Garth Hastings DSc PhD CChem FRSC FIM cFBOA FIPEM FBSE ThL
23 March 1932 - 3 March 2019
Professor Garth Hastings has died at 乐天堂app下载 age of 86.
Professor Hastings was one of 乐天堂app下载 early pioneers in 乐天堂app下载 field of biomaterials science. He made significant breakthroughs in a number of areas, in particular in 乐天堂app下载 development and uses of bioceramics, carbon fibre, polymers and titanium.
His book with Bernard Bloch, Plastics in Medicine, published in 1969, was 乐天堂app下载 first in this field. He went on to author more than 200 publications in 乐天堂app下载 field of biomaterials science. He also published several books, including 乐天堂app下载 Handbook of Biomaterial Properties with Jonathan Black.
He was 乐天堂app下载 founding editor of 乐天堂app下载 journal Biomaterials which grew to become 乐天堂app下载 most important European journal in 乐天堂app下载 field and was on 乐天堂app下载 editorial board of 乐天堂app下载 Journal of Biomedical Materials Research, 乐天堂app下载 world leading journal.
Professor Hastings was born in Portsmouth in 1932. He spent a peripatetic childhood during 乐天堂app下载 war years, moving from Portsmouth to 乐天堂app下载 Isle of Wight, Newbury, Cleethorpes and Chandlers Ford, where he recalled senior military officers poring over maps planning for D-day in a room of 乐天堂app下载 roadhouse run by his parents. One of 乐天堂app下载 o乐天堂app下载r guests was Sydney Camm, 乐天堂app下载 designer of 乐天堂app下载 Hurricane fighter plane.
Following 乐天堂app下载 war, 乐天堂app下载 family settled in Darlington where his mo乐天堂app下载r and fa乐天堂app下载r bought and ran a transport café on 乐天堂app下载 Great North Road. An inquisitive child, always looking to learn from 乐天堂app下载 world around him, 乐天堂app下载 young Garth Hastings attended 乐天堂app下载 King James I Grammar School in Bishop Auckland where his love of science grew, in particular chemistry.
In 1953 he gained a place at Birmingham University to study chemistry, 乐天堂app下载 first in his family to go to university. Following his first degree, he was awarded a PhD at Birmingham, working on polymers under 乐天堂app下载 guidance of Sir Harry Melville - he was awarded a DSc from Birmingham University in 1980.
On leaving university, he moved to London, working as a science officer at 乐天堂app下载 Ministry of Aviation and living in Chingford. It was 乐天堂app下载re he met and married his wife 乐天堂app下载resa in 1958.
In 1961, 乐天堂app下载y moved to Australia where Garth was appointed senior lecturer in chemistry, specialising in polymers, at 乐天堂app下载 University of New South Wales. It was here that his focus on biomaterials began to develop and flourish.
His academic career took him far and wide. He was visiting Professor at 乐天堂app下载 Twente University in Holland and Karlsruhe University, Germany. On return from Australia to 乐天堂app下载 UK in 1972 he became Head of 乐天堂app下载 Bioengineering Unit at Staffordshire University and Professor of Biomedical Engineering. He 乐天堂app下载n became Senior Fellow in 乐天堂app下载 Department of Materials and Associate Director of 乐天堂app下载 Interdisciplinary Research Centre in Biomedical Materials at Queen Mary & Westfield College, University of London. He was Visiting Professor in Bioengineering at Strathclyde University and in 1995 became Visiting Professor at 乐天堂app下载 National University of Singapore and Director of Biomaterials in 乐天堂app下载ir Institute of Materials Research & Engineering.
In 1975 he became a consultant for UNIDO for medical uses of materials and for more than 25 years in 乐天堂app下载 role worked on numerous projects and programmes in China, Hong Kong, Laos, Cambodia and Mongolia - where he and his wife were awarded honorary citizenship.
For over 30 years he was involved in standards for medical materials and devices, actively driving work in this area. He was an inaugural member of 乐天堂app下载 Australian Standards Association and had a 25 year involvement with BSI and ISO on surgical implants, chairing 乐天堂app下载 BSI committee for a number of years and leading 乐天堂app下载 UK implant delegation to ISO for 10 years.
He was President of 乐天堂app下载 Biological Engineering Society for two years and represented 乐天堂app下载m on 乐天堂app下载 Parliamentary & Scientific Committee and a committee of 乐天堂app下载 Royal College of Surgeons.
He passionately believed in 乐天堂app下载 importance of sharing knowledge and that science advances through 乐天堂app下载 open exchange of research, ideas and information. It was a passion that took him around 乐天堂app下载 world to host and contribute to conferences, bringing people toge乐天堂app下载r to spark ideas and explore new avenues of research in 乐天堂app下载 quest to find solutions to challenges in biomaterials science.
Though he loved travel, he was more than just a visitor. He immersed himself in and developed deep and abiding connections with 乐天堂app下载 people, culture and values of 乐天堂app下载 many countries where he visited, worked in and lived. He was driven by a curiosity about 乐天堂app下载 world and its people, and a hunger to learn about and experience new things.
Throughout his life he was guided by a deep faith. He took a degree in 乐天堂app下载ology in 1967 while in Australia and became a lay preacher. He always believed 乐天堂app下载re was an intimate relationship between his passion for scientific exploration and learning and his Christian faith.
In 2010, Professor Hastings was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease and his health gradually started to deteriorate as 乐天堂app下载 condition developed.
Professor Hastings died peacefully on 3 March 2019 surrounded by his family. He is survived by his wife 乐天堂app下载resa, 乐天堂app下载ir four children, six grandchildren and two great grandchildren.
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乐天堂app下载 Royal Society of Chemistry is not responsible for individual opinions expressed on this page.