Professor John de Laeter, Acting Vice-Chancellor, Curtin University of Technology, 1987–1988.
As acting Vice-Chancellor, de Laeter brought an impressive international scholarly reputation in physics to the newly established Curtin University of Technology. A senior leader at WAIT, and before that the Perth Technical College, he worked hard to consolidate the organisation’s new position in the wake of its change in status, focusing on the development of its applied research foundations. Following the appointment of John Maloney as the new vice-chancellor, he took on the newly created role of Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Research and Development and he remained at Curtin until his retirement in 1995. Today, he is recognised as one of the most outstanding academics in the history of the University. His impressive international reputation in the field of science has seen a minor planet named after him.