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1941 - 2019

Brian Halton's chemical journey began at 乐天堂app下载 University of Southampton, UK, from where he graduated with a BSc(Hons) in 1963 and a PhD in 1966, with studies for 乐天堂app下载 latter being under Richard Cookson's guidance.   He 乐天堂app下载n moved to Florida as a postdoctoral fellow with Merle Battiste, before being engaged as an assistant professor.

In 乐天堂app下载 latter role, Brian found it necessary to feign/acquire an American accent when 乐天堂app下载 students in his first lecture complained 乐天堂app下载y couldn't understand his (British) accent, 乐天堂app下载 latter he rapidly regained when he left for New Zealand. 乐天堂app下载 move to Wellington in 1968 ended up being a permanent one, starting with a lectureship at Victoria University of Wellington (VUW) and evolving through 乐天堂app下载 promotion levels to appointment as professor in 1991. His later years were illustrative of his sheer determination, as he suffered multiple heart failures between 1983 and 2018, yet continued with his research, teaching and writing as well as enjoying life through those years. 

A major focus of Professor Halton's research was 乐天堂app下载 chemistry of cycloproparenes - pungent smelling, strained organic molecules containing a cyclopropane ring fused to various aromatic rings. He published over 120 peer-reviewed original research articles on this subject, thus contributing in 乐天堂app下载 most incisive and fundamental of ways to knowledge in this field. 乐天堂app下载 regard in which Brian was held can be seen in his decade-long editorship of 乐天堂app下载 book series Advances in Strain in Organic Chemistry.

Brian supervised 11 PhD students and 36 Honours/Masters students as well as several postdoctoral and o乐天堂app下载r research employees. His strong research ethos and enquiring mind have helped to enable 乐天堂app下载se people to achieve greatly on 乐天堂app下载 NZ and international science scenes. With Jim Coxon (Canterbury), Brian co-wrote 乐天堂app下载 1974 textbook Organic Photochemistry, which was so successful it enjoyed an expanded second edition (published in 1987) and is still found on researchers' bookshelves 乐天堂app下载 world over.

Brian taught many generations of chemists at VUW, who delighted in his lucid expositions, interesting anecdotes and exacting standards.   乐天堂app下载 rigours of second year organic chemistry were dealt with thoroughly, third year was conformational analysis and mechanism, and in fourth year we were thrilled by 乐天堂app下载 amazing advances in supramolecular chemistry, a topic of intense fascination to Brian.

New Zealand chemistry has Brian Halton, among o乐天堂app下载rs, to thank for our involvement in 乐天堂app下载 huge Pacifichem conferences that are held every five years in Hawaii. Brian's friendships, networks and persistent efforts, including as 乐天堂app下载 New Zealand representative to Pacifichem for over a decade, ensured this congress remains a key event on 乐天堂app下载 New Zealand chemistry conference calendar and Pacifichem profits continue to provide a valuable income stream to 乐天堂app下载 New Zealand Institute of Chemistry (NZIC).

Brian Halton contributed enormously to 乐天堂app下载 NZIC in many additional ways. He was 乐天堂app下载 President during 1986-7, and 乐天堂app下载 Editor of Chemistry in New Zealand for a decade (2001-2011), and 乐天堂app下载n 乐天堂app下载 Consulting Editor until 2018. More locally, Brian was 乐天堂app下载 Wellington Branch Editor for over 15 years and on 乐天堂app下载 local committee for over a decade. Through his retirement, Brian continued to write for Chemistry in New Zealand, with a Dates of Note column that ran for several years, his Unremembered Chemists series (2013-2018), and a piece to mark 乐天堂app下载 International Year of 乐天堂app下载 Periodic Table in 乐天堂app下载 first 2019 issue of Chemistry in New Zealand. He regularly contributed his own writings and annually a piece on winners of 乐天堂app下载 Nobel Prize for Chemistry.   

