In Memoriam: Judith McKenzie

Those who had the pleasure to know and work with Judy will remember her as an enthusiastic, charming, and diplomatic colleague and friend with a highly positive attitude towards science and life. Judy had a long career at ETH Zurich, starting with the completion of her doctorate in 1976 with Prof. Ken Hsü. She continued as a senior scientist at the Geological Institute, where she and Ken set up the stable isotope laboratory and introduced courses in chemical sedimentology and limnogeology. After a stay at the University of Florida in Gainesville as associate professor, she returned to ETH in 1987 and was appointed full professor in 1996. She was the first female professor at the Department of Earth Sciences and the tenth female to be appointed full professor at ETH. Although she retired in 2007, she remained an active member of the department and continued to serve on numerous committees for various international professional societies and programmes.

Her research concentrated on studies of past climate and environmental change recorded in chemical sediments from both lacustrine and marine systems, with a special focus on the role of microbes on dolomite precipitation. Judy has made pioneering contributions to the fields of limnogeology and chemical sedimentology, and she introduced the field of geomicrobiology to the department and curriculum at ETH Zurich. Her work and engagement were highly valued by the international science community, for which she received numerous awards. Judy was instrumental in promoting Swiss participation in different phases of the international ocean drilling programmes (DSDP, ODP, IODP). This participation opened the door for many Swiss researchers and strongly influenced their careers. Judy was always happy to share her knowledge with the younger generation, her former students, and post-doctoral researchers, who also benefitted from her outstanding writing and editing skills. Her unconditional trust in young researchers and her role as supporter, promoter, and model for students and colleagues had and will have a long-lasting impact on our community.

We will miss her bright personality and unwaning enthusiasm. She will always remain an important role model and good friend in our memories, and will be greatly missed by the international community.

Written by Stefano Bernasconi, Helmut Weissert, Crisogono Vasconcelos, Miriam Andres, Flavio Anselmetti, Gretchen Früh-Green