POLMEAR, Ian James

AO
Emeritus Professor Ian James
19 February 1928 - 03 May 2025

Monash University is deeply saddened to hear of the death of Emeritus Professor Ian James Polmear AO on May 3, aged 97 years.

Professor Polmear served Monash with great distinction as Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research) 1987 – 1990, Professor of Materials Science 1967 - 1986 and Personal Chair in Materials Science (1991).
Professor Polmear was a world renowned educator and researcher. He pioneered the Department of Materials Engineering in 1970, of which he was foundation Head, and led the transition within the engineering curriculum from the field of metallurgy to that of materials science.

His area of expertise was aluminium alloys, resulting in collaborations with laboratories and industries in Australia, Europe, the US and England.

Professor Polmear was elected a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering in 1978. In 1993 he was appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia (AO) for service to materials science and to engineering. In 2008 he received one of the University’s 50th Anniversary Research Awards. He was appointed Emeritus Professor in 1992.

In his youth, Ian was active in track and field sports. He represented Australia in the British Empire and Commonwealth Games in New Zealand in1950 where he won a bronze medal in the Men's Triple Jump.

Ian was widely appreciated at Monash for his collegiality and foresight. Whilst his life’s work was performed through a microscope he never lost sight of the bigger picture. The University acknowledges with gratitude the life and work of Professor Polmear and extends its sincere sympathy to his wife Margaret, children and extended family, on their great loss.