Ashby, Eric

Ashby succeeded Theodore Osborn to the Chair of Botany in 1938. At the time, he was a reader at the University of Bristol. 

In 1941, the Australian Government appointed Ashby to survey and recommend on the use of Australia's scientific resources for war activities. Ashby took leave from the University in 1945-46 to accept an appointment with the Australian Government legation in Moscow as a Scientific Liaison Officer with the rank of Counsellor. In June 1945, he represented the University at the celebrations of the 220th anniversary of the Academy of Sciences in Russia. He resumed service with the University on 1st Feb 1946; he resigned at the end of 1946 to take up the Chair of Botany and directorship of the Botanical Laboratories at the University of Manchester. 

Subsequently, Ashby became President and Vice-Chancellor of Queen's University Belfast (1950-1959) and Vice-Chancellor of Cambridge University (1967-1969). [G3/187: personnel file]

Ashby was awarded the honorary degree of Doctor of Letters by the University of Sydney in 1973.