It is with great sadness that I pass on the news that Associate Professor Ian Whittington passed away last Sunday (27 October 2014) after a long illness. Ian was 54 years old.
Throughout his career, Ian has been an enthusiastic researcher and a champion of studies of the biology of monogenean parasites of fishes. After completing his PhD under the supervision of Dr Graham Kearn at the University of East Anglia, UK, Ian moved to Brisbane in 1987 to take up a University of Queensland Post-Doctoral Fellowship in the Department of Parasitology. He was to remain in Brisbane until 2001, serving in a number of key academic positions including Senior Lecturer in that Department and Director of the Heron Island Research Station.
In 2001, Ian moved to Adelaide to take up senior scientific and academic positions at the South Australian Museum and University of Adelaide. Ian was the Head of Biological Sciences at the Museum and the senior science representative on the Executive Team of the Museum.
Ian was passionate about monogeneans. He published over 170 articles on the biology and taxonomy of these important external parasites. He made significant contributions to the knowledge of tropical marine parasitology. Ian was an important consultant to the aquaculture industry on the biology and control of these pathogenic organisms, and many of his graduate students now work in senior fisheries and aquaculture positions in government. Ian served on the editorial boards of many journals in parasitology. He chaired the organizing committees of a number of conferences, notably the International Symposium on Monogeneans and a recent ASP conference in Adelaide.
Ian passed away at a hospice in Adelaide, surrounded by family and friends. A memorial service to celebrate his life will be held in coming days.
Regards,
Robin B. Gasser,
On behalf of ASP Executive.
