Dedication to Dr Colin J Barnes
20 June 2002

Colin J Barnes

Dr Colin J. Barnes was a wonderfully enthusiastic and dedicated member of the School of Chemical Sciences at Dublin City University since August 1992 until his tragic death in a fishing accident in early May. Colin was all that one could ever hope for in a colleague, a researcher, a mentor and a teacher. Colin was totally committed to research, not to filling in the gaps but to through great creativity to genuinely drive the field forward. His keen insights into the behavior of surfaces ranging from pristine single crystals to those modified with exciting new layers have formed the building blocks for even greater advance. Colin received his first degree in chemistry (BSc (Hons)) and PhD in 1987 from Liverpool University. He held several Postdoctoral positions included a prestigious research fellowship from Neste Petrochemical Foundation (Finland) to head a team carrying out a research program on bimetallic catalysts based within the Department of Physics at Tampere University of Technology in Finland (1996-1990). Subsequently Colin moved back to the UK to take up a BP Senior Research Fellowship within the Department of Chemistry at Cambridge University (1990-1992) working on single crystal catalysts. He published over 70 papers in refereed high quality journals and educated 7 PhD and more than 15 MSc students. Colin had a particular way of doing science that one might liken to total immersion- he enjoyed long hours in the laboratory working on the ultra-high-vacuum facilities for quantitative surface crystallographic determinations that he and his co-workers had built together. Such was his love of what he did, that colleagues have remarked that he never considered it work. Colin was a genuine all rounder with quick hands and a tremendously sharp mind that could address the challenges of advanced theory and the fabrication of stainless steel components with equal ease. Colin's horizons were broad, he enjoyed collaborations stretching from physics here at DCU to laboratories in Wales and Finland, all anxious to exchange ideas with a remarkably dedicated scientist.

Colin's second great talent was that of teaching, not just of conveying facts and figures but of investing a sense of curiosity and wonder in his students both undergraduate and postgraduate alike as to how the world works. He was the one of the very few lecturers who taught on every year of the chemistry degree programmes and his legacy will live on through the postgraduates and undergraduates who were privileged to have him as a lecturer and mentor. As a mark of the respect, esteem and high standing that the School of Chemical Sciences will always hold Colin in, the School has dedicated an award for Postgraduate Research Excellence as the Colin J Barnes Memorial Award for Research Excellence.

Colin's life was marked by great achievements, through his outstanding research, his contributions to the life of the School and the faculty, but above all these through his interactions with people. Colin had that rare talent of keen insight and a desire to share knowledge at all levels, we will miss that talent and we will certainly miss Colin.

Written by Rober Forster