Professor Ray Dupree - memories and messages shared

From the Warwick Community

Ray was a great colleague and always a friendly face in the Physics department. When I joined the faculty in 1997 Ray, together with his old friend and colleague George Rowlands, both went out of their way to make me feel welcome in the department. He always had a smile on his face and was ready to listen and help. Although I wasn't remotely close to Ray's research field it was clear that he was a brilliant scientist and a leader in his field, not that he would have ever bragged about it. I'll miss him and am grateful for all the kindness he showed me. From Matthew Turner, Warwick Physics

Ray, you welcomed me very warmly into the Department, and you were always available for a chat, sharing your wisdom on the University, research and life in general - thank you! The Department will not be the same without you. Rest in peace. From Boris Gaensicke, Warwick Physics

I first met Ray as the external examiner for my PhD - we had a nice discussion, and he didn't give me too much of a grilling! Five years later it was a pleasure to join the group at Warwick and become Ray's colleague. I was always struck by the breadth of knowledge Ray had acquired over his long and varied career, from exotic NMR of inorganic systems to (in my view) extremely complicated biological samples. All this was at the tip of his fingers, recalling a helpful paper or method to help with a project in the group. I am very grateful for the welcome Ray showed me and his scientific advice. The loss of his expertise and friendship is a blow to Warwick NMR, but we are lucky that we could rely on it for so long. My heartfelt condolences to his family, friends, and innumerous colleagues past and present. From Michael Hope, University of Warwick

Ray was a gentle man whose depth of knowledge and love of science and NMR was infectious. It was a pleasure to work with him almost every day for the past 6 years. He loved working with Paul and I enjoyed learning and understanding plant structure basics with him since it wasn't we both weren't well versed in it! He loved walking and would regularly go for long walking holidays and even at 87 would come back with photos of lovely views from the top of another mountain/hill he had walked up. Ray was very good at giving criticism in a way that didn't feel harsh and was light hearted and encouraging. Some of the waffle I gave Ray to read especially early on was met with well meaning pointers that were always very useful. Over the years, whilst guiding me I felt we had a good friendship and he was a great support through everything and I'd like to think I help him too. I will miss him greatly and I hope to maintain the high standard of scientific work he produced. Sending best wishes and thoughts to his family who I know he loved dearly. From Rosalie, Warwick Physics

I first met Ray when I joined the group at Warwick to begin my PhD almost three years ago. I was immediately amazed by how sharp minded and deeply knowledgeable he was about NMR. Even at the age of 87, he came to work every day, fully engaged and truly enjoying what he did. I often told others how remarkable he was, and I will continue to do so. Ray was always there to offer advice with kindness and to help whenever we needed it. One thing that never ceased to impress me was how whenever there was a discussion about some exotic nuclei, he was immediately engaged, sharing techniques, insights, and stories from papers he had authored decades ago, often on topics he had worked on long before many of us were born. What I admired most about Ray was the deep respect and understanding he showed to everyone around him. He was a truly down-to-earth person, and it was an honour to have the opportunity to work alongside someone so remarkable. He will be deeply missed and fondly remembered. From Svetlana Pavlovic, Warwick Physics

I first met Ray Dupree in Jan 1986 as part of the then wider NMR group I became part of. Although we worked together on the NMR studies of the High Tc Cuprate superconductors only for a brief period around 1987-8, we have always shared stories of our research activities since then almost till just the week before he passed away. His passion and love for his work was infectious and I always teased him about his new 'love' late in his career of studying trees and plants (far cry from superconducting materials!)- you could tell he truly found real joy in this new passion, working with his son Paul's group in Cambridge. Ray was a great companion to discuss topics in science or politics over coffee and he was always eager to show off his new results or boast about his next high impact paper (in the Nature group)! He was a kind, gentle person with a strong interest in matters outside of science: he loved walking/hiking, travelling, and enjoyed good food/wine and cheeses. Many of us in the the 'wider group' have been to many parties he has generously hosted in his house on summer evenings, when he was able to, usually after he had taken a trip to France in his car to bring back a good selection of wines and cheeses! I will miss talking to him -we met regularly for coffee even after he moved to Milburn House and all through the Covid lockdowns when we used to meet in his garden or take walks in the neighbouring parks. Although he went through a number of difficult patches in his life, all of which must have taken quite toll on him, his passion for his work kept him going and he remained strong throughout. It is difficult for me to come to terms with the fact that I will not see him again -he is now the last of all the previous occupants of the 2nd floor of Physics I knew when I first started at Warwick, to pass away. My deepest sympathies go to his family. From Geetha Balakrishnan, Warwick Physics

