In memoriam Melissa Chan 1974–2022

Fig. 1:

Melissa Chan 1974–2022.

Fig. 2:

Melissa Chan pictured with IUPAC Polymer Division Colleagues Greg Russell (Left; Professor, University of Christchurch; IUPAC Polymer Division Past President) and Jiasong He (Right; Professor, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences) in Busan, South Korea, 2015.

In memory of Melissa Chin Han Chan, a cherished member of our community whose passing has left a deep void in our hearts.

Melissa was a remarkable individual, known for her infectious laughter, compassionate nature, endless energy, and commitment to all she did. Her presence was a source of comfort and inspiration to many. In writing this preface to a paper that was accepted after her death, we remember her life and honor her memory, ensuring that her legacy will continue to live on.

Melissa was born on January 2nd, 1974. She obtained her BSc in Industrial Chemistry, PhD in Polymer Blends, and pursued her post-doctoral work all at Universiti Sains Malaysia, Penang, Malaysia. She became an Associate Professor at Universiti Teknoligi MARA in 2003 and then Professor in 2019. She was a Council member and Fellow of IKM (Malaysian Institute of Chemistry), a Fellow of the Institute of Materials, Malaysia, and Honorary Secretary of the Institute of Materials, Malaysia. She also was the Chair of the Polymer and Materials Section of IKM.

She started to work with the IUPAC Polymer Division in 2011, beginning by attending the Division meeting at the General Assembly. She quickly became a key player within the Division, playing an active role both in the Subcommittee of Polymer Terminology (SPT) and Subcommittee of Polymer Education (SPEd). She became Secretary of SPEd in 2020 and had just become the Chair in 2022. She was a force to be reckoned with – she will be remembered for spinning the Division into action to hold the IUPAC Polymer Division Trade Booth at the Macro conferences, and for compelling Division members to record YouTube videos (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCKg5DzBtxwnB45S3PRcX_qw/videos). She was the driving force behind the highly successful (Polymer) Educational Workshops held just prior to all recent MACRO conferences. One of these led to her co-editing a Special Issue on Polymer Science in Chemistry Teacher International (https://www.degruyter.com/journal/key/cti/3/2/html). Above all else, we will remember her passion for all that she did for the Division.

Melissa was also a very active member of the scientific committee of POLY-CHAR World Forum. During the opening ceremony of the recent annual meeting in New Zealand (POLY-CHAR [Auckland] 2023, January 22–26, 2023), Vice President Dr. Michael Hess and Prof. Dr. Jean-Marc Saiter as President honored her memory in a special presentation. Her central role in the scientific group and the dedication of Melissa to develop POLY-CHAR as an inclusive organization spanning all continents was highlighted, and in particular, how she managed the organization of the annual meeting in 2017 in Kuala Lumpur was emphasized. In addition, in view of her countless contributions to the education of young scientists, it has been decided in the scientific committee meeting that the short course preceding the next meeting, POLY-CHAR [Madrid] 2024, will be dedicated to her memory and legacy.

Melissa, we miss you, and we hope we can keep your legacy alive for all future polymer scientists.

Prof. Christine Luscombe President of IUPAC Polymer Division.

Prof. Dr. Jean-Marc Saiter President of POLY-CHAR World Forum.

Prof. Dr. Holger Schönher Deputy President of POLY-CHAR World Forum.

Prof. Dr. Michael Hess Vice president of POLY-CHAR World Forum.

Prof. Igor Lacík Vice President of IUPAC Polymer Division.

Prof. Paul Topham Secretary of IUPAC Polymer Division.

Prof. Greg Russell Former President of IUPAC Polymer Division.