# Neil Waters > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Neil_Waters > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Neil_Waters.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neil_Waters > Source revision: 1349289179 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) {{short description|New Zealand chemist and academic administrator}} {{Use dmy dates|date=September 2019}} {{Use New Zealand English|date=September 2019}} {{Infobox officeholder | name = Neil Waters | image = Neil Waters 1985 (cropped).jpg | caption = Waters in 1985 | order = | title = 2nd [Vice-Chancellor](/source/Vice-Chancellor) of [Massey University](/source/Massey_University) | term_start = 1 February 1983 | term_end = 31 December 1995{{cite web |title=Massey University Timeline |publisher=[Massey University](/source/Massey_University) |date=31 January 2014 |url=http://www.massey.ac.nz/massey/research/library/archives/massey-timeline.cfm |accessdate=11 February 2016}} | predecessor = [Alan Stewart](/source/Alan_Stewart_(educator)) | successor = [James McWha](/source/James_McWha) | birth_name = Thomas Neil Morris Waters | birth_date = {{Birth date|1931|04|10|df=y}} | birth_place = [New Plymouth](/source/New_Plymouth), New Zealand | death_date = {{Death date and age|2018|06|07|1931|04|10|df=y}} | death_place = [Auckland](/source/Auckland), New Zealand | profession = | spouse = {{marriage|[Joyce Mary Partridge](/source/Joyce_Waters)|1959}} | children = | signature = | module = {{Infobox scientist |embed=yes | fields = Inorganic chemistry | workplaces = [Massey University](/source/Massey_University)
[University of Auckland](/source/University_of_Auckland) | patrons = | alma_mater = [Auckland University College](/source/University_of_Auckland) | thesis_title = The colour isomerism and structure of some copper co{{Non breaking hyphen}}ordination compounds | thesis_url = https://researchspace.auckland.ac.nz/handle/2292/2579 | thesis_year = 1957 | doctoral_advisor = [David Hall](/source/David_Hall_(chemist))
[John Llewellyn](/source/John_Llewellyn_(academic)) | academic_advisors = | doctoral_students = [Ted Baker](/source/Ted_Baker_(chemist)) | notable_students = | known_for = | influences = | influenced = }} }} '''Sir Thomas Neil Morris Waters''' (10 April 1931 – 7 June 2018) was a New Zealand inorganic chemist and academic administrator who served as [vice-chancellor](/source/vice-chancellor) of [Massey University](/source/Massey_University) from 1983 to 1995. He is noted for establishing the university's [Albany campus](/source/Massey_University) near [Auckland](/source/Auckland) in 1993.{{cite web |title=Sir Neil Waters |publisher=[Massey University](/source/Massey_University) |url=https://alumnionline.massey.ac.nz/page.aspx?pid=486 |accessdate=11 February 2016}}{{cite web |title=Science Digest: July 1995 |publisher=[Royal Society of New Zealand](/source/Royal_Society_of_New_Zealand) |date=1 July 1995 |url=http://www.royalsociety.org.nz/1995/07/01/1995-07/ |accessdate=11 February 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160215194215/http://www.royalsociety.org.nz/1995/07/01/1995-07/ |archive-date=15 February 2016 |url-status=dead }} ==Early life, family, and education== Born in [New Plymouth](/source/New_Plymouth) on 10 April 1931, Waters was the son of Kathleen Emily Waters (née Morris) and Edwin Benjamin Waters.{{cite book |editor-last=Taylor |editor-first=Alister |editor-link=Alister Taylor |title=New Zealand Who's Who Aotearoa 2001 |year=2001 |publisher=Alister Taylor Publishers |location=Auckland |issn=1172-9813 |page=922}} He was educated at [New Plymouth Boys' High School](/source/New_Plymouth_Boys'_High_School), and went on to study chemistry at [Auckland University College](/source/University_of_Auckland), graduating [Bachelor of Science](/source/Bachelor_of_Science) in 1953, [Master of Science](/source/Master_of_Science) with second-class honours the following year, and [PhD](/source/PhD) in 1958.{{cite web |url=http://shadowsoftime.co.nz/university24.html |title=NZ university graduates 1870–1961: U–Wh |website=Shadows of Time |accessdate=7 September 2019}} His doctoral thesis, supervised by [David Hall](/source/David_Hall_(chemist)) and [John Llewellyn](/source/John_Llewellyn_(academic)), was titled ''The colour isomerism and structure of some copper co‑ordination compounds''.{{cite thesis |last=Waters |first=Thomas |year=1957 |type=Doctoral thesis |title=The colour isomerism and structure of some copper co-ordination compounds |publisher=ResearchSpace@Auckland, University of Auckland |hdl=2292/2579 |url=https://researchspace.auckland.ac.nz/handle/2292/2579}} In 1959, Waters married crystallographer [Joyce Mary Partridge](/source/Joyce_Waters). ==Academic career== Waters was appointed as a lecturer in chemistry at Auckland in 1961, rising to the rank of full professor in 1970. In 1969, he was awarded the degree of [Doctor of Science](/source/Doctor_of_Science) by the University of Auckland on the basis of published papers submitted.