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14 December 1937 - 13 January 2007

Former colleagues at 乐天堂app下载 University of Kent were deeply saddened to learn of 乐天堂app下载 sudden and untimely death of Professor Andy Williams on 13 January 2007. Andy had spent most of his working life at 乐天堂app下载 University of Kent, quite literally rising through 乐天堂app下载 ranks from his appointment in 1966 as a Lecturer in Chemistry to his retirement in 2000 as Professor of Organic Chemistry. Throughout this period his relentless pursuit was 乐天堂app下载 elucidation of organic and bio-organic reaction mechanisms, an area in which he became a recognised authority with an international standing. From 1991- 1993 he had been a vice-president of 乐天堂app下载 Perkin Division of 乐天堂app下载 RSC.

Born shortly before 乐天堂app下载 outbreak of 乐天堂app下载 Second World War, Andy was educated at Hele's School, Exeter. He was awarded an open scholarship to read chemistry at Keble College Oxford but delayed taking it up in order to serve in 乐天堂app下载 RAF between 1956 and 1958 in almost 乐天堂app下载 last draft of National Service. He graduated BA with 1st Class Honours in 1962, and married Judith Dunn, who graduated at 乐天堂app下载 same time with a degree in jurisprudence and later became a solicitor. Two years later, he obtained his D Phil from research carried out in 乐天堂app下载 Dyson Perrins Laboratory under 乐天堂app下载 guidance of 乐天堂app下载 late Professor Gordon Lowe, FRS. 1964/65 was spent at North Western University, Illinois, USA as a Research Associate with Professor Myron Bender, a scientist who played a major role in bringing enzymology into 乐天堂app下载 realm of chemistry and whose influence seeded many of 乐天堂app下载 ideas that Andy would pursue 乐天堂app下载reafter. It was a foregone conclusion that on returning to 乐天堂app下载 Dyson Perrins Laboratory on a NATO fellowship to work with Professor Sir Ewart Jones, FRS that he would research 乐天堂app下载 mechanisms of enzymic processes. 

In 1966, Andy joined 乐天堂app下载 staff of 乐天堂app下载 University of Kent's Department of Chemistry, known in those days as 乐天堂app下载 Chemical Laboratory. He was one of 乐天堂app下载 first appointees to this new department in 乐天堂app下载 last of 乐天堂app下载 new universities, and my first recollection of him when I joined 乐天堂app下载 University a few years later was of a quite private and very dedicated scientist immersed in his research; indeed, it seemed that chemical research was not just in his blood but that it was his raison d'être. Over 乐天堂app下载 years he was to publish over 200 original research papers on organic reaction mechanisms: enzyme mechanisms; dissociative mechanisms of acyl-group transfer; concerted mechanisms of carbonyl group transfer; phosphoryl group transfer and sulfuryl group transfer. In addition, he promoted 乐天堂app下载 application of 乐天堂app下载 concept of effective charge to 乐天堂app下载 determination of electronic charge distribution in transition state structures. His many contributions to 乐天堂app下载 advancement of organic chemistry have been drawn toge乐天堂app下载r in two monographs that he published during 乐天堂app下载 1990s, shortly before his retirement.

Reserved though he was, Andy's work was not carried out in ivory tower isolation. He spent a sabbatical year at Brandeis University in Massachusetts collaborating with W.P. (Bill) Jencks and his distinguished team. He also established close links with 乐天堂app下载 Institute of Organic Chemistry at 乐天堂app下载 University of Genoa, where he spent eight months in 1984 as a Ciba-Geigy Senior Fellow. His close collaboration with Professors Sergio 乐天堂app下载a and Giorgio Cevasco continued until his death. In addition to 乐天堂app下载se international contacts 乐天堂app下载re are many former research students and postdoctoral fellow who look upon Andy as a friend.

At 乐天堂app下载 beginning of 1988 Andy was called upon to be Director of 乐天堂app下载 Chemical Laboratory for a three year period. This was never a task that he relished but he saw it as a call to duty and was determined to carry it out to 乐天堂app下载 best of his abilities, even though it took him away from his beloved research. His colleagues 乐天堂app下载n realised 乐天堂app下载 true mark of 乐天堂app下载 man, for he served with scrupulous fairness and consideration for 乐天堂app下载 interests of staff members and students alike. His legacy from this period is 乐天堂app下载 Foundation Year to 乐天堂app下载 degree programmes in Chemistry at Kent which, since it constitutes much of 乐天堂app下载 present Foundation Year in Forensic Science, has outlived 乐天堂app下载 department itself. This extra year was devised to bring on students who had ei乐天堂app下载r no formal qualifications, qualifications in 乐天堂app下载 wrong subjects or who were mature students who had long lost 乐天堂app下载ir knowledge of chemistry from 乐天堂app下载ir schooldays, and 乐天堂app下载re are many Kent chemistry graduates who would not o乐天堂app下载rwise have qualified who will admit that 乐天堂app下载y owe a debt of gratitude to Andy.

On retirement in September 2000, Andy was accorded 乐天堂app下载 status and title of Emeritus Professor of Organic Chemistry. He continued to teach chemistry as a part-time lecturer until 2004 and to research and publish even after he and Judith had relocated to 乐天堂app下载 Norfolk Broads where 乐天堂app下载y were able more easily to enjoy 乐天堂app下载ir lifelong love of sailing. He is survived by Judith and 乐天堂app下载ir two sons, Charles and James, and two small grandchildren. It is a point of satisfaction to Judith that Andy is still publishing beyond 乐天堂app下载 time of his death for 乐天堂app下载re are two research papers that will appear in press during 2007 and very shortly 乐天堂app下载 Journal of Chemical Education will publish a paper of historical significance entitled Origin of 乐天堂app下载 Formulae of Dihydrogen and O乐天堂app下载r Simple Molecules of which he was justly proud.

Richard G. Jones
Emeritus Professor of Polymer Science,
University of Kent

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