OBITUARY

Professor Alan Robson died on 30/10/2024

Professor Alan Robson was elected to the Academy in 1987 based on his international reputation and contributions to the science of plant nutrition with direct applications to improving agriculture.

His long career in research and academia included many years as Vice-Chancellor and Deputy Vice-Chancellor of the University of Western Australia. During his career, he was also Foundation Director of the Cooperative Research Centre for Legumes in Mediterranean Agriculture, Dean of the Faculty of Agriculture, Professor of Agriculture (Soil Science), and Hackett Chair in Agriculture until his retirement. 

Through his research, he developed diagnostic tests for nutrient disorders in cereals, grains and pasture legumes, which were adopted by fertilizer companies and advisory groups around the world.

He also spent time on the Board of CSIRO, as Deputy Chair of Universities Australia, Deputy Chair of the Council of the National Library and Chair of the Group of Eight.

PROF. A.D. ROBSON - Ph.D. (University of Western Australia), B.Sc. Agric.
(Melbourne University). Chairman of the Grain Legumes Research Council.
Professor of Agriculture (Soil Science) in the School of Agriculture, University of Western Australia.
International reputation and leadership of research group in plant nutrition with emphasis on the role of VA mycorrhizae, nutrient requirement of legumes, deficiency diagnosis, and soil acidity. Has been especially effective in focussing research on those aspects of plant nutrition with potential for direct application to practising agriculture. His techniques of diagnosis of nutrient deficiencies have been adopted by fertilizer companies and advisory groups in Australia and Europe.