I remember Ray in the first few months of my PhD very quietly saying “the peak is moving”, I could sense Ray’s excitement and curiosity even if at the time I didn’t fully understand the implications of what we were observing. I felt rather lost when I first came to Warwick but the first of many house parties at Ray’s or other academics in NMR soon made me feel at home. NMR seemed to involve a lot of drinking tea and coffee. If you wanted an explanation of an aspect of your experiment you didn’t understand the best thing to do was wait for tea which, in the early days was in the laboratory, right next to the spectrometer. Just listening to conversations, especially when Ray was involved was an education. Ray had an amazing memory and could discuss any branch of physics with a passing student. I was lucky enough to join the group at a time when we built and repaired instruments ourselves. Ray was a brilliant teacher, knowing when to let you do it yourself or when to step in with a little more help. I feel privileged to have known Ray for 37 years and I’m proud to write he was my friend. I will especially treasure our regular morning coffee times after Ray retired (from teaching undergraduates anyway). We would put the world or the university to rights or discuss some science. I particularly enjoyed learning about the early days of NMR. Some of what I learnt then, I still use today and try to pass on to the future generations of spectroscopists. My door would always be open when we were having coffee and we would be joined now and again by other colleagues, students, visitors and sometimes someone that would pass by and recognise Ray. It was easy to understand how much Ray was respected but also loved in the department. He will be very much missed by myself and my partner Jane, he had such a positive influence on both our lives. Always inquisitive, always wondering, always thinking, always kind. A wonderful man to have known, he leaves an incredible legacy but also a void. From Andrew Howes, Warwick Physics

To Ray's family My sincerely condolences regarding Ray's passing. He was a great member of the faculty and an excellent example of and for those who think that normal retirement is not for real scientists. His scientific contributions were remarkable and so was he. Rest in peace. From Jeremy Sloan, Warwick Physics

Ray was one of those people whose love and dedication for physics was always clear whenever you met him. He usually had something (experiment, interesting paper, etc.) going on and was keen to tell you about it. This remained true from when I first met him in 2002 to my last running into him for coffee in the department earlier this year. A true physicist in the best meaning of the term. From Rudo Roemer, Warwick Physics

Ray was a great colleague who was always friendly and happy to help by sharing his advanced understanding of NMR. His recent work on the NMR of plants was inspiring. I will miss him being around in Millburn House. From Gavin Morley, Warwick Physics

From friends and collaborators

My deepest sympathies to you all. Ray was a truly exceptional person who touched countless lives with his warmth, generosity, and quiet wisdom. I will always be grateful for the support he gave me during my experiments—his deep knowledge, thoughtful insights, and sincere interest in my work made a lasting impact. His guidance and encouragement meant more than words can express, and I feel privileged to have worked alongside him. May your memories of Ray bring comfort and peace in the days to come. From Gregory Rees, University of Oxford

I am very sad to hear of the passing of Ray Dupree. He was a lovely man and an inspiring and enthusiastic scientist, and it's clear that he has built an extraordinary and lasting legacy in the Warwick NMR centre. I have a fond memory of once visting him in his office which was populated with extraordinary tottering piles of papers, in the old style. Our conversation came round to something I was interested in at the time, I think something to do with oxygen-17, if I remember correctly. I mentioned some particular observation or research idea. Ray leapt out of his chair, went to one of the tottering piles, and deftly extracted a page from near the centre of the unstable heap, and handed it to me with a flourish. It was exactly the piece of data we had been talking about! Astonishing - like a magician's trick. Ray was a one-off. He will be greatly missed. From Malcolm Levitt, University of Southampton

