Rate My Professor John O'Connor

Emeritus Professor John O'Connor is a physicist in the College of Engineering, Science and Environment at the University of Newcastle, Australia, where he has been a staff member since 1981. He earned his BSc, BSc (Hons), PhD, and DSc from the Australian National University. Throughout his career, he served as Head of the Department of Physics from 1991 to 1997 and Head of the School of Mathematical and Physical Sciences. O'Connor held prominent roles including President of the Australian Institute of Physics from 2001 to 2003, Vice President from 1999 to 2001, and Secretary of the Federation of Australian Scientific and Technological Societies from 2003 to 2006. He has been a Visiting Professor at Fudan University, China, since 2010, and a Visiting Fellow at the Australian National University since 1999. His contributions earned him the Australian Institute of Physics Award for Outstanding Service to Physics and the University of Newcastle Convocation Medal for Exceptional Contribution in 2024. O'Connor is a member of the Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering since 2002 and has served on numerous national and international committees, including the Prime Minister's Science Engineering and Innovation Council Working Group and editorial boards for journals such as Progress in Surface Science and Surface Review and Letters.