OBITUARY

Emeritus Professor Bill Compston FTSE FRS FAA died on 16/5/2025.

Emeritus Professor Bill Compston was elected to the Academy in 1997 in recognition of his leadership in developing a technological industry around dating and studying the composition of rocks.

He is most well-known for his development of the Sensitive High-Resolution Ion Microprobe (SHRIMP) in the late 1970s and early 1980s, used for analysis of the chemical isotopes present in geological samples. SHRIMP was used to identify the oldest known mineral in the world, found in Western Australia, a zircon more than 4.4 billion years old. A celebrated technology, it brought researchers from around the world to Australia, was sold globally until 2023, and led to international links between geochronologists.

He was also one of the few researchers chosen by NASA to date rocks brought back from the moon by the Apollo 11 astronauts in 1969. This work led him to the research that ended up creating the SHRIMP instrument. He was a Fellow of multiple Academies and the recipient of numerous awards, including the Centenary Medal.

Professor Compston's distinguished individual achievements and team leadership in the technological sciences and engineering have led to the development of a technological industry.
A highlight of his career in applications of isotope geochemistry to the earth sciences has been the development of the SHRTh1P (Sensitive High Resolution Ion Micro-Probe).

From his initial concept in 1974 to the current models (each having sold for several million dollars), Professor Compston has led and inspired the effort, which has been outstandingly successful in scientific, technological and commercial terms, bringing high international recognition for himself and great credit to Australia.