Completion of my PhD studies at ANU

employed in new commercial plantations that were still being planted at too wide a spacing to achieve optimum pulpwood production while supressing weedy undergrowth, for example in the Gogol.

Completion of my PhD studies at ANU

Following my query by letter on 17 January 1972 to the Department of Forests on where I would be posted after my return to PNG, a reply dated 21 February was received advising that I would be posted to the “Forest Research Centre at Bulolo”. I had learned from a letter from Dave Lamb dated 7 February 1972 that he also had arrived in Bulolo and had been requested to concentrate on soils and nutrition issues with Kamarere at various sites. He requested information a suitable nutrition solution, glasshouse temperature and provenances for possible glasshouse pot trials. I replied with information on the CERES phytotron work that I had done.

I received news from the Chairman of the Public Service Board that I would receive six months (4 September 1971 to 3 March 1972) backdated study leave on full pay as a result of a change in the rules governing study assistance for PNG public servants.48 Three bound copies of my PhD thesis were submitted to the Registrar’s office at the appointed hour on the appointed day (3 PM 3 March 1972). The ANU advised that my two thesis examiners would be Dr Ted Hillis49 as the Australian representative and Professor Bruce Zobel50 as the overseas representative. However, I was requested to remain in Canberra while the thesis was examined, after which I would be required to answer in writing any queries raised and to make any alterations or additions to the thesis that might be suggested or required by the examiners. This meant a further unexpected period in Canberra on leave without pay, but still supported by the ANU Scholarship, from 4 March to 4 May 1972. I answered in writing a number of written queries from Professor Zobel, and had a face-to-face session with Dr Hillis in Canberra. I was not required to make any changes or do any extra work on the thesis. I was able to resume duty in PNG from 5 May 1972.

48 I had applied at the beginning of my PhD studies in 1969 for paid study leave but this was declined then because I had not completed two full terms of 21 months service in PNG, which was then one of the requirements. This constraint was dropped in 1971 and I had reapplied in September 1971 for the maximum period of six months available under the revised rules “for the completion of a period of higher degree study”. 49 Dr William Edwin (Ted) Hillis (1921 – 2008) was then Chief Research Scientist, Division of Forest Products CSIRO Melbourne. His vision of tree biology, forestry and wood science and technology fields being strongly linked made him supportive of research on wood structure and he always recognized the pivotal role wood structure played in understanding other wood properties. He was awarded the Order of Australia in 2003. 50 Dr Bruce John Zobel (1920 – 2011) was Professor Emeritus in the Department of Forestry and Environmental Resources at North Carolina State University, USA until he “retired” in 1979. He was recognized as a world authority in his special discipline, the variation of wood properties and their genetic improvement. In his co-authored book Zobel B J and Talbert J T 1984 Applied Forest Tree Improvement published by John Wiley & Sons, reference was made to my PhD thesis about the encouraging heritability result for wood density in E. deglupta and to Tropical Forestry Research Note SR2 (1973) on the tree improvement programme for the species in PNG. 141