Art & Heritage Collections

May is history month in Adelaide. With this in mind the University of Adelaide is featuring one of its most interesting historic scientific superstars, Thorburn Brailsford Robertson (1884-1930), Professor of Biochemistry and General Physiology at this university, after a distinguished career in North America. He pioneered the preparation of insulin in Australia, his research team first producing it in the Darling Building in 1923. He championed biochemistry and was the first professor of the subject in Australia (from 1926).

A stained-glass window by Edith Lungley, installed in the Mitchell Building a year after Professor Brailsford Robertson's death, commemorates him. Lungley (a granddaughter of Henry Ayers) has adopted a liturgical and symbolic approach to celebrating Robertson's achievements, finely crafting glass with hand painted borders.

University Archives, Rare Books & Special Collections and the Art & Heritage Collections unit will present a Cultural Conversation about Professor Brailsford Robertson on Wednesday 23 May.

A display of Professor Brailsford Robertson material consisting of letters, books and lecture notes, as well as (remarkably) children's books written by Robertson will also be open for viewing from 1 May-3 June during Barr Smith Library opening hours.

For more information on University activities in History Month go to: https://webdev.adelaide.edu.au/sa-history-festival/

Mirna Heruc, Manager, Art & Heritage Collections