To the family, friends, and colleagues of Professor Ray Dupree, I was deeply saddened to hear of Ray’s passing, and I would like to extend my sincerest condolences to all who had the privilege of knowing him—especially his family and colleagues at the University of Warwick. As both an undergraduate and graduate student at Warwick, I came to know Professor Dupree not just as a gifted physicist and dedicated academic, but as a profoundly kind and generous human being. With us students his ability to listen, truly listen, with patience and warmth made him someone we all looked for when in need. On countless occasions, he helped me untangle both complex physics problems and moments of personal doubt, always with his signature encouraging smile that never failed to brighten my day. Some of my fondest memories are of the many hours we spent in thoughtful conversation over coffee, the shared laughter during lunches, and the gentle guidance he offered with sincerity and grace. Even long after my student days had ended, he was always happy to welcome me back during visits to Warwick, and chatting with him felt as natural and comforting as ever. I will miss his warm spirit deeply on my next visit, and I know I am far from alone in that sentiment. Professor Dupree’s legacy lives on not only in the academic contributions he made, but in the countless students and early career scientists whose lives he touched with kindness, wisdom, and humanity. With heartfelt sympathy, Jason. From Jason S Gardner, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, USA

During my career with Bruker (originally “Bruker Spectrospin” which I joined in 1976) initially as an Engineer working with NMR systems and progressing to running the UK customer service organisation and finally as Global Service Development Manager for Bruker BioSpin, I often met with Ray to discuss any issues he was having with Bruker manufactured equipment or to provide support. OK – if I am honest, Ray normally only contacted me directly if he was not entirely happy with any aspect of Bruker Service which of course, I would do my best to rectify. However, I would often encounter him on my visits to the Physics Department and he always made time to have a friendly word. He was very much a pillar of the Physics Department (and indeed the University) over his very long career and will be sadly missed by colleagues, students and all who had the privilege of knowing him. Please accept my sincere condolences. From Roger W Munn, Bruker UK Ltd. / Bruker Biospin Corporation

Ray Dupree was a huge influence on my early career. I can still remember as if it was yesterday although it 40 years ago visiting Warwick to select a project. Ray's description of this new technique of magic angle spinning and how they wanted to learn about how it could be applied to ceramics and glasses was totally fascinating. I am very grateful for the training, guidance and support Ray gave developing me as a researcher. Ray was one of the very best magnetic resonance researchers of his generation and anticipated trends, keeping doing new things. Ray was a key foundation of Warwick as an international centre of excellence in NMR. His publication record will be a lasting testament to his quality and contribution. I look back with fond memories to the times when we worked so closely together with almost 60 jointly authored papers. His insatiable and continuing enthusiasm for research was something I greatly admired. Thank you Ray. From Mark E. Smith, University of Southampton

I am so very sorry to hear of Ray’s passing. I remember all the discussions we had on setting up the National High Field Solid State NMR Facility at Warwick, where Ray was of course, a major contributor. He was someone you could have in-depth, robust discussions on science that would often continue the next time you met him - always productive. When all commercial airline flights were grounded after 9/11, Ray and I had long discussions on life at Geneva airport as we waited to hear when planes would fly again. It was a strange time for the whole world, and I came to know Ray a little better as a result of that time. Whenever we met after that at a conference, or another airport, we would continue those life discussions, which I greatly enjoyed. From Melinda Duer, University of Cambridge

I am very sorry to hear of the passing of Ray. I never sadly got to meet him, but had started some work with his son and we were planning to do some NMR studies (with Ray no doubt) at Warwick. My deepest condolences to Paul, his son, but also collaborator and friend. Also to his other family at this sad time. From Steve Eichhorn, University of Bristol

