Phillip Garth Law, AC, CBE, FAA, FTSE (21 April 1912 – 28 February 2010AAP and Matthew Schulz, Antarctic pioneer Dr Phillip Law dies, aged 97, in Melbourne, 1 March 2010, Herald Sun) was an Australian scientist and explorer who served as director of Australian National Antarctic Research Expeditions (ANARE) from 1949 to 1966.
During the Second World War he enlisted in the RAAF, though the university physics department, which was involved in weapons research, insisted that he continue his work there. He did however manage to visit the battle areas of New Guinea on a four-month scientific mission for the Australian Army.
After retiring from the directorship, he chaired the Australian National Committee on Antarctic Research from 1966 to 1980. He was elected President of the Royal Society of Victoria from 1967 to 1968.
Law's wife, Nel Law, a secondary school teacher, professional artist and writer, was the first Australian woman to visit Antarctica when she visited Mawson in 1961. Nel died in 1990, aged 75.
In 1986, Australia established the Law Station in Antarctica named after Law. It was donated to Romania in 2006, when it was renamed to the Law-Racoviță Station. Since 2011, it is known as the Law-Racoviță-Negoiță Station, and it is still administrated by Romania.
He attended the launch of the Fourth International Polar Year on 1 March 2007 in the hall of the Royal Society of Victoria in Melbourne.
Phillip Law died on 28 February 2010, aged 97. His ashes, together with those of his wife Nel, were interred near the Mawson Station on 19 June 2011.
He was appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia (AO) in the Queen's Birthday Honours of 1975 and a Companion of the Order (AC) in the Australia Day Honours of 1995. It's an Honour: AC
In 1960 he was awarded the Founder's Medal of the Royal Geographical Society, in 1987 the James Cook Medal of the Royal Society of New South Wales, and in 1988, the Australian Geographic's Adventurer of the Year Award. On 1 January 2001, he was also awarded the Centenary Medal. It's an Honour: Centenary Medal
Books or booklets authored or coauthored by Law include:
Honours
Publications
External links
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