Stamp of approval for Adelaide's Nobel Laureates

Sir Howard Walter Florey
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Sir Lawrence Bragg

Images courtesy of Australia Post
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Monday, 27 August 2012

Australia Post will honour two of the University of Adelaide's most famous graduates tomorrow with a special stamp issue celebrating the achievements of five Australian Nobel Prize laureates.

Sir Howard Walter Florey and Sir Lawrence Bragg comprise two of the five new stamp designs, which also honour Sir Frank Macfarlane Burnet, Sir John Carey Eccles and Patrick White.

Four of the five designs are based on portraits by respected Australian artists, including Sir William Dargie's painting of Bragg. Florey's portrait was painted by English artist Allan Gwynne-Jones.

Both Florey and Bragg are credited with changing the course of history with their scientific breakthroughs.

Florey, who graduated from the University of Adelaide in 1921 with a medical degree, shared the 1945 Nobel Prize in Medicine with Alexander Fleming and Ernst Chaim for his work in the development of penicillin, which has subsequently saved millions of lives around the world.

Bragg graduated from the University of Adelaide in 1908 in Mathematics and in 1915 won the Nobel Prize jointly with his father, Sir William Henry Bragg, for their research in x-ray crystallography, which opened a new branch of physics.

To this day, Bragg remains the youngest scientist ever to win the Nobel Prize, at 25 years of age.

The University of Adelaide recently honoured the father and son physicists by naming its new science building 'The Braggs' at a topping-out ceremony.

In 2007, His Royal Highness the Duke of Kent also unveiled a bust to commemorate Sir William Lawrence Bragg.

The Australian Nobel Prize Winners stamp issue is available from all participating Australia Post retail outlets via mail order on 1800 331 794 and online at www.auspost.com.au/stamps

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