Forging Ahead: South Africa's Pioneering Engineers - G.R.Bozzoli (Witwatersrand University Press)

Witwatersrand University Press, 1997, illustrated, index, 248 pages, condition: as new.

This collection looks at the lives and work of a selection of South Africa's engineering greats - from road builders Andrew Geddes Bain and son, Thomas in the early 19th century, to 20th century innovators like Nico Stutterheim, G.B. Lauf and T.D. Wadley.

The author, G. R. Bozzoli (Boz), was born in Pretoria in 1911 of Italian immigrant parents and educated at Pretoria Boys High School. He studied electrical engineering at the University of the Witwatersrand, and spent three years with the African Broadcasting Corporation (forerunner of SABC), before returning to Wits in 1936 to teach electronics.

During World War Two he enrolled in the Special Signals Services to develop a radar system for South Africa, and served as a Major until the end of the war. He returned to Wits where he became Professor of Electrical Engineering in 1948.
    
During his subsequent three decades at Wits he served as Head of Department, Dean of Cottlesloe Residence, Dean of the Faculty of Engineering (twice), Deputy vice Chancellor. He held the latter position during the turbulent years between 1969 and 1977, when confrontations between the University and the National Party Government were frequent.