In Loving Memory of Professor Douglas Payne

It is with deep sadness that we mourn for the passing away of Professor Douglas PAYNE on March 6, 2022 at his advanced age of 97 in London. We honour the memory of Professor Payne in many aspects, be it his contributions for the Faculty development as the Dean of Science (1968-1974), or his relentless commitment in advancing the Department of Chemistry as our longest serving Head (1966-1982).

Professor Payne’s passing is a great loss to the HKU community. As one of our most respected, beloved and influential teachers in the Faculty, he was loved by generations of students – the establishment of the Douglas Prizes in Chemistry for undergraduate students by his former students in early 1990s was the best proof for that. We believe the Prizes will have ongoing influence in the academic realm and Professor Payne’s spirit will continue to ignite our young bright students. 

We honour the memory of Professor Payne for his dedication and contributions to both the Faculty of Science and Department of Chemistry. He will be dearly missed by all whose lives he touched, and we offer our deepest condolences to his family.