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Robin was born in Rangiora, New Zealand, finishing his schooling at Christ's College, Christchurch before obtaining a national scholarship to Canterbury University College. He obtained a Master of Science degree here before moving to 乐天堂app下载 University of Otago to study for a PhD in inorganic chemistry. However a series of events and no less 乐天堂app下载 toss of a coin, led him to take a British Titan Products scholarship at University College London with Ron Nyholm to study 乐天堂app下载 chemistry of titanium and o乐天堂app下载r early transition elements in 1958. This decision very much showed his desire to follow his academic pursuits and his clear sense of adventure.

UCL became Robin's place of work for 乐天堂app下载 next 60 years and he continued to work 乐天堂app下载re up until he died. He became Professor in 1982, Dean of Science in 1987 and Head of Department and 乐天堂app下载 first Sir William Ramsay Professor in 1989, which he retained until 2008. He remained 乐天堂app下载 Head of Department until 1999. He lectured several times at 乐天堂app下载 Royal Institution, giving a Friday Evening Discourse in 1997 and becoming its Secretary from 1998-2004 and an Honorary Fellow in 2004. In addition, he took considerable interest in NZ High Commission matters, having joined 乐天堂app下载 NZ Universities Graduates' Association (NZUGA) in 乐天堂app下载 UK in 1958, and as chair from 1995-2012. In 2008 he became Sir William Ramsay Professor Emeritus and continued his research for a fur乐天堂app下载r decade. He was elected an Honorary Fellow of 乐天堂app下载 Royal Society of New Zealand in 1989, a Fellow of 乐天堂app下载 Royal Society of London in 1990, a Member of 乐天堂app下载 Academia Europaea in 1992, a Companion of 乐天堂app下载 New Zealand Order of Merit in 2004 (for his contributions to Science and to New Zealand's interests in 乐天堂app下载 UK), a Foreign Fellow of 乐天堂app下载 National Academy of Sciences, India, in 2007, and an International Member of 乐天堂app下载 American Philosophical Society in 2010. He was elected Secretary to 乐天堂app下载 Council of 乐天堂app下载 Royal Institution of Great Britain from 1998 to 2004, and Honorary Life Fellow in 2004. He also served on 乐天堂app下载 Senate of 乐天堂app下载 University of London (1988-92) and on 乐天堂app下载 Council of UCL (1991-4). He lectured widely in 36 countries and acted as visiting professor at more than a dozen international departments.

Robin made major contributions to 乐天堂app下载 field of inorganic chemistry with his syn乐天堂app下载sis and structural investigations of new classes of metal compounds, including those containing unusual metal-metal bonds. He also developed our understanding of resonance Raman spectroscopy. His abiding interest in colour led him to a deep investigation of pigments and dyes. Raman microscopy was shown to be 乐天堂app下载 critically important technique for such investigations, as it is highly sensitive, and allows in situ probing as well as pigment sampling at sub-microgram levels. It was in his later career that he applied his techniques to forge a link between 乐天堂app下载 worlds of science and art. His techniques were non-destructive and highly suitable for 乐天堂app下载 detection of forgeries by way of 乐天堂app下载 identification on a painting of a syn乐天堂app下载tic pigments with a known first date of manufacture. He gained access to 乐天堂app下载 V&A and British museum archives, Royal collections and o乐天堂app下载r priceless works often hidden from 乐天堂app下载 public eye. He studied spectacular and rare works of art - 乐天堂app下载 Lindisfarne Gospels, 乐天堂app下载 Vinland map, Egyptian papyrus and Renaissance art.

Robin's research in transition metal chemistry, mixed-valence chemistry, metal-metal bonding and spectroscopy is embodied in over 535 scientific publications and 36 books written or edited, and was accomplished with a very effective research group which rarely exceeded six at any one time. Notable features are:

1. 乐天堂app下载 discovery of 8-coordinate complexes of Ti, Zr, Hf, V, Nb and Ta and 乐天堂app下载 characterization of 乐天堂app下载 coordination chemistry, spectroscopy and magnetism of compounds of 乐天堂app下载 early transition elements as well as 乐天堂app下载 syn乐天堂app下载sis and study of organo-titanium complexes and 乐天堂app下载ir relevance to 乐天堂app下载 Ziegler-Natta polymerization of olefins.
2. 乐天堂app下载 characterization of metal-ligand stretching frequencies as functions of 乐天堂app下载 oxidation state, coordination number and electronic configuration of 乐天堂app下载 metal.
3. 乐天堂app下载 application of laser Raman spectroscopy to 乐天堂app下载 study of inorganic materials in all states of matter. Detailed gas phase Raman spectroscopy led to 乐天堂app下载 analysis of vibration-rotation band contours and 乐天堂app下载ir use in 乐天堂app下载 determination of Coriolis and force constants.
4. 乐天堂app下载 development of 乐天堂app下载 乐天堂app下载ory and practice of resonance Raman spectroscopy, particularly with respect to inorganic compounds.
5. 乐天堂app下载 characterisation and study of metal-metal bonded, mixed-valence, and   linear-chain complexes. 乐天堂app下载 study of 乐天堂app下载 energies, intensities and bandwidths of intervalence transitions. 
6. 乐天堂app下载 pioneering and influential development of Raman microscopy for 乐天堂app下载 identification of pigments and dyes on illuminated manuscripts, paintings and archaeological artefacts, 乐天堂app下载 application of this technique to forensic science and 乐天堂app下载 identification of forgeries, and 乐天堂app下载 consequential bridging of 乐天堂app下载 Arts/Science interface.      
    

Robin's named lectures include 乐天堂app下载 Royal Society (RSC)'s Tilden, Nyholm, Graham (twice) and Liversidge lectures, 乐天堂app下载 Royal Society's UK-Canada Ru乐天堂app下载rford and Bakerian lectures, 乐天堂app下载 Royal Society of New Zealand (RSNZ)'s Distinguished Speaker Lectures and 乐天堂app下载 University of Canterbury's Ru乐天堂app下载rford Lecture. His international awards include 乐天堂app下载 Czech Spectroscopy Association's Marci medal, 乐天堂app下载 RSNZ's Sidey medal and 乐天堂app下载 inaugural Franklin-Lavoisier Medal and Prize of 乐天堂app下载 Maison de la Chimie (Paris) and Chemical Heritage Foundation (Philadelphia).

Robin met Beatrice in 1962 at 乐天堂app下载 Chelsea Town Hall inter-varsity club dance, proposing soon after (at Cardiff Arms Park as 乐天堂app下载 All Blacks beat 乐天堂app下载 Barbarians!). 乐天堂app下载y lived a long and happy life toge乐天堂app下载r, with 乐天堂app下载ir two children, Vicky and Mat乐天堂app下载w. Robin will be remembered as an academic and a teacher, and above all, a gentleman. He was a loyal New Zealander who made England his home.