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Frederick William George White

1905 – 1994

New Zealand physicist

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About Frederick William George White

Lived 1905 – 1994 (aged 89). Frederick William George White was a New Zealand physicist and ornithologist.

Sir Frederick William George White (26 May 1905 – 17 August 1994) was a New Zealand-born Australian physicist and ornithologist who was Chairman of CSIRO from 1959 to 1970.

Education and early life White was born in 1905 in Johnsonville. He received his education at Wellington College and Victoria University College. Due to his academic performance, he won a scholarship from the University of New Zealand, and this award enabled him to attend St John's College, Cambridge, where he studied under Ernest Rutherford.

Career and research He taught at King's College London from 1932, and was lecturer at Canterbury College in Christchurch, New Zealand, from 1937. During World War II, White worked on secret projects developing radar in New Zealand and Australia. In the 1962 Birthday Honours, this was elevated to the class of Knight Commander of the same order (KBE).

Personal life White died in Melbourne on 17 August 1994. His wife Elizabeth had died two years prior.

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Important facts

Birth century
Nationality
Education
Victoria University of Wellington, CSIRO
Employers
Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, King's College London, University of Canterbury
Awards
Fellow of the Australian Academy of Science; Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire; Honorary Fellow of the Royal Society Te Apārangi
Also known as
Sir Frederick William George White, Fred White

People in Frederick William George White's life

Named in this biography and alive at the same time

Contemporaries

People whose lives overlapped Frederick William George White's

Frequently asked questions

Who was Frederick William George White?

New Zealand physicist (1905-1994)

When was Frederick William George White born?

Frederick William George White was born on 26 May 1905.

When did Frederick William George White die?

Frederick William George White died on 17 August 1994.

What was Frederick William George White's occupation?

Frederick William George White was a physicist and ornithologist.

What nationality was Frederick William George White?

Frederick William George White was New Zealand.

Sources & further reading

· Wikipedia: Frederick William George White

· Wikidata: Q21166421

· DBpedia: Fred White (physicist)

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Frederick William George White. https://biography.guide/frederick-william-george-white/

MLA: "Frederick William George White." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/frederick-william-george-white/.

Chicago: "Frederick William George White." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/frederick-william-george-white/.

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