Marine and Atmospheric Research Divisions
The Division of Marine and Atmospheric Research had its origins in two areas:
- fisheries and oceanography
- metereological research
The Fisheries Investigations Section was established in 1937 becoming the Division of Fisheries in May 1940. It was renamed the Division of Fisheries and Oceanography in 1956. In 1971 the CSIRO Marine Biochemistry Unit was established and operated until 1977 when it was absorbed by the Division of Fisheries and Oceanography. In 1981 the Division of Fisheries and Oceanography was split into two divisions, the Division of Fisheries Research and the Division of Oceanography. In 1988 the Division of Fisheries Research was renamed the Division of Fisheries (mark II) and in 1997 it remerged with the Division of Oceanography to form the Division of Marine Research. In 2005 it merged with the Division of Atmospheric Research to form the Division of Marine and Atmospheric Research.
The Meteorological Physics Research Section was established in 1946 and was located in Highett, Victoria. In 1954 the laboratory moved to new premises in Aspendale and was granted Divisional status, becoming the Division of Meteorological Physics. It was renamed the Division of Atmospheric Physics in 1971.
In 1958 the CSIRO Upper Atmosphere Section was formed from the Radio Research Board Laboratory at Camden with DF Martyn as Officer-in-Charge. After Martyn’s death in 1970 it was decided that the section would be closed at the end of the 1970-71 financial year.
The Division of Cloud Physics was formed in 1972 from a research group within the Division of Radiophysics. Investigation of rain and cloud physics was initiated at the cessation of the Second World War by Taffy Bowen, the Chief of the Division of Radiophysics, and led by him until his retirement in 1971 after 24 years as Chief, The Division of Cloud Physics ceased operations in April 1983 when it merged with the Division of Atmospheric Physics to form the Division of Atmospheric Research.
In 2005 the Division of Atmospheric Research merged with the Division of Marine Research to form the Division of Marine and Atmospheric Research.
In 2014, in a major restructuring of CSIRO, the term Division was replaced by the term Flagship for the organization’s operating units and the title Chief replaced by the title Director. The Division of Marine and Atmospheric Research was renamed the Oceans and Atmosphere Flagship. As part of this restructuring 24 MAR staff transferred to the Agriculture Flagship and 3 staff to the Land and Water Flagship while 17 staff from the former Division of Land and Water and three staff from the former Division of Energy transferred to the Oceans and Atmosphere Flagship. In 2015 the term Flagship was dropped by the Organization.
History of Marine and Atmospheric Research Divisions
Chief of Division/Officer-in-Charge
| Division | Chief |
| Fisheries Investigations Section | Harold Thompson (O-i-C 1936-40) |
| Fisheries (1940-56) | Harold Thompson (1940-54) |
| Fisheries & Oceanography (1956-81) | George Frederick Humphrey (1956-71) Kenneth Radway Allen (1972-77) David James Rochford (1977-80) |
| Marine Biochemistry Unit (1971-77) | George Frederick Humphrey (O-i-C 1971-1977) |
| Fisheries Research (1981-88) | Brian Devenish Stacey (Acting 1981) Shirley Winifred Jeffrey (Acting 1981-84) Frederick Robert Harden-Jones (1984-88) |
| Oceanography (1981-97) | Angus David McEwan (1981-1995) Christoph Bruno Fandry (1995-97) |
| Fisheries (mark II) (1988-97) | Frederick Robert Harden-Jones (1984-90) Peter Colin Young (1990-97) |
| Marine Research (1997-2005) | Christoph Bruno Fandry (1996-97) Nancy Amanda Bray (1998-2002) Anthony Douglas John Haymet (2002-05) |
| Upper Atmosphere Section (1958-71) | David Forbes Martyn (1958-70) |
| Meteorological Physics Research Section (1946-54) | Charles Henry Brian (Bill) Priestley (1946-54) |
| Metereological Physics (1954-71) | Charles Henry Brian (Bill) Priestley (1954-71) |
| Atmospheric Physics (1971-83) | Charles Henry Brian (Bill) Priestley (1971-73) Gilbert Brian Tucker (1973-83) |
| Cloud Physics (1972-83) | John Herbert Francis (Jack) Warner (1972-81) Edward Keith Bigg (Acting 1981) Michael John Manton (Acting 1981-83) |
| Atmospheric Research (1983-2005) | Gilbert Brian Tucker (1983-92) Graeme Ivan Pearman (1992-95)) Brian Lewis Sawford (Acting 1995-96) Graeme Ivan Pearman (1996-2002) Gregory Peter Ayers (2002-2005) |
| Marine & Atmospheric Research (2005-14) | Anthony Douglas John Haymet (2005) Gregory Peter Ayers (2005-08) Bruce David Mapstone (2009-14) |
Sources
• Schedvin CB, Trace K, 1978, Historical Directory of CSIR and CSIRO 1926-1976, CSIRO Publishing.
• Encyclopedia of Australian Science
• CSIRO Annual Reports
• CSIRO Communications