Background
Whitten, Wesley Kingston was born on August 1, 1918 in Macksville, New South Wales, Australia. Son of Alfred Giles and Ethel Ann (Cock) Whitten.
Whitten, Wesley Kingston was born on August 1, 1918 in Macksville, New South Wales, Australia. Son of Alfred Giles and Ethel Ann (Cock) Whitten.
The Bachelor of Veterinary Science, University Sydney (Australia), 1939. Bachelor of Science, University Sydney (Australia), 1941. Doctor of Science, University Sydney (Australia), 1962.
He was a Walter and Eliza Hall Fellow in Veterinary Science from 1940 to 1941. He served in the Australian Army Veterinary Corps and was an Australian Army Service Corps Captain from 1941 to 1945. He was research officer in Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation) from 1946 to 1949.
He was director of animal breeding and fellow in the John Curtin School of Medical Research, Australian National University from 1950 to 1961.
He was assistant director of the National Biological Standards Laboratory, Canberra, Australia from 1961 to 1966. He was staff scientist at the Jackson Laboratory, Bar Harbor, Maine, United States of America from 1966 to 1969, became senior staff scientist from 1969 to 1980, and assistant director of research from 1971 to 1972.
He contributed to various areas in reproductive biology and fertility and was known for the Whitten effect. In 2008, the Australian National University began building the Wes Whitten building, which is a generic animal accommodation facility for research
His father was a Methodist minister (Alfred Giles Whitten) and his mother was Ethel Annie Whitten (née Cock).
They had four children: Gregory, Mark, Jane, and Penelope.
Captain Australian Army, 1940-1945. Fellow Australian Academy of Sciences, Australian Institute Biology.
Married Enid Elsbeth Meredith, December 13, 1941. Children: Gregory R., Mark G., Jane M., Penelope A.