[Taxacom] Vale Surrey Jacobs

[jbruhl at une.edu.au]

Dear Karen and Brett

I also passed this onto our Head of School and Dean (as well as some
colleagues), given that Surrey was also a UNE Adjunct Professor.

Cheers
Jeremy

> Dr Surrey Jacobs: Outstanding Australian Botanist
>
>
> It is our sad duty to inform you that our colleague and friend Dr Surrey
> Jacobs died today, at the untimely age of 63. Last Friday was officially
> Surrey's last day of duty but, as many know, he has been ill for about a
> year. This of course did not stop him coming to work one morning a week
> until recently, and he has also been working hard at home to wrap up his
> numerous research projects or to pass on materials to his collaborators to
> finish.
>
> Surrey did his PhD at the University of Sydney on 'Ecological studies on
> the genera Triodia and Plectrachne in Australia', after doing a
> systematics Honours project on these grasses. He joined the Gardens' staff
> as a systematic botanist in 1971 and has worked here ever since, being
> promoted to the highest level in the NSW Research Scientist scale - Senior
> Principal Research Scientist - last year.
>
> His passing leaves a great hole in botanical expertise, both nationally
> and internationally, especially in waterplants, grasses, chenopods and
> weeds. His broad interests in 'plant matters' led to him being involved in
> many wetlands and catchment advisory committees in NSW and elsewhere.
> Apart from his botanical expertise, many people here will miss having him
> around to offer sage and practical advice on a wide range of matters to
> them individually,
>
> A week ago, we presented him with a book of reminiscences and messages of
> appreciation, with individual contributions from over 50 colleagues and
> 'group' pages covering many others. Besides the individual contributions,
> we included extra photos, some of them showing his renowned prowess with
> chook-breeding, jam-making and room-cluttering. It's a marvellous tribute
> from many people to a very productive 40+ year career. Surrey's scientific
> legacy will continue to grow, since he and his collaborators around the
> world have a wide range of manuscripts at various stages of
> preparation/publication.
>
> We will be publishing a special issue of our sytematics journal Telopea in
> Surrey's honour next year. It will include scientific papers by about 30
> of his colleagues - a fitting acknowledgement of an Australian botanist
> who has made an outstanding contribution to knowledge of the systematics,
> phylogeny and ecology of the world's waterplants, grasses and chenopods.
>
> Karen Wilson               Brett Summerell
> Special Botanist          Director SPP
>
> National Herbarium of New South Wales (NSW)
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