It was sad to hear the news about the passing of Prof. Ray Dupree. His enthusiasm for NMR and science in general and his passion for life will always be remembered by those who had the privilege to work alongside him, even if for just a few years. He was exceptionally generous with all, welcoming everybody to his office in the University of Warwick or even at his beautiful home. I’ll keep in my memory the tales from the adventures in his charity trek in Peru and all the stories he loved to share with the newcomers to England… To his family and friends, my deepest condolences. From Jair Freitas, Federal University of Espírito Santo, UFES, Brazil

Ray was a genuinely lovely person who both my wife and I have always remembered fondly. I feel lucky to have been a part of the Warwick NMR group that he founded. Our condolences to his family and friends. From Luke O'Dell, Deakin University

It was an honour to have known Ray (& Dot) during my time studying NMR. He taught me and introduced me to so much; using the UNIX "quadrupole" computer, the physics of DOuble Rotation, and DNP, and Knight Shift... he was an inspiration to all students even if they weren't "his" students, has passion for learning and understanding nature was powerful. Ray was also great fun on conferences, I especially remember Chamonix where he would encourage us to go hiking (and Dot went paragliding!). He even opened up his house for the occasional party (drinks and nibbles) and would show off his cellar! Ray leaves behind a huge legacy, not just his impact on the field of NMR, but with every person he touched with his kindness and enthusiasm. From Nathan Barrow, Warwick alumnus (2002-2010)

As a retired installation/service engineer for solid state NMR systems, I was a regular visitor to Warwick University Physics for over 40 years. Ray was the first academic there that I worked with back in 1985. Throughout all the many developments and changes that have happened during this time, Ray remained the singular reassuring constant. Ray was never one to be isolated away in a remote office. He was always to be found very hands on and deeply involved with the experimental work of the lab. Ray was synonymous with the solid state NMR group at Warwick and its going to be difficult to imagine the group without him there. I will fondly remember him as an excellent NMR Physicist and a much respected member of the world wide NMR community. On a personal level a kind and friendly man. From Adrian Brunsdon, Bruker Installation/Service Engineer

I was so sorry to hear the news about Ray. I first met him back in about 1986 when I was looking to plan a collaboration with a solid state NMR expert as part of a fellowship proposal. I can't remember how I found Ray's name (no Google back then), but I do remember calling him completely out of the blue and being told about this exciting thing called magic angle spinning and all the things that they could do with it. He willingly invited me, a random cold-calling geologist, to visit from Manchester and very soon I was regularly visiting Warwick with samples of water-bearing glasses. It proved to be the luckiest phone call of my career and an incredibly productive collaboration followed, including a further three years based within the solid state NMR group at Warwick. The success of the collaboration with Ray and his team and all the things I learned from him set me up for my subsequent career as an academic. I will be forever grateful for his openness, enthusiasm and guidance. From Simon Kohn, University of Bristol

I am very sad about the loss of such a kind human both on the scientific as well as the personal level. I spent two years in the solid-state NMR group as a postdoc supervised by Steven Brown (2014-2016). Even though I didn't have a direct project with Ray for most of the time, he was always genuinely interested, asking many questions and giving scientific advice in group seminars. Furthermore, he was always generous: For example, he often brought fruits from his garden to the office and shared them with us. This generosity also expanded to the science: Towards the end of my stay at Warwick University, I was contributing a small calculation to one of his works together with his son on plant cell walls. During the manuscript writing and even more so during the revision process, he very patiently explained me the steps, why which aspect was important and how they advanced the manuscript to be as concise and reader-friendly as possible. This demonstration on how each element was linked to another to tell an enjoyable and scientifically valuable story has stuck with me to this day and I will always benefit from how he generously shared his knowledge and his experience. I feel blessed that I had the chance to interact with and learn from Ray. I would have preferred to say it to him in person rather than write it as a message of condolence, but what he gave me and others so generously, will stay and has made and will continue to make a difference! My thoughts are with his family. From Ann-Christin Pöppler, University of Würzburg

