Sir Robert Stevenson Aitken (16 April 1901 – 10 April 1997) was a
physician and university administrator from New Zealand. He was
vice-chancellor of the
University of Otago in New Zealand between 1948 and 1953 and of the
University of Birmingham 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 in 1922. He played representative
field hockey for Otago in 1921 and 1922. In 1924, he was awarded a
Rhodes Scholarship
The Rhodes Scholarship is an international postgraduate award for students to study at the University of Oxford, in the United Kingdom.
Established in 1902, it is the oldest graduate scholarship in the world. It is considered among the world' ...
, and went to study at
Balliol College, Oxford
Balliol College () is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England. One of Oxford's oldest colleges, it was founded around 1263 by John I de Balliol, a landowner from Barnard Castle in County Durham, who provided the f ...
, where he completed a
DPhil 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
The Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Medal (french: link=no, Médaille du couronnement de la Reine Élizabeth II) is a commemorative medal instituted to celebrate the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II on 2 June 1953.
Award
This medal was awarded a ...
. He was appointed a
Knight Bachelor in the
1960 Queen's Birthday Honours
The Queen's Birthday Honours 1960 were appointments in many of the Commonwealth realms of Queen Elizabeth II to various orders and honours to reward and highlight good works by citizens of those countries. They were announced in supplements to t ...
.
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