Discussion journal of the Mössbauer Community

[Frank Berry <berryfjz AT bham.ac.uk>]

Norman Greenwood

It is with regret that I write to record the death of Professor Norman 
Greenwood on 14 November 2012 at the age of 87 years.

Norman was born and educated in Melbourne. In his early life he showed the 
drive and determination which characterised so much of his later life.  He 
studied part-time for his undergraduate degree in Melbourne because of 
financial constraints and subsequently moved to Cambridge as a research 
student and then post doctoral fellow with Professor Harry Julius Emeleus. 
His later employment at the Atomic Research Establishment at Harwell 
introduced him to expertise with which he later  used in his work on 
atomic weights, isotopic abundance and manmade elements.

Norman’s academic career began in the University of Nottingham where he 
built an enthusiastic research group. He enjoyed teaching and his clarity 
of thought enabled him to present complex concepts before his students in 
a way that made them want to learn. In 1961 he was appointed Professor of 
Inorganic Chemistry in the University of Newcastle and soon had a research 
group that attracted co-workers from around the world. In 1971 he moved to 
the University of Leeds. There he developed his two major research 
thrusts-the chemistry of boron and Mossbauer spectroscopy.

Norman's contribution to developing Mossbauer spectroscopy in the United 
Kingdom was immense.  As a senior Professor of inorganic chemistry he 
strove to establish the technique and encouraged work of high standard. 
The tone of his laboratory was always informal and all shared academic 
ideas in an atmosphere of lively discussion. He gained worldwide 
recognition for his work and was thrilled by the appointment by NASA to 
study rocks brought back from the moon in the Apollo programme. He was the 
founder of The Royal Society of Chemistry Mossbauer Group and , with Terry 
Gibb, wrote the book Mossbauer Spectroscopy which at its time was the 
definitive treatise on the subject. He was recognised as a leading 
practitioner of the technique on the international stage.  In the early 
1980’s Norman made the hard decision to focus his work exclusively on the 
chemistry of boron and develop  his highly respected reputation in the 
international boron community.

Norman believed that chemistry is exciting and his book Chemistry of the 
Elements written with Alan Earnshaw has achieved global acclaim. He held 
honorary doctorates from Universities in Japan and France and was elected 
a foreign member of the French Academy of Sciences. He was elected a 
Fellow of The Royal society in 1987.

In retirement Norman continued his association with inorganic chemistry 
though writing and lecturing and , with his wife, enjoyed travelling on 
all continents.

Norman will be remembered by many of us as an innovative researcher who 
established Mossbauer Spectroscopy in the United Kingdom, He was a 
stimulating teacher and colleague and an outstanding communicator.

He is survived by his wife Kirsten and two daughters.

*Norman Neil Greenwood, Professor of Chemistry, born 19 January 1925, died 
14 November 2012


Professor Frank Berry
School of Chemistry
The University of Birmingham
Birmingham B15 2TT
United Kingdom