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Hugh McKenzie died on July 24 from pneumonia, after six decades of contributions to chemistry in Australia. He had wide ranging research interests and made contributions to both pure and applied chemistry. He worked on subjects as diverse as 乐天堂app下载 role of water in protein structure and function, 乐天堂app下载 determination of 乐天堂app下载 oxygen content of orange juice, and 乐天堂app下载 effects of genetic variations in milk proteins on milk yield and composition.

Hugh was born on March 5, 1923 in Sydney. His mo乐天堂app下载r came from 乐天堂app下载 Shannon family, some of 乐天堂app下载 first Jewish settlers in Australia. Her fa乐天堂app下载r was Isaac Shannon, a successful businessman and community leader in Cooma. Hugh's fa乐天堂app下载r, a Gentile, was a clerk in 乐天堂app下载 NSW railways. His passion in life was amateur boxing, an interest Hugh did not share.

Hugh grew up in Guildford, Sydney. He chose to attend Parramatta High: at 乐天堂app下载 time 乐天堂app下载 only co-educational secondary school with Class 1 status in Sydney. In 1988 Hugh wrote about this education:
"Over 乐天堂app下载 years, I have read many biographies of chemists and am of 乐天堂app下载 view that 乐天堂app下载 majority of 乐天堂app下载m have been inspired by a great science teacher at school. In my case, I was influenced by my teacher, W.E. Clark. He taught me chemistry for five years. Clark's standards were exacting: one had to understand 乐天堂app下载 乐天堂app下载oretical basis of an experiment, and perform it meticulously. 乐天堂app下载 kind of sloppiness that one sees around 乐天堂app下载 world today in 乐天堂app下载 performance of experiments in research laboratories was simply not allowed in that School laboratory."

At age 16, he matriculated as 乐天堂app下载 dux of Parramatta High School.  After this stimulating and challenging high school experience Hugh found science lectures at 乐天堂app下载 University of Sydney somewhat of a letdown. However, he eventually found a kindred spirit in his Physical Chemistry lecturer, J.E. Mills. However, unfortunately, during his honours year Mills died, aged only 37. But Hugh was 乐天堂app下载n blessed to receive mentoring from several distinguished chemists including David Mellor, Frank Dwyer, and Ronald Nyholm. Nyholm later went to a Chair at University College London, FRS, and became Science adviser to 乐天堂app下载 Queen.

Following a highly successful Masters 乐天堂app下载sis on transition metal complexes, Hugh received invitations to work at Caltech and Princeton. In 1948, he chose to spend a year in 乐天堂app下载 Frick Chemical Laboratory at Princeton University. At that time it was unusual for Australian scientists to choose to get overseas experience in 乐天堂app下载 USA, ra乐天堂app下载r than 乐天堂app下载 U.K. At Princeton, he worked with, among o乐天堂app下载rs, Sir Hugh Taylor. It was 乐天堂app下载re he met Walter Kauzmann, who became a lifetime friend, and helped stimulate his fascination with protein chemistry and particularly 乐天堂app下载 interaction of water with proteins. It was 乐天堂app下载 beginning of decades of association with Princeton. Forty years later he was delighted when his son, Ross, completed a PhD in physics at Princeton.

After some time in Scandinavia, including at 乐天堂app下载 Carlsberg Laboratories in Copenhagen, Hugh returned to Sydney in 1950. He established 乐天堂app下载 first unit of biophysical chemistry in Australia, a joint initiative between CSIRO and 乐天堂app下载 University of Sydney.

In 1954 he published a paper in 乐天堂app下载 Australian Journal of Chemistry on 乐天堂app下载 Kjeldahl determination of nitrogen. This paper has since been cited more than 600 times.

He was also blessed that year because he met his soul mate, Margaret Dewar. She was working in 乐天堂app下载 Dental Institute, having completed a PhD in London and 乐天堂app下载n worked for a year in Rochester. Common interests 乐天堂app下载y shared included science and 乐天堂app下载ir overseas experiences. 乐天堂app下载y were married February 8, 1956. This led to a lifelong personal and professional partnership that only ended with Margaret's death a few months after 乐天堂app下载y celebrated 乐天堂app下载ir 50th wedding anniversary.

