Official opening of the Frank White Memorial Garden at the University of Queensland

I thank Franklin White, son of Frank White, for sharing this article on the blog.

On June 28, 2022, The University of Queensland (UQ) honoured the late Professor Frank T.M. White with an official opening of the Frank White Memorial Garden, within the UQ Engineering precinct. The event was attended by invited guests, many present in person, others participating via Zoom. 

Frank White was a trailblazer. A graduate in metallurgy from the University of Melbourne, he first worked in the gold mining industry of Western Australia in several roles from that of metallurgical chemist to mill superintendent to mine manager. He set up the Department of Mines in Fiji, where he developed the first geological survey map of the main island, and launched the mines inspectorate. And, following the Second World War, he led the rehabilitation of tin mines in Malaya, where he also qualified (under the British system) and practised as a magistrate in mining law.  

Appointed in 1950, as UQ’s founding professor of mining and metallurgical engineering, he was an early advocate for hands-on learning and for gender and cultural diversity in the industry he loved. Professor White was instrumental in establishing the University of Queensland Experimental Mine (UQEM) at Indooroopilly, which has become the Julius Kruttschnitt Mineral Research Centre (JKMRC) – the largest Australian research centre of its kind. He was also a major force in establishing the iconic UQ college International House, which remains a vibrant hub of diversity and cross-cultural learning. 

The opening was moderated by Professor Alice Clark, Deputy Director – Strategy, Sustainable Minerals Institute.  Proceedings began with an address by Professor Deborah Terry AO, Vice-Chancellor and President, UQ.  While her presentation focused mostly on the life and contributions of Frank White, Professor Terry took the opportunity to announce that, in 2023, UQ will launch an annual Frank White Memorial Lecture.

Professor Terry then introduced Emeritus Professor Don McKee, who spoke from his perspective as a former student of Professor Frank White.  In closing, he introduced Dr Franklin White, son of Professor White who addressed guests via Zoom from his location in Victoria BC, Canada. In this presentation, he elaborated in some detail more about the personal history and philosophical values of his father.

For a flavour of the man, the following is extracted from Franklin White’s presentation: 

In many ways, Frank White’s life story is a romantic tale, because it’s doubtful if such a varied career would be possible today: perhaps the original pioneering can only be done once. His was a "Golden Age" when a competent generalist could take on many challenges now deemed to require a specialist. His gifts and contributions now belong to University folklore. Often referred to as “a man ahead of his times”, even “visionary”, I would balance this by recognizing that he was also “a man of his times”. 

To fully appreciate a person’s life, one must know something of the whole journey. Frank and Tess were born in the first decade of the 20th Century - an era of Imperialism and Colonialism. However, what distinguishes people is what they do to help change those systems once they discover the underlying realities. May we all do as well.

Frank White was committed to mining and metallurgy as integrated fields, virtually seamless through mineral processing, much of which (as extractive metallurgy) may take place on site. He felt strongly that they should be taught side by side as complementary disciplines. He was passionate about their human and environmental impacts at a time when these were not considered mainstream concerns. Beyond the science and technology, his interests ranged from safety and health to the sustainability and social dimensions of resource communities, and how well these were understood and valued by society as a whole. 

One of his colleagues, a family friend, once expressed anxiety to me that this part of his message was not going down well with some industry leaders. Would I talk to him about this? But I didn’t, at least not in the manner implied. History shows that he was on the right track. If alive today, his mission would still be to educate people about the societal roles of mining and metallurgy, the earth and material sciences. 

He was adept at distilling principles of good practice into memorable kernels. To quote from one of his papers: 

“Mining is not simply about digging out the ore, but is an essential beginning for complex processes that affect virtually everything, and how well this is done matters for everyone.”  

On attracting young people to the field, he did not believe that the best and brightest were motivated only by earning a living, and would focus instead on the intrinsic interest of the field, its inherent challenges, and the value it confers to society. 

He strongly believed that the best teachers should emphasize undergraduate education, because once a student had committed to postgraduate studies, they were sufficiently motivated to become their own best teachers. He would advocate: “Even if you don’t rise in your profession, raise your profession”, reflecting his support for professional societies such as AusIMM.  Other aphorisms included: “never stop thinking, never stop learning, and apply what you learn”, and (while valuing aspirational goals) he would insist: “promise what you can deliver, and deliver what you promise.” 

Inspired by their formative experiences of living and working in Fiji and Malaya for a combined total of 12 years, Frank had become an exponent of intercultural learning, and of the value of gaining experience from more than one institution or organization. His success in attracting Colombo Plan and other international students gained him recognition in breaking down traditional barriers to enrollment at UQ, which led in turn to his appointment as the first Warden for Overseas Students in 1954. The role was voluntary, and in addition to his departmental leadership duties, but gladly taken on at the request of the Professorial Board.

Captured by Basil Shaw in his official history of International House, the following extract from Frank’s speech in the mid-1950s, merits repeating here (and I quote): 

“…students have brought with them their cultures, their philosophies, their… customs… Their presence among us affords a unique opportunity for the promotion of international understanding… a University and community responsibility (to) promote the values and cultures of other peoples… the means by which the people of one country can live at peace with those of other countries… and the needs to explore ways of reconciling values which appear to conflict, and for training leaders…” 

As recorded by Board Chairman Bert Martin in the 1961 annual report: “It was he who… conceived of the college, and understood the labyrinthine… university politics”.

This Garden therefore is a tribute to Frank White’s dedication to generations of students both in Australia and from abroad. 

But its roots in “a love of nature” run even deeper: during his elementary schooling, he joined the Gould League of Bird Lovers, pledging “not to collect their eggs”; likewise, a League of Kindness, pledging “I will be kind to all living creatures and will protect them as far as I can from cruelty.” He was interested in botany, raised silk-worms, collected rocks and minerals and could name them all.  

Much later in life, when launching the University of Queensland Experimental Mine (UQEM) for teaching and research, an early decision was to invite the Department of Botany to use UQEM as a field site: indigenous flora were tagged as an educational resource.  This is why the flora you see in this garden today are native plants, thanks to Botany for guidance in their selection.

Professor Clark thanked Dr White for his presentation, then introduced Mr Jashneel Datt, a recent graduate and recipient of the 2021 Frank T. M. White Prize.  Mr Datt, also a former president of UQ’s Mining and Metallurgical Association, a student body, addressed guests from the perspective of current students. 

Following these presentations, a montage depicting vignettes from Frank White’s life was shown on screen, following which guests retired to the Memorial Garden, for conversation and refreshments.

Subsequent to the Official Opening of the Frank White Memorial Garden, UQ produced a video of the proceedings.

Epilogue: In 1966, Professor White’s accomplishments in building a strong foundation for mineral sciences and engineering at UQ, led to his recruitment by Canada’s McGill University to revitalize their department of mining engineering and applied geophysics; the closing chapter to his unusual story.

Frank White with new McGill graduates in 1970

To learn more about the life and times of Professor Frank White (1909-71), Miner with a Heart of Gold, Biography of a Mineral Science and Engineering Educator, authored by Franklin White, with a Foreword by Barry Wills.