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In Memoriam

Edwin D. Becker  3 May 1930 – 4 August 2025
Published/Copyright: October 29, 2025
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Chemistry International
From the journal Chemistry International Volume 47 Issue 4

Abstract

It was with tremendous sadness that we received the message that Edwin D. (Ted) Becker passed away August 4th, shortly after his 95th birthday. With his passing, IUPAC has lost a most passionate supporter, who played a crucial role on several occasions in the history of the Union.

Becker was Secretary General of IUPAC from 1996 through 2003, a service he carried out with integrity, good judgment, and a willingness to help when need be. All these virtues were instrumental on many occasions, in particular when he was in charge of moving the Secretariat from Oxford to RTP, North Carolina, and when he overlooked the transformation of the Union operation from a commission-driven to a project-driven system. He was also a driving force when IUPAC started the development of the International Chemical Identifier (InChI) for chemical substances. And at outset of the collaboration with the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), his diplomatic skills surfaced on several occasions and contributed to move the process forward.

After Ted stepped down as Secretary General, he did not leave the Union behind but remained an active and reliable volunteer that was always interested and willing to listen and give advice. His departure therefore leaves a tremendous void, but also great memories that will remain an inspiration.

https://iupac.org/edwin-d-becker/

Published Online: 2025-10-29
Published in Print: 2025-10-01

©2025 by Walter de Gruyter Berlin/Boston

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

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https://doi.org/10.1515/ci-2025-0416
Creative Commons
BY-NC-ND 4.0

Articles in the same Issue

  1. Can the “Right to Science” Restore Public Trust?
  2. The Future of Science in the Digital Age: Chemistry at a Crossroads
  3. Chemistry for a Fairer, Safer, and More Sustainable World
  4. Science at a Crossroads: Restoring Integrity and Public Trust
  5. Building Trust in Science: A Two-Way Commitment
  6. Science: A Truth Worth Defending
  7. Science Under Siege: Confronting the Hydra’s Many Heads
  8. Masthead - Full issue pdf
  9. Past President’s Column
  10. Chemistry at the Crossroads: Enabling Solutions for a Changing World
  11. Features
  12. IUPAC’s 2025 Top Ten Emerging Technologies in Chemistry
  13. Preventing spread of chemical weapons in an era of rapid technological change
  14. Why think philosophically about chemistry?
  15. Spotlight on IUPAC Young Observers
  16. Spotlight on IUPAC U.S. Young Observers
  17. IUPAC Wire
  18. IUPAC Launches Global Call to Action for Responsible Chemistry
  19. IUPAC Announces the 2025 Top Ten Emerging Technologies in Chemistry
  20. Actions Taken by IUPAC Council, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, July 2025
  21. Recognising Excellence: CCE 2026 Awards—Call for Nominations
  22. 2026 IUPAC-Richter Prize—Call for Nominations
  23. 2026 IUPAC–Soong Prize for Sustainable Chemistry—Call for Nominations
  24. 2026 IUPAC-Solvay International Award for Young Chemists—Call for Applicants
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  36. IUPAC Provisional Recommendations
  37. Basic Classification and Definitions of Polymerization Reactions
  38. Conference Call
  39. IUPAC 2025 in Kuala Lumpur Opened with Focus on Sustainability and Excellence
  40. Restoring Trust in Science: A Global Imperative
  41. Sustainable Practices for Promoting Diversity in Chemistry
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