Mr Rolf W. Beck, BSc 1960
After graduating from the University of Sydney in 1960 with a BSc in Physics and Chemistry, I took up my first position in 1960 as an Industrial Chemist in the printing and tobacco industry. From 1960 to 1998 I have held a variety of interesting positions including:- Assistant Analyst in the NSW Department of Health; Analyst for the Department of Health in Papua New Guinea (Food nutrition value surveys); Professional Officer in the Department of Organic Chemistry (IR/UV/NMR spectroscopy of organic compounds) at the University of Sydney; Professional Officer in the Department of Geology and Geophysics (Rock/mineral/environmental pollution analyses) at the University of Sydney; Project Scientist in the Centre for Groundwater Management and Hydrogeology at the University of New South Wales; a consultant to Worksafe Australia dealing with assessment of silica and coal dust in miners’ lungs; Head of the Water and Wastes Laboratory at Enviromet Limited; Project Scientist at the University of New South Wales’ Water Research Laboratory.
My special field of competence is with:-
- water, soil and sediment sampling, and analysis by both field and laboratory procedures
- laboratory establishment and management
- instrumental methods of analysis and methods verification
- environmental and geochemical analysis.
My expertise in above areas have lead me to investigations into groundwater pollution at:-
- landfill leachate effects on groundwater quality (Astrolabe Park landfill leachate plume assessment
- possible groundwater contamination from sewer leakage (Water Board sewer pipe at Kingsford Smith Airport)
- investigation of large jet fuel spill in sandy aquifer (Mascot Airport, 1995)
- chemical aspects of groundwater contamination at coastal STP discharge sties (L. Ainsworth, Manning Point, Hawks Nest, L. Cathie, Hat Head, South West Rocks from 1994 to 1996).
I am currently retired but I am still involved in contract work in the fields of groundwater investigations and methods of analysis by GC/MS.