Robert Martin Williams (30 March 1919 – 18 March 2013), generally known as Robin Williams, was a New Zealand mathematician, academic administrator and public servant. He served as vice chancellor 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 u ...

from 1967 to 1972, and of the

Australian National University The Australian National University (ANU) is a public research university located in Canberra, the capital of Australia. Its main campus in Acton encompasses seven teaching and research colleges, in addition to several national academies and ...

from 1973 to 1975. Between 1975 and 1981, he was chair of the State Services Commission.

Early life and family

Born in

Christchurch Christchurch ( ; mi, Ōtautahi) is the largest city in the South Island of New Zealand and the seat of the Canterbury Region. Christchurch lies on the South Island's east coast, just north of Banks Peninsula on Pegasus Bay. The Avon River / ...

in 1919, Williams was educated at Christ's College and went on to study at

Canterbury University College The University of Canterbury ( mi, Te Whare Wānanga o Waitaha; postnominal abbreviation ''Cantuar.'' or ''Cant.'' for ''Cantuariensis'', the Latin name for Canterbury) is a public research university based in Christchurch, New Zealand. It was f ...

, graduating MA with first-class honours in mathematics and mathematical physics in 1941. On 15 July 1944, Williams married Mary Thorpe in

Wellington Wellington ( mi, Te Whanganui-a-Tara or ) is the capital city of New Zealand. It is located at the south-western tip of the North Island, between Cook Strait and the Remutaka Range. Wellington is the second-largest city in New Zealand by me ...

, and the couple went on to have three children.

Career

Williams worked in the applied mathematics laboratory of the

Department of Scientific and Industrial Research Department of Scientific and Industrial Research, abbreviated DSIR was the name of several British Empire organisations founded after the 1923 Imperial Conference to foster intra-Empire trade and development. * Department of Scientific and Industria ...

. During

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

, he worked at the

University of California, Berkeley The University of California, Berkeley (UC Berkeley, Berkeley, Cal, or California) is a public land-grant research university in Berkeley, California. Established in 1868 as the University of California, it is the state's first land-grant u ...

on the

Manhattan Project The Manhattan Project was a research and development undertaking during World War II that produced the first nuclear weapons. It was led by the United States with the support of the United Kingdom and Canada. From 1942 to 1946, the project w ...

in 1944–45 on the separation of uranium. After the war, he graduated from

St. John's College, Cambridge St John's College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge founded by the Tudor matriarch Lady Margaret Beaufort. In constitutional terms, the college is a charitable corporation established by a charter dated 9 April 1511. The ...

with a

Bachelor of Arts Bachelor of arts (BA or AB; from the Latin ', ', or ') is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate program in the arts, or, in some cases, other disciplines. A Bachelor of Arts degree course is generally completed in three or four years ...

(1946) and PhD (1949). He was a

Harkness Fellow The Harkness Fellowship (previously known as the Commonwealth Fund Fellowship) is a program run by the Commonwealth Fund of New York City. This fellowship was established to reciprocate the Rhodes Scholarships and enable Fellows from several coun ...

Princeton Princeton University is a private research university in Princeton, New Jersey. Founded in 1746 in Elizabeth as the College of New Jersey, Princeton is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States and one of the ni ...

in 1957. In 1963, Williams moved to work as an administrator at the State Services Commission. From 1967 to 1972, Williams was vice chancellor of the University of Otago, before accepting the same position at the Australian National University in

Canberra Canberra ( ) is the capital city of Australia. Founded following the federation of the colonies of Australia as the seat of government for the new nation, it is Australia's largest inland city and the eighth-largest city overall. The ci ...

, where he remained until 1975. That year, he was appointed chair of the State Services Commission, based in Wellington, serving in that role until 1981. In 1971 he succeeded Dr K. J. Sheen as Director-General of Education in New Zealand.

Honours and awards

Williams was elected to the

American Philosophical Society The American Philosophical Society (APS), founded in 1743 in Philadelphia, is a scholarly organization that promotes knowledge in the sciences and humanities through research, professional meetings, publications, library resources, and communit ...

in 1967. In 1972, Williams was conferred with an honorary LLD degree by the University of Otago. In the 1973 New Year Honours, he 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 science, administration and education, and in the 1981 Queen's Birthday Honours, he was made a

Companion of the Order of the Bath Companion may refer to: Relationships Currently * Any of several interpersonal relationships such as friend or acquaintance * A domestic partner, akin to a spouse * Sober companion, an addiction treatment coach * Companion (caregiving), a caregive ...

Death

Williams died in Wellington in 2013, aged 93. His funeral was held at Old St Paul's, and he was buried at

Mākara Mākara is a locality located at the western edge of Wellington, New Zealand, close to the shore of the Tasman Sea. The suburb is named after the Mākara Stream (''mā'' is Māori for white, ''kara'' is a kind of greywacke stone). The Wellingt ...

Cemetery.

References

Sources

{{DEFAULTSORT:Williams, Robin 1919 births 2013 deaths New Zealand public servants New Zealand Companions of the Order of the Bath New Zealand Commanders of the Order of the British Empire New Zealand mathematicians Manhattan Project people Alumni of St John's College, Cambridge Vice-Chancellors of the University of Otago Australian National University faculty Scientists from Wellington City University of Canterbury alumni People educated at Christ's College, Christchurch People associated with Department of Scientific and Industrial Research (New Zealand) Burials at Makara Cemetery Harkness Fellows Members of the American Philosophical Society