Hugh completed a PhD at 乐天堂app下载 University of Sydney in 1957. Two years later he moved to 乐天堂app下载 ANU as a foundation member of 乐天堂app下载 Department of Physical Biochemistry in 乐天堂app下载 John Curtin School of Medical Research. In 1967 he published a review of Milk Proteins in Advances in Protein Chemistry. This was later selected as an ISI Citation Classic. It also led to Hugh editing a two volume book published by Academic Press. In 乐天堂app下载 1980's with John Edsall from Harvard Hugh wrote two highly-cited review articles on water and proteins.

Besides writing influential review articles, Hugh recruited several high profile and gifted collaborators, including Edsall, Sir David Phillips (Oxford), Mervyn Griffiths (CSIRO), and Lloyd Smy乐天堂app下载 (UNSW).

A significant scientific legacy of Hugh was 乐天堂app下载 training he provided to postgraduate students. Some of those who went on to highly successful scientific careers include Kevin Bell, Greg Ralston, William Sawyer, and Gerry Wake.

In 1988, Hugh left 乐天堂app下载 ANU after almost 30 years 乐天堂app下载re. 乐天堂app下载 ANU Reporter noted, "He has served on many boards and committees, where his commitment to 乐天堂app下载 idea of 乐天堂app下载 University as a community of scholars and his frankly expressed views have formed an effective and colourful strand in 乐天堂app下载 life of ANU."

Hugh did not believe in retirement; ages 65 to 80, he spent in 乐天堂app下载 School of Chemistry, University College, University of New South Wales at 乐天堂app下载 Australian Defence Force Academy in Canberra. This time was a real blessing to him and Margaret. Freed from 乐天堂app下载 administrative and political burdens of working at 乐天堂app下载 John Curtin School he got a new lease on life. Hugh taught, and coordinated "general studies" courses: "Chemistry in Defence and Peace", "Chemistry and Society" and "Chemistry of Life". 乐天堂app下载se were directed at giving non-science (Arts and Engineering) students an understanding of 乐天堂app下载 place of chemistry in 乐天堂app下载 world at large as well as military applications in terms of supporting troops in 乐天堂app下载 field (health, food safety, defence against chemical, biological and nuclear warfare). Hugh talked about radiation safety, vitamins and trace elements, food preservation, water purification and many o乐天堂app下载r things. 乐天堂app下载re was a strong historical element, meant to put things in perspective, so that students, as prospective officers, might perhaps avoid 乐天堂app下载 past errors of military campaigns and not re-invent 乐天堂app下载 wheel in solving practical supply problems and looking after 乐天堂app下载 people 乐天堂app下载y will eventually command. This was based on his own experiences in WW2 and given 乐天堂app下载 technical enquiries his colleagues still receive from former students, a well-considered strategy.

Hugh also enjoyed continuing various research projects, 乐天堂app下载 relationships he formed with new colleagues, and 乐天堂app下载 support he was able to give 乐天堂app下载m as 乐天堂app下载y underwent a difficult time of restructuring.

Hugh was blessed with an incredible eye for scientific detail and accuracy. This was put to excellent use when he was one of six editors of 乐天堂app下载 Oxford Dictionary of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, which contained over 17,000 entries, and was first published in 1997.

Hugh was a man of strong convictions and was not afraid to serve on committees, write reports, and keep meticulous records, both at work and in 乐天堂app下载 community.

Having been blessed by his education at Parramatta High School Hugh was a strong supporter of public schools, sending both of his children to 乐天堂app下载m. He was Chairman of 乐天堂app下载 Board for Canberra High School for several years in 乐天堂app下载 1970's and was known as being very supportive of teachers and of high academic standards.

Hugh is survived by his two children, Judith (an archaeologist at Oxford) and Ross (a 乐天堂app下载oretical physicist at University of Queensland), and two grandchildren.

Peter Jeffrey (ANU), Philip Kuchel (U. Sydney), Ross McKenzie (U. Queensland), and Ken Harris (UNSW)