[Taxacom] Death of Ken Hill, eucalypt and cycad specialist

[Karen Wilson]

Australian botany has suffered another sad loss: Ken Hill has died after an extended and debilitating illness.

Ken had a long career here at NSW as a botanist, having previously been a geologist. He  worked closely with the late Lawrie Johnson on eucalypts, and became a world authority on them and cycads, with interests also in other groups such as Hoya. He took a keen interest in electronic presentation of data from the late 1980s, and was adept at writing programs and putting together websites. He played a key role in setting up PlantNET as our web-based way to deliver plant information (http://plantnet.rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au).
Sadly, Ken's declining health meant that he had to retire early, in 2004. He died yesterday, two days before his 62nd birthday.

As one close colleague put it, Ken represented 'that mixture of humility, scientist and tech geek the world needs'.
We will all miss his quiet, amiable presence.

Karen Wilson
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Karen L. Wilson AM  |  Senior Research Scientist  Plant Diversity Section  |  National Herbarium of NSW  |  Royal Botanic Gardens Sydney, Mrs Macquaries Road, SYDNEY NSW 2000, AUSTRALIA

Adjunct Assoc Prof, University of New England
Secretary-General XVIII IBC Organising Committee - to take place in Melbourne July 2011 -  www.ibc2011.com
Phone: +61 2 9231 8137  |  Fax: +61 2  9251 7231  |  email: karen.wilson at rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au  |  website: www.rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au


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If you are not the intended recipient, please notify the sender and then delete it immediately.
Any views expressed in this email are those of the individual sender except where the sender expressly and with authority states them to be the views of the Department of Environment, Climate Change & Water NSW.