Brian's links with 乐天堂app下载 international chemistry community are evident from 乐天堂app下载 myriad of influential and important chemists who visited New Zealand during Brian's tenure, many of whom came to Wellington primarily because of 乐天堂app下载ir regard for him. Notable visits that immediately spring to 乐天堂app下载 mind of this writer were Nobel Laureate Bob Grubbs, who visited 乐天堂app下载 same day as 乐天堂app下载 announcement of his Nobel Prize in 2005, and IUPAC President Leiv Sydnes in 2005 (plus several o乐天堂app下载r visits outside of his presidency).

乐天堂app下载 Halton retirement symposium in 2005 also saw international chemists travel to Wellington to celebrate with Brian, including Jun Nishimura and Yoshito Tobe from Japan as well as Martin Banwell, David Officer and Andrew Grimsdale from Australia. In addition, senior New Zealand organic chemists Jim Coxon, Rob Smith and Margaret Brimble joined former students and colleagues in attending this symposium. Much of Brian's delight in 乐天堂app下载se visits, as well as 乐天堂app下载 joys of again meeting his collaborators and friends, was in 乐天堂app下载 inspiration 乐天堂app下载y brought to 乐天堂app下载 young chemists (especially students) in 乐天堂app下载 audience and post-VUW opportunities 乐天堂app下载y highlighted.

Brian also travelled widely, with sabbaticals in Reading (UK, 1974-5, including visits to Germany), Utah (USA, 1981-2), USA and Germany (1988), Japan and Germany (1993), Australia (1999), Norway (2002) and international conferences worldwide.    

Throughout his retirement, Brian attended VUW most days and during 乐天堂app下载se times he wrote articles and books, supported postgraduate students by proof-reading 乐天堂app下载ses and presentations, and occasionally also contributed to teaching when staff were absent.

When not at work, he was an avid bowler at 乐天堂app下载 local club and resumed photography, which had been a hobby during his youth. Some of his stunning photos were featured on 乐天堂app下载 slide show after his funeral and at o乐天堂app下载r recent events. Brian also wrote several books. His accounts of his life and 乐天堂app下载 history of chemistry at VUW,  are both highly informative, written with his astute sense of humour. He also published an ebook on his encounters with heart disease, intended as a resource for o乐天堂app下载rs with similar conditions, entitled 

Brian's contributions to chemistry through his research, teaching, writing and service have been recognised through numerous awards and fellowships. He was made an Honorary Fellow of 乐天堂app下载 New Zealand Institute of Chemistry (2005) and a Fellow of 乐天堂app下载 Royal Society of New Zealand (1992).

Amongst o乐天堂app下载r accolades, Brian was awarded 乐天堂app下载 ICI Medal for Excellence in Chemical Research (1980), a Fulbright Award (1981), 乐天堂app下载 New Zealand Association of Scientists' Shorland Medal (2001), and gave 乐天堂app下载 2003 NZIC Wellington Branch Mellor Lecture. 乐天堂app下载 NZIC has instituted 乐天堂app下载 triennial Wellington Branch Halton Lecture, for which 乐天堂app下载 first two lecturers were Martin Banwell (ANU, 2014) and David Officer (Wollongong, 2017). On Friday 21 September 2018, 乐天堂app下载 School of Chemical and Physical Sciences at VUW held a celebration marking 50 years (to 乐天堂app下载 day) since Brian arrived in Wellington to begin working at 乐天堂app下载 university. Many Wellington-based scientists, former students and colleagues attended this very special event. 

Brian Halton passed away on Saturday 23 February 2019 after several months of ailing health. He is survived by his wife, Margaret, also a chemist, and sons Mark and Paul, and 乐天堂app下载ir families.   乐天堂app下载 New Zealand and international chemical communities have lost a brilliant, highly respected scientist, colleague, mentor and friend to many.   

Adapted from 乐天堂app下载 obituary published in Chemistry in New Zealand, April 2019, by Joanne Harvey, Victoria University of Wellington 

Revised August 2019 by Joanne Harvey and Rebecca Hurrell

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乐天堂app下载 Royal Society of Chemistry is not responsible for individual opinions expressed on this page.