David Hall (15 February 1928 – 15 June 2016) was a New Zealand chemist, best known as an X-ray crystallographer.

David Hall
Hall in 1985
Born(1928-02-15)15 February 1928
Died15 June 2016(2016-06-15) (aged 88)
Auckland, New Zealand
Alma materAuckland University College
AwardsFRSNZ (1972)
Scientific career
FieldsChemistry, X-ray crystallography
InstitutionsUniversity of Auckland
University of Alberta
ThesisThe crystal structure of formamidoxine (1954)
Doctoral advisorJohn Llewellyn
Doctoral studentsTed Baker
Guy Dodson
Joyce Waters
Neil Waters

Biography edit

A student at Auckland University College, Hall graduated Master of Science in 1950 and a PhD in 1955.[1] The title of his thesis was The Crystal Structure of Formamidoxine.[2] He was one of the first research students in New Zealand in the area of X-ray crystallography, following the establishment of that research area at Auckland University College by John Llewellyn in 1948.[3] The subject of both his master's and doctoral theses was the crystal structure of formamidoxine.[4][5]

Hall was appointed to the academic staff of the Department of Chemistry at Auckland in 1950,[6] and following the departure of Llewellyn in 1956, he became head of the crystallography research group.[3] He was appointed professor and head of the Department of Chemistry at Auckland in 1965, but left to become professor of chemistry at the University of Alberta the following year.[6] However, he returned to Auckland in 1968, and succeeded Peter de la Mare as head of department in 1980,[6] serving in that role until his retirement in 1984, when he was conferred with the title of professor emeritus by the university.[7] Hall was appointed chair of the New Zealand University Grants Committee in late 1984.[8]

Hall was awarded a DSc by thesis from the University of Auckland in 1969,[9] and he was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of New Zealand in 1972.[10] His doctoral students included Neil Waters,[11] Guy Dodson,[12] and Ted Baker.[13]

Hall died at his home in Auckland on 15 June 2016.[14]

References edit

  1. ^ "NZ university graduates 1870–1961: Ha–He". Retrieved 19 June 2016.
  2. ^ Hall, David (1954). The Crystal Structure of Formamidoxine (Doctoral thesis). ResearchSpace@Auckland, University of Auckland. hdl:2292/524.
  3. ^ a b "University of Auckland". Society of Crystallographers in Australia and New Zealand. May 1996. Retrieved 19 June 2016.
  4. ^ "The crystal structure of formamidoxime (MSc thesis)". University of Auckland. 1949. Retrieved 19 June 2016.
  5. ^ "The crystal structure of formamidoxine". University of Auckland. 1954. Retrieved 19 June 2016.
  6. ^ a b c Cambie, R.C.; Davis, B.R. (1983). A century of chemistry at the University of Auckland 1883–1983. University of Auckland. Retrieved 19 June 2016.
  7. ^ "Professores emeriti". University of Auckland Calendar (PDF). 1986. p. 24. Retrieved 19 June 2016.
  8. ^ "University Grants Committee". Auckland Libraries. 28 November 1984. Retrieved 19 June 2016.
  9. ^ "David Hall, DSC thesis". University of Auckland. 1969. Retrieved 19 June 2016.
  10. ^ "The Academy: G–I". Royal Society of New Zealand. Retrieved 19 June 2016.
  11. ^ Waters, T.N.M. (1957). The colour isomerism and structure of some copper co-ordination compounds (PDF). Auckland: University of New Zealand. p. 177. Retrieved 19 June 2016.
  12. ^ "Tribute: Guy George Dodson (1937–2012)" (PDF). New Zealand Science Review. 70 (2). New Zealand Association of Scientists: 42–43. Archived from the original (PDF) on 22 January 2016. Retrieved 19 June 2016.
  13. ^ Baker, Edward Neill (1967). Structural studies of some copper(II) coordination compounds (PDF). Auckland: University of New Zealand. p. 178. Retrieved 19 June 2016.
  14. ^ "David Hall death notice". New Zealand Herald. 18 June 2016. Retrieved 19 June 2016.