TRIBUTE from Dr Brian Spies FTSE

Professor Keeva Vozoff FTSE was a pioneer in electrical geophysics, an outstanding educator and mentor to students and colleagues in Australia and overseas.

Keeva was well known internationally for his outstanding achievements in geophysical instrumentation, mathematical modelling and earth sciences.

His international awards include Honorary Membership in the Society of Exploration Geophysicists in 1985 (the first in the southern hemisphere) for “scientific contributions to electrical methods in petroleum and minerals exploration, service to professional organisations worldwide, and particularly his leadership in research and postgraduate teaching of geophysics in Australia.”

He received the prestigious Reginald Fessenden Award from the SEG in 2009, at the age of 81, for technical contributions in 3D electromagnetic modelling and mathematical inversion.

Born in Minnesota, he obtained his first degree, in physics, in 1949. Then followed an MSc from Pennsylvania State in 1951 and a PhD at MIT in 1956.

From 1951 to 1993, Keeva applied his talents to private geophysical companies including Geophysical Service.

Academically, he was a visiting Professor at the University of Alberta, the University of California (Berkeley) and at the University of Cologne.

Keeva moved to Australia in 1972 to take up the inaugural appointment of Professor of Geophysics at Macquarie University.

He immediately set to work to build his network of Australian collaborators and introduced the magnetotelluric method for deep crustal exploration, which was quickly embraced by the Bureau of Mineral Resources, the federal geoscience agency.

In 1981 he established the Centre for Geophysical Exploration Research, an institute unique in Australia at that time. The Centre conducted groundbreaking research in geophysics and hosted visiting post-graduates from many countries. Keeva retained the chair at Macquarie until 1991 and continued to be active in research until last year. He was elected a Fellow of the Academy in 1982.

Before coming to Australia, Keeva was a household name in the geophysical world. By 1958 he was known as the “father of 3D EM modelling”, and in 1969, the “father of 2D magnetotelluric (MT) inversion”. These milestone achievements were continued at Macquarie when, in 1975 he became the “father” of “Joint Inversion of DC resistivity andMT” and in 1978, "3DMTmodelling”.

Keeva’s international involvement included serving on ad-hoc committees of Soviet-Australia and Indo-Australia scientific and technical cooperation from 1974 to 1975. He was also an honorary fellow of the Association of Exploration Geophysicists of India and an Alexander von Humboldt fellow in Germany in 1992- 1993.

Although not an Australian by birth, Keeva has always been one of the locals, endearing him to his colleagues and associates. He has been happily married since 1957 to charming and ever-supportive Elizabeth and they have four children and six grandchildren.

Many of us have worked closely and spent a lot of time with Keeva. Our professional and personal lives have been enriched greatly by his intellect and wisdom, his open sharing of knowledge and his impish sense of fun and friendship.

Professor Vozoff died in Sydney on July 18 2019, age 91.