Lew Mander

Lew Mander
Born
Lewis Norman Mander

(1939-09-08)8 September 1939
Auckland, New Zealand
Died8 February 2020(2020-02-08) (aged 80)
Canberra, Australia
AwardsAC (2018)
Scientific career
FieldsOrganic chemistry
InstitutionsAustralian National University
Doctoral studentsJacqueline Whalley

Lewis Norman Mander, AC, FAA, FRS (8 September 1939 – 8 February 2020) was a New Zealand-born Australian organic chemist. He has widely explored the synthesis and chemistry of the gibberellin class of diterpenes over a 20-year period at the Australian National University (ANU).[1][2] In particular, he studied the effect of these hormones on stem growth and on the reasons why plant undergo bolting during plant development. The July 2004 edition of the Australian Journal of Chemistry was dedicated to Mander on the occasion of his 65th birthday. He retired in 2002 but remained active at the ANU until 2014. In 2018 Mander was made a Companion in the General Division in the Order of Australia which "...is awarded for eminent achievement and merit of the highest degree in service to Australia or humanity at large".[3] In an interview he gave after winning his award, Mander said that his goal was to improve the efficiency of extracting food from plants with the possibility of reducing food shortages in the future.[4]

  1. ^ "Professor Lewis N. Mander". Archived from the original on 16 June 2005. Retrieved 26 March 2007.
  2. ^ Centre, The University of Melbourne eScholarship Research. "Mander, Lewis Norman (Lew) - Biographical entry - Encyclopedia of Australian Science". www.eoas.info.
  3. ^ "COMPANION OF THE ORDER OF AUSTRALIA". Australian Government. Retrieved 21 January 2019.
  4. ^ Shirley, Adam (26 January 2018). "ANU Professor Lewis Mander awarded a Companion of the Order (AC) in the 2018 Australia Day Honours". ABC Canberra Breakfast Show. Australian Broadcasting Commission. Retrieved 21 January 2019.