonwealth and former Commonwealth n ...

of the

University of Otago , image_name = University of Otago Registry Building2.jpg , image_size = , caption = University clock tower , motto = la, Sapere aude , mottoeng = Dare to be wise , established = 1869; 152 years ago , type = Public research collegiate ...

in New Zealand between 1948 and 1953 and of 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 ...

between 1953 and 1968. Born in Wyndham on 16 April 1901, Aitken was educated at Mosgiel District High School and Gisborne High School. He went on to study medicine at the University of Otago, graduating

MB ChB Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery ( la, Medicinae Baccalaureus, Baccalaureus Chirurgiae; abbreviated most commonly MBBS), is the primary medical degree awarded by medical schools in countries that follow the tradition of the United King ...

in 1922. He played representative

field hockey Field hockey is a team sport structured in standard hockey format, in which each team plays with ten outfield players and a goalkeeper. Teams must drive a round hockey ball by hitting it with a hockey stick towards the rival team's shooting ci ...

for Otago in 1921 and 1922. In 1924, he was awarded a Rhodes Scholarship, and went to study at Balliol College, Oxford, where he completed a

DPhil A Doctor of Philosophy (PhD, Ph.D., or DPhil; Latin: or ') is the most common degree at the highest academic level awarded following a course of study. PhDs are awarded for programs across the whole breadth of academic fields. Because it is ...

in 1926. In 1929, Aitken married Margaret Kane, and the couple had three children. In 1953, Aitken was awarded the Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Medal. He was appointed a

Knight Bachelor The title of Knight Bachelor is the basic rank granted to a man who has been knighted by the monarch but not inducted as a member of one of the organised orders of chivalry; it is a part of the British honours system. Knights Bachelor are the ...

in the 1960 Queen's Birthday Honours.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Aitken, Robert Academics of the University of Birmingham Vice-Chancellors of the University of Otago 1901 births 1997 deaths Vice-Chancellors of the University of Birmingham Knights Bachelor People from Wyndham, New Zealand People educated at Taieri College People educated at Gisborne Boys' High School University of Otago alumni Alumni of Balliol College, Oxford New Zealand Rhodes Scholars