Ray was a great scientist with a green thumb to bring big funding for equipment in, and the world is poorer without him. I met Ray in 1993, coming fresh off my PhD at Forschungszentrum Juelich in Germany. Like so many others, I was surfing the High Temperature Superconductor wave and I was wondering: what next? In the day, working abroad was not yet as common place as it is today, but Ray opened the doors to international cooperation and a whole other world of science, and I will always be thankful for that. I never felt like an outsider at Warwick, not for one day. Andy, Martin, Gheeta, Custard, Graham, Don - and Ray - made sure of that. The atmosphere was congenial and inviting, like a big family. I had not heard of the University of Warwick before, I had not heard of the West Midlands - but I knew that there had to be something there in the middle part of England. As Andy kept graciously reminding me, Germans did know about Coventry though. I met people from all over the world at Ray's lab and started many long-lasting work connections. When I arrived, Ray was on a Sabbatical, in California I think. Andy welcomed me into the fold and the first thing I learned was that I had to go off to a conference in Scotland. Ray paved my way from abroad during his Sabbatical, and everything went smoothly. After five years at Warwick, I felt like one of the lads and I took my leave only with sadness. Thank you Ray for a great growth experience! You will be missed. From Rudi Michalak, University of Wyoming

Ray was a good friend and an inspiration in his work and his activities outside of work. He led an active and full life well into his 80’s. I first encountered him when I was an undergraduate when he presented lectures somewhat shyly but enthusiastically. Later, I joined his group as a Ph.D. student and he became my mentor for my 18 years in solid-state NMR. Ray led a group that was hard-working, dedicated, friendly and fun. I remember his kindness, helping people from overseas to settle in. I will always remember him in his light-coloured suits, happily talking me through his latest research. From Kevin Pike, Thomas Keating Ltd.

I last saw Ray on 6th June at Milburn House and we enjoyed a few memories and I commented that he looked really well. So, like everyone else, it was shocking and sudden news to hear of his passing such a short time afterwards. I first met Ray whilst I was at BP Research, his research into the structure and dynamics of glasses intersecting with my interests in heterogeneous catalysts. I left there to start the European subsidiary for Chemagnetics, a US-based startup. At that time researchers would apply for money from EPSRC, not be funded and go silent for 2 years. I persuaded Ray that he go back to EPSRC immediately and say the work he was proposing was very important. I offered my ‘selling skills’ to assist with his applications. It took us 3 years, however, the first 14.1 T wide bore magnet (Magnex Scientific) based spectrometer in the UK was funded (the one and only 600 WB). In fact, it was either the first or the second delivered in the world (with Nijmegen being the other one (Oxford Instruments) and also provided by Chemagnetics). Once he had ordered, he asked me what should he do next. I said,’ Apply again!’. He did, and was immediately funded. This was an important step for both of us: for him it really allowed him to expand his scientific interests with concomitant results; for me, well I had a University of Oxford purchaser assume that Oxford had more spectrometers from me/Chemagnetics. ‘No, Warwick has more’, I said. They said, ‘We’d better change that then!’ I have many more fond stories. Apart from the great science, we always spoke when we met at meetings. And recently, it was very obvious that his joint research with his son, Paul, brought him great pleasure and satisfaction. He was tickled pink that he had gone from inorganic structural chemistry through to plant biology using NMR as an enabler! Ray shall be sorely missed! From Dr Paul Jonsen, TalaveraScience, ex Chemagnetics NMR Instruments & Varian, Inc.

I knew Ray as his dentist for thirty-odd years. A warm and affable man, he accepted my laughably poor grasp of Physics without criticism and had a gift of explaining esoteric topics in simple, easily assimilated terms. He had an immense enthusiasm for his subject, we never really seemed to get much dentistry done; I was absolutely fascinated by the concept of a 20T electromagnet, latterly even bigger, and discussed such intriguing topics as whether or not it could pull a drawing pin through a door! There is some comfort that he died in full command of his faculties, his incredible intellect undimmed. A lovely man; modest and completely without pretence. Heartfelt condolences to his family. From Rob Bate, friend