Hans Charles Freeman AM, FAA was a German-born Australian bioinorganic chemist, protein crystallographer, and professor of inorganic chemistry who spent most of his academic career at the University of Sydney.
26 Facts About Hans Freeman
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Hans Freeman's best known contributions to chemistry were his work explaining the unusual structural, electrochemical, and spectroscopic properties of blue copper proteins, particularly plastocyanin.
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Hans Freeman introduced protein crystallography to Australia and was a strong advocate for courses to ensure Australian scientists have good access to "big science" facilities.
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Hans Freeman was a charismatic lecturer who voluntarily continued teaching well into his formal retirement and imbued his students with a love of science.
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Hans Charles Freeman was the first and only son of Karl and Lotte Freeman and was born in Breslau in Germany in 1929.
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Hans Freeman adapted well to his new environment, quickly mastering his new language and demonstrating his outstanding scholastic ability.
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Hans Freeman was dux of his primary school, dux of Sydney Boys High in 1945, and took his bachelor's degree with the university medal in chemistry in 1949.
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Hans Freeman was one of the ten chemistry students in his class at Sydney Boys High to go on to become Professors of Chemistry.
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Hans Freeman received a PhD in 1957 for his work on the structure of biuret hydrate, where he completed most of the calculations for the crystal structure by hand.
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Hans Freeman came to Australia with his parents and his sister, Eva.
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Hans Freeman met Edith Siou in 1964 and they married in 1966.
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Hans Freeman was appointed to the faculty of the University of Sydney in 1954 as a Lecturer, working his way up until he was made the inaugural Professor of Inorganic Chemistry in 1971.
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Hans Freeman pioneered the use of computers in crystallography in Australia, working on SILLIAC after its installation in 1956.
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In 1970, the focus of Hans Freeman's research became protein crystallography and he turned his attention to the blue copper proteins and particularly the electron transport protein plastocyanin.
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Later in his career, Hans Freeman developed an interest in the applications of EXAFS spectroscopy to metalloprotein structure, collaborating with both James Penner-Hahn and Keith Hodgson.
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Hans Freeman provided advice to the Australian Government on the problem of access to "big science" facilities.
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Hans Freeman served as a board member of the ASRP until its functions were subsumed under the newly commissioned Australian Synchrotron in 2008.
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Hans Freeman retired from his Chair in 1997, and was succeeded by Len Lindoy FAA.
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Hans Freeman's lecturing was described as "charismatic" and "teaching was a love and a privilege and never an obligation" for him.
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Hans Freeman was principally responsible for the establishment of structural biology as a discipline in Australia.
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Hans Freeman founded the first protein crystallography laboratory in Australia; by the time of his death, there were at least 15 active research groups carrying out protein crystallography in Australia and New Zealand.
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The groups interact through the Society of Crystallographers of Australia and New Zealand ; Hans Freeman was instrumental in forming the organisation in 1976, and was its Foundation President.
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Hans Freeman's teaching leaves a legacy of "generations of students imbued with a love of science".
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Hans Freeman was recognised for his professional achievements with Fellowships in the Royal Australian Chemical Institute in 1968, the Royal Society of Chemistry in 1984, and the Australian Academy of Science in 1984.
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Hans Freeman's contributions were recognised by the Australian Government with a Centenary Medal in 2001 for "service to Australian society and science in chemistry" and with his appointment as a Member of the Order of Australia in June 2005 for "service to science and scientific research in the field of bio-inorganic chemistry, particularly through the establishment and development of the discipline of crystallography in Australia".
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In 1980, Hans Freeman received the Burrows Award, the premier award of the Inorganic Chemistry Division of the RACI.