{{cite thesis |url=https://catalogue.library.auckland.ac.nz/permalink/f/gkavgk/uoa_alma21159835830002091 |title=Publications |type=DSc |year=1968 |location=University of Auckland |first=Thomas Neil Morris |last=Waters |accessdate=7 September 2019}} Waters served as assistant vice chancellor of the University of Auckland between 1979 and 1981, including a period in 1980 as acting vice chancellor. He left Auckland at the end of 1982, and was accorded the title of professor emeritus by the university in 1984. In 1983, Waters was appointed as principal and vice chancellor of Massey University, serving in that role until 1995. In 1995, Massey also bestowed the title of professor emeritus on Waters. During his career, Waters served on a range of university, science sector, and government bodies, including: the council of the [Australian and New Zealand Association for the Advancement of Science](/source/Australian_and_New_Zealand_Association_for_the_Advancement_of_Science) from 1977 to 1979; the board of the New Zealand University Grants Committee in 1982; the New Zealand Vice Chancellors' Committee from 1983 to 1995, including periods as chair in 1984–85 and 1994; the council of Palmerston North College of Education from 1983 to 1988, the council of Manawatu Polytechnic from 1983 to 1990, as chair of the [Foundation for Research, Science and Technology](/source/Foundation_for_Research%2C_Science_and_Technology) between 1995 and 1998; and chair of the [New Zealand Qualifications Authority](/source/New_Zealand_Qualifications_Authority) from 1995 to 1999. ==Later life and death== From 1997, Waters was an honorary senior research fellow at Massey University's [Albany campus](/source/Massey_University), where his wife Joyce was a professor of chemistry. In 2002, Massey University's governing council considered restoring Waters to the vice-chancellorship as an interim replacement following the retirement of his successor, [James McWha](/source/James_McWha); however, the board was prevented from doing so by the [State Sector Act 1988](/source/State_Sector_Act_1988), which barred the appointment of someone not already on the university's payroll; Waters had since moved to Auckland and no longer worked in the university sector.{{cite news |last=Eames |first=David |title=Massey opts for in-house appointment |work=[The Evening Standard](/source/Manawatu_Standard) |date=9 April 2002 |page=1}} Waters died in Auckland on 7 June 2018, aged 87.{{cite news |url=http://notices.nzherald.co.nz/obituaries/nzherald-nz/obituary.aspx?n=thomas-neil-morris-waters-sir-neil&pid=189238565 |title=Thomas Neil Morris Waters death notice |date=11 June 2018 |work= [The New Zealand Herald](/source/The_New_Zealand_Herald) |accessdate=11 June 2018}} ==Honours and awards== In 1990, Waters was awarded the [New Zealand 1990 Commemoration Medal](/source/New_Zealand_1990_Commemoration_Medal). In the [1995 Queen's Birthday Honours](/source/1995_Birthday_Honours_(New_Zealand)), he was appointed a [Knight Bachelor](/source/Knight_Bachelor), for services to tertiary education.{{London Gazette |issue=54067 |date=17 June 1995 |page=33 |supp=2}} Waters was conferred with honorary [Doctor of Science](/source/Doctor_of_Science) degrees by the [University of East Asia](/source/University_of_East_Asia) in 1986, and Massey University in 1996.{{cite web |title=Honorary Graduates |publisher=[Massey University](/source/Massey_University) |date=4 February 2016 |url=http://www.massey.ac.nz/massey/about-massey/calendar/officers-and-staff-of-the-university/honorary-graduates.cfm |accessdate=11 February 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180425120049/http://www.massey.ac.nz/massey/about-massey/calendar/officers-and-staff-of-the-university/honorary-graduates.cfm |archive-date=25 April 2018 |url-status=dead }} He was elected a Fellow of the New Zealand Institute of Chemistry in 1977, Fellow of the Australian and New Zealand Association for the Advancement of Science in 1979, and [Fellow of the Royal Society of New Zealand](/source/Fellow_of_the_Royal_Society_of_New_Zealand) in 1992. ==References== {{Reflist}} {{Authority control}} {{DEFAULTSORT:Waters, Neil}} Category:1931 births Category:2018 deaths Category:People from New Plymouth Category:People educated at New Plymouth Boys' High School Category:University of Auckland alumni Category:New Zealand chemists Category:Inorganic chemists Category:Academic staff of the University of Auckland Category:Vice-chancellors of Massey University Category:Fellows of the Royal Society of New Zealand Category:New Zealand Knights Bachelor Category:Fellows of the New Zealand Institute of Chemistry --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Neil Waters](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neil_Waters) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neil_Waters?action=history)). 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