'Dr Alf Howard, AM, was best known for being the last survivor of the 1929-31 Sir Douglas Mawson's British, Australian and New Zealand Antarctic Research Expedition (BANZARE). At twenty three Dr Howard was the youngest member of the scientific team (including Captain John King Davis and Frank Hurley) who accompanied Sir Douglas Mawson's on the expedition that claimed 42 percent of Antarctica as Australian territory. Howard was also the last person to have served aboard the coal-fired sailing ship Discovery which was built in Dundee for Captain Robert Falcon Scott's 1901-04 voyage to Antarctica.
Dr Howard travelled extensively throughout the world, including visits to the Arctic, Galapagos Islands, Easter Island and Madagascar. In 2001 he received a 'Lifetime of Adventure Award' from the Australian Geographic Society. Among his many other accomplishments, Alf Howard was also a Senior Australian of the Year in 2000, Founding Member of the Australian Institute of Agricultural Science, and a Fellow of both the Royal Australian Chemical Society and Australian Institute of Food Science & Technology.
Dr Howard was committed to education. He worked as an honorary research fellow without pay for over 20 years in UQ's School of Human Movement Studies where he designed computer programs and provided statistical advice to assist students with their research, a skill largely self-taught. On his 99th birthday in 2005, he generously donated $80,000 to fund the Alf Howard Computer Laboratory. Howard got a kick out of helping students with their projects and often visited Brisbane schools, recounting his BANZARE experiences and answering questions about Antarctica.
Head of the School of Human Movement Studies, Professor Doune Macdonald, said: "We will always be indebted to Alf for his patient and committed service to the School as a computer programmer and statistics consultant from the late 1970s," she said. "His breadth of knowledge was astounding meaning he could help students across the humanities, social and biophysical sciences. Alf gave generously of his time and skills and never expected anything in return".
Dr Alf Howard AM will always be remembered as a 'legend' and his heroic, early 20th century expeditions will continue to excite the public imagination for years to come.' Source: www.hms.uq.edu.au/ (Sighted 07/11/2011).
