Conversations with Australian scientists

Bryan Grieg Fry, born in the USA in 1970, earned dual degrees in Molecular Biology and Scientific Philosophy before completing a PhD on taipan venom at the University of Queensland. He has held research roles across Australia and Asia and is now an associate professor at the University of Queensland, leading the Venomics Laboratory with a focus on snake venom evolution. Interviewed by Dr Cecily Oakley in 2011.

Bridget Margaret Ogilvie was born in Glen Innes, New South Wales in 1938. She finished her secondary education at New England Girls’ School in 1955. Ogilvie then enrolled in a science degree at the University of Queensland (1956), but quickly realised a greater passion for rural science.

Alec grew up exploring Sydney’s bushland, which sparked a lifelong passion for ecology and led to pioneering research on soil conservation and alpine environments. His career spanned roles in the Soil Conservation Service, CSIRO, and ANU, where he advanced understanding of vegetation, water yield, and land management, influencing conservation policy and practice across Australia. Interviewed by David Salt in 2006.

Robert Donald Bruce Fraser was born in England in 1924. Fraser began a part-time BSc at Birkbeck college in London University but this was interrupted by World War II. During the war, Fraser was a pilot in the Royal Air Force where he taught pilot navigation (1943–46). After the war, Fraser completed his BSc (1948) and PhD (1951) degrees at King’s College in London.

Cyril Appleby, born in Victor Harbor in 1928, became a pioneering plant biologist whose research revealed that haemoglobins exist throughout the plant kingdom and share a genetic origin with animal haemoglobins. His groundbreaking work at CSIRO on plant haemoglobins and nitrogen-fixing symbioses, combined with international collaborations, transformed understanding of plant biochemistry and earned him global recognition. Interviewed by Dr Jim Peacock in 2011.

Fiona Wood, born in Yorkshire in 1958, graduated from St Thomas’ Hospital Medical School in 1981 and immigrated to Australia in 1987, where she specialized in plastic surgery. She co-developed the innovative burns treatment Cellspray® in 1995, founded Clinical Cell Culture with Marie Stoner in 1999, and gained international recognition for her expertise after the 2002 Bali bombings while continuing research and teaching in Western Australia. Interviewed by Dr Norman Swan in 2008.

Fraser grew up in Hamilton, New Zealand, in a family of inventive engineers, developing an early love for tinkering and science that led him from aspiring medical student to microbiologist. His pioneering work at CSIRO on nitrogen-fixing legumes advanced global understanding of plant-bacteria symbiosis, influencing agricultural practices and sustaining decades of collaborative research. Interviewed by David Salt in 2004.

Hugh Tyndale-Biscoe was born in Kashmir, India in 1929. He attended the school his parents ran in Kashmir, then finished school in England. He was awarded a BSc from the University of New Zealand (then called Canterbury University College) in 1951.

Dr Isobel Bennett, one of Australia’s most renowned marine biologists, made pioneering contributions to plankton research, intertidal ecology, and the study of the Great Barrier Reef, despite having no formal university degree in science. Her lifelong dedication to marine biology produced influential books, extensive fieldwork, and lasting educational initiatives, earning her national and international recognition. Interviewed by Ms Nessy Allen in 2000.

William James (Jim) Peacock was born in Leura, New South Wales, in 1937. He was educated at the University of Sydney where he received a BSc (Hons) in 1958.