Professor Chris Hawes Hon FRMS

The Royal Microscopical Society and many friends and colleagues were deeply saddened to learn of the death of former RMS President and Executive Honorary Secretary, Professor Chris Hawes.

Chris, who was a Professor of Plant Cell Biology and Research Lead at Oxford Brookes University, had been a major figure in the RMS since becoming a member in 1980.

He joined the Electron Microscopy Committee in 1988, becoming its Honorary Secretary in 1992, and Chairman in 1993. He served as RMS Vice President in 2002 and became President in 2005. Chris also played a major role as a Scientific Editor of the Journal of Microscopy from 2000 to 2018.

His nine-year term as Executive Honorary Secretary came to an end only the day before his death on Thursday (4 July), and it was typical of Chris’s dedication that he remained fully active with the RMS throughout his battle with a long-term illness, and had planned to be at the AGM on 3 July.

RMS Chief Executive Allison Winton said: “We are absolutely devastated to hear this news. Chris was such an important and popular figure within the RMS, and he will be sorely missed by all his friends and colleagues at the Society. His kind nature and commitment to helping others will live long in the memory.”