Neville Collis-George

Emeritus Professor Neville Collis-George was a prominent figure in soil science at the University of Sydney within the Faculty of Science. He earned his MSc from the University of Manchester and PhD from the University of Cambridge. Prior to his appointment at Sydney, he served as a Senior Research Scientist at the ARC Unit of Soil Physics on the University Farm. In 1956, he became Head of the Department of Soil Science, later known as the Department of Agricultural Chemistry and Soil Science, a role he fulfilled until 1987. He was appointed Associate Professor in 1956 and subsequently Professor of Soil Science. During his extensive career, he contributed to departmental administration as Chairman of the Academic Board from 1982 to 1985. Collis-George was actively involved in university matters, including discussions on laboratory safety protocols in 1956, where he advocated for a labelling code indicating toxic quantities to facilitate safe handling of poisons.

His research specialized in soil physics, focusing on aspects such as the physics of clay, drainage moisture characteristics, infiltration hydrology, hydraulic conductivity, irrigation, and soil management. Key publications include 'Pendular Moisture in Packings of Equal Spheres,' part of studies on the physical properties of soil; 'A re-interpretation of the drainage moisture characteristic' published in Geoderma in 2012; and 'A model for the interpretation of the experimental drainage moisture characteristic' also in Geoderma in 2014. In recognition of his sustained outstanding service and contributions to soil science, he was conferred the title of Professor Emeritus in 1987 and awarded an honorary Doctor of Science in Agriculture in 1990. He held fellowships as a Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry (FRSChem) and Honorary Fellow of the Australian Institute of Agriculture (HonFAIA). Later listed as Honorary Associate in faculty handbooks, his influence endured through his long-standing leadership and scholarly output in soil science.