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RIP Frank Fenner
Nov. 28th, 2010 12:48 pmI met Frank Fenner once (very briefly) a couple of years ago. He was frail looking then. Last year was the first time he didn't travel to Melbourne to present the Macfarlane Burnet Award. I knew of him obviously before that - he wrote textbooks (I also knew the co-author on that one!) I used, he was my ex-supervisor's supervisor, he edited (and co-wrote I think) a rather cool book on smallpox after heading the WHO eradication effort, he was heavily involved in the original myxomatosis release, he was a giant in the field of 20th century virology.
Naturally he was almost completely unknown in Australia. We don't tend to be able to name Australian scientists, with the exception of Gus Nossal who gets asked to comment on every medical/scientific news item out there.
His obituary did appear world-wide though, including (much to my amusement and respect) in ProMed. You've got to admit - that's pretty cool.
I just wish he'd been a less crappy supervisor to my ex-supervisor, which might have lead to better outcomes for me! (Although to quote a friend: does this mean you'd have become a crappy supervisor too? Me: Hell yeah! Pass on the evil!)
Naturally he was almost completely unknown in Australia. We don't tend to be able to name Australian scientists, with the exception of Gus Nossal who gets asked to comment on every medical/scientific news item out there.
His obituary did appear world-wide though, including (much to my amusement and respect) in ProMed. You've got to admit - that's pretty cool.
I just wish he'd been a less crappy supervisor to my ex-supervisor, which might have lead to better outcomes for me! (Although to quote a friend: does this mean you'd have become a crappy supervisor too? Me: Hell yeah! Pass on the evil!)
