Brian Robinson (chemist)
{{Short description|New Zealand inorganic chemist (1940–2016)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2016}}
{{Use New Zealand English|date=September 2016}}
{{Infobox scientist
| name = Brian Robinson
| birth_name = Brian Harford Robinson
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| birth_date = {{Birth date|1940|04|24|df=y}}
| birth_place = Christchurch, New Zealand
| death_date = {{Death date and age|2016|08|30|1940|04|24|df=y}}
| death_place = Wellington, New Zealand
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| fields = Inorganic and organometallic chemistry
| workplaces = University of Otago
| alma_mater = University of Canterbury
| thesis_title = Studies in the coordination chemistry of certain transition metals
| thesis_url = https://ipac.canterbury.ac.nz/ipac20/ipac.jsp?index=BIB&term=347516
| thesis_year = 1964
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| spouse = {{marriage|Judith Rae|1962}}
| children = 4
| relatives = Diana Sarfati (daughter-in-law)
}}
Brian Harford Robinson (24 April 1940 – 30 August 2016) was a New Zealand inorganic chemist. He is noted for his contribution to cluster chemistry and the design of organometallic compounds with biomedical applications.
Early life and education
Born in Christchurch on 24 April 1940, Robinson was the son of Jack Robinson and Lurline Robinson (née Cross).{{cite book |editor-last=Taylor |editor-first=Alister |title=New Zealand Who's Who Aotearoa 2001 |year=2001 |publisher=Alister Taylor Publishers |location=Auckland |issn=1172-9813}} He was educated at Christchurch Boys' High School, and then studied at the University of Canterbury, graduating Master of Science with second-class honours in chemistry in 1962.{{cite journal |date=November 2013 |title=Meet Brian Robinson, chairman of our U3A Board |url=https://u3adunedin.org.nz/documents/newsletters/U3A%20Newsletter%20November%202013.pdf |journal=Newsletter |publisher=U3A Dunedin |issue=39 |page=2 |accessdate=5 September 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160122110735/http://u3adunedin.org.nz/documents/newsletters/U3A%20Newsletter%20November%202013.pdf |archive-date=22 January 2016 |url-status=dead }}{{cite web |url=http://shadowsoftime.co.nz/university20.html |title=NZ university graduates 1870–1961 |date= |website= |publisher= |accessdate=5 September 2016}} He completed a PhD at the same institution in 1964. His thesis, titled Studies in the coordination chemistry of certain transition metals,{{cite web |url=https://ipac.canterbury.ac.nz/ipac20/ipac.jsp?index=BIB&term=347516 |title=Library catalogue |date= |website= |publisher=University of Canterbury |accessdate=5 September 2016}} elucidated the first structure of a cluster compound and its unusual delocalised bonding.
On 12 May 1962, Robinson married Judith Rae, and they went on to have four children.{{cite web |url=http://www.thepeerage.com/p52155.htm |title=Person page - 52155 |date=29 August 2016 | first=Darryl | last=Lundy |website=The Peerage |publisher=Lundy Consulting |accessdate=5 September 2016}}
Academic and research career
After periods of post-doctoral research at the University of Newcastle upon Tyne and the University of Manchester in 1965 and 1966, Robinson was a faculty member in the Department of Chemistry at the University of Otago in Dunedin from 1967 to 2006. He became a professor in 1985 and the Mellor Professor of Chemistry in 1996,{{cite web |url=http://otago.ourheritage.ac.nz/items/show/9044 |title=Brian H. Robinson |date= 19 June 1996|website=Otago University Research Heritage |publisher=University of Otago |accessdate=5 September 2016}} and served as the head of the Department of Chemistry from 1986 to 1998. When he retired in 2006 he was made a professor emeritus.{{cite book |title=University of Otago Calendar |url=http://www.otago.ac.nz/study/otago362021.pdf |accessdate=5 September 2016 |year=2016 |publisher=University of Otago |location=Dunedin |page=40 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160307053949/http://www.otago.ac.nz/study/otago362021.pdf |archive-date=7 March 2016 |url-status=dead }}
Building on his doctoral research, Robinson proposed that metal carbonyl clusters could participate in electron transfer reactions, and demonstrated that clusters are able to be reversibly reduced. Other research areas that he pursued included the design of organometallic compounds for use in biomedical research, and the development of molecular switches.
Later life and death
Following his retirement, Robinson continued to be an active researcher, including work to develop a post-surgical protective gel based on chitosan from squid. The resulting product was sold to American medical technology company Medtronic in 2012.{{cite news | url=http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/unlimited/innovation/8051595/Science-on-the-money | title=Science on the money | date=10 December 2012 | work=Stuff | accessdate=5 September 2016 | first=Matt | last=Philp}} In 2013, Robinson became chair of the board of the Dunedin branch of the University of the Third Age.{{cite journal |date=November 2013 |title=Pressures mount on the U3A Board |url=https://u3adunedin.org.nz/documents/newsletters/U3A%20Newsletter%20November%202013.pdf |journal=Newsletter |publisher=U3A Dunedin |issue=39 |page=1 |accessdate=5 September 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160122110735/http://u3adunedin.org.nz/documents/newsletters/U3A%20Newsletter%20November%202013.pdf |archive-date=22 January 2016 |url-status=dead }}
Robinson died in Wellington on 30 August 2016.{{cite news | url=http://deaths.dompost.co.nz/obituaries/dominion-post-nz/obituary.aspx?n=brian-robinson&pid=181295304 | title=Brian Robinson death notice | date=5 September 2016 | work=Dominion Post | accessdate=5 September 2016}}
Honours and awards
In 1999 Robinson was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of New Zealand.{{cite web |url=http://www.royalsociety.org.nz/publications/reports/yearbooks/year1999/new-fellows/ |title=Fellows elected in 1999 |date= |website= |publisher=Royal Society of New Zealand |accessdate=5 September 2016}} In 2010 he was awarded a Marsden Medal by the New Zealand Association of Scientists, in recognition of his lifetime contribution to science. He was also a Fellow of the New Zealand Institute of Chemistry, and the Society of Perfumers and Flavourists.{{cite news | url=https://www.odt.co.nz/news/dunedin/chemist-awarded-marsden-medal | title=Chemist awarded Marsden Medal | date=6 November 2010 | work=Otago Daily Times | accessdate=5 September 2016}}
An active Rotarian, Robinson was a recipient of the Paul Harris Fellowship for community service in 2004.
References
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Category:Scientists from Christchurch
Category:People educated at Christchurch Boys' High School
Category:University of Canterbury alumni
Category:Academic staff of the University of Otago