Frankenstein's Machine: Redressing Mark Oliphant’s Scientific Reputation
Kathryn M. Keeble
Historical Records of Australian Science
29(2) 122 - 129
Published: 20 July 2018
Abstract
This paper scrutinizes criticisms of Mark Oliphant and his quest to build a cyclo-synchrotron in Canberra in the 1950s by analysing various portrayals of him, paying particular attention to the ways these portrayals, despite being written in different decades, are teleologically driven and reinforce a perception of failure. It addresses the key criticisms levelled at Oliphant: his ‘difficult' personality, his perceived political naïveté and his inability to adjust to the new technological paradigm of Big Science. It questions whether these portrayals represent legitimate criticism or ideological positioning.https://doi.org/10.1071/HR18001
© Australian Academy of Science 2018