National Committee on Water Engineering
After graduating from the University of Sydney as a Civil Engineer in 1951, John Burton began his outstanding career in water engineering with the NSW Public Works Department (1951-1954) where he worked on Eucumbene Dam and Chifley Dam. In 1954 he joined the staff of the School of Civil Engineering of the University of New South Wales as Lecturer, and became Senior Lecturer in 1962. He was closely involved with the development of the Water Research Foundation of Australia, and was the first Research Fellow of the Foundation in 1957. He was a Fulbright Research Fellow in 1960-61.
In 1965, John Burton was appointed Professor of Agricultural Engineering, and Head of the Department of Agricultural Engineering, and Director of the New Zealand Agricultural Engineering Institute at Lincoln College of the University of Canterbury in New Zealand. In 1971 he was appointed Foundation Professor of Natural Resources and first Head of the School of Natural Resources at the University of New England.
He was made an Officer of the Order of Australia (AO) in 1990. After his retirement in December 1994, he remained active as an environmental and engineering consultant.
John Burton’s time (1965-70) at Lincoln College (now Lincoln University) in New Zealand resulted in the establishment of graduate and post graduate degree programmes in Agricultural Engineering where only Diploma programmes had been before. He was responsible for the establishment of the New Zealand Agricultural Engineering Institute, a national testing, research and consulting facility funded by the New Zealand Government, and he was the Foundation Director of the Institute.
In 1971-77, John Burton was responsible for the establishment, staffing, equipping and development of curriculum for the School of Natural Resources at the University of New England, offering degree, diploma and post graduate courses in resource and environmental management. In 1990-93, he was responsible for establishing a new degree programme in resource engineering, and subsequently in 1993 the establishment of a new School of Engineering. His award of an AO in 1990 was mainly because of his work in educational development in natural resource engineering. In 1995, he was honored with an Honorary Doctorate in Resource Management from the University of New England.
John Burton was active in the practical implementation of catchment management in many areas. He was a consultant to the NSW Government in 1987-88 on procedures and practices for Total Catchment Management Policy. He was Chairman of the Murray-Darling Basin Community Advisory Committee in 1986-89, responsible for advice to Federal Ministers regarding management of the Murray-Darling Basin. In 1998, he was a consultant to the United Nations (ESCAP) and involved in the preparation of a manual and guidelines on land use planning, watershed management and disaster reduction.
In 1972-74, John Burton was Chairman of the Australian Government Inquiry into the Flooding of Lake Pedder, Tasmania. In 1986-89, he was Chairman of the National Soil Conservation Advisory Committee. In 1988, he was Chairman of the NSW Government Review of Reforms in the Water Industry. In 1993-95, he was Chairman of the NSW Floodplain Management Advisory Committee. His CV lists 27 such activities undertaken during his career.
In May 1975, the 8th Hydrology & Water Resources Symposium was held at the University of New England. As one of the principal organizers of the Symposium, John Burton devised and introduced the inaugural Hydrological Games, and constructed the “Cumec Trophy” to be presented to the winning team. In 2000, shortly after his death, the National Committee on Water Engineering renamed the trophy as the “John Burton Cumec Trophy” to honor the role he played in devising and introducing the Games.
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Sunday, August 6, 2006 19:40
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