Harry Lonsdale (1932-2014): Editor, Journal of Membrane Science (1976-1989)

TY - JOUR

T1 - Harry Lonsdale (1932-2014)

T2 - Editor, Journal of Membrane Science (1976-1989)

AU - Zydney, Andrew

N1 - Funding Information: Editor, Journal of Membrane Science (1976–1989) Andrew Zydney Editor-in-Chief, Journal of Membrane Science Harry Lonsdale passed away on November 11, 2014. Many of the younger members of our membrane community may not know about Harry׳s detailed career and his extraordinary contributions. Harry׳s write-up in Wikipedia refers to him as “an American scientist, businessman, and former politician”, highlighting his efforts to become U.S. Senator from Oregon. But, Harry was intimately linked to membranes, and the Journal of Membrane Science , throughout his career. He began his career at General Atomics where he was involved with some of the pioneering work on the development of the first spiral wound modules used in reverse osmosis. He then moved to Alza Corporation in Palo Alto, working with Alan Michaels (among others) on the development of drug delivery systems (many of which were based on membrane technology). Harry founded Bend Research (with Richard Baker) in 1975, specifically focused on developing novel membrane systems. One of their first projects involved the use of membranes for wastewater recycling for NASA׳s earliest space stations. Harry׳s review article on “The Growth of Membrane Technology” ( J Membrane Sci , 10, 81–181, 1982) is still ranked among the 25 most cited articles in the Journal׳s history (out of what are now more than 12,000 peer-reviewed publications). For many of us, it is nearly impossible to imagine a time when there wasn׳t a Journal of Membrane Science . My first technical paper was published in 1982, which was six years after the founding of the Journal . Although no single individual can take full credit for the development of a new journal – it׳s hard to even imagine the effort involved in bringing a new journal to “life” – but in the case of the Journal of Membrane Science , it is very clear that Harry was the person who made this happen. The inspiration for the Journal of Membrane Science came while Harry was spending a 5-month “sabbatical” in the laboratory of Wolfgang Pusch at the Max Planck Institute for Biophysics in Frankfurt, Germany in 1973. Although this was well before my time, I have no doubt that Harry׳s “political skills” were put to the test, both in convincing the key “thought leaders” within the membrane community that this was the right path forward for the development of membrane science and in convincing Elsevier to take on what might have seemed, at the time, to be a “crazy” idea. But, Harry persevered, and the first issue of the Journal of Membrane Science was officially published in 1976, with Harry as Editor-in-Chief, a position he would hold for the next 13 years. There were 22 papers published in that first volume (spanning 4 issues and a total of less than 400 pages). Although it is always hard to judge the “impact” of a given paper or volume, I took a few minutes to look at the citation history of this initial set of publications. As a group, these papers have been cited 1402 times, an average of 63.7 cites/paper. That includes 45 citations (more than 2 per paper) this past year – the work published in that first volume continues to resonate with the broader membrane community today. By comparison, the journal Nature published 1765 papers in 1976 with an average of 68.4 cites/paper – that is nearly indistinguishable from the impact of those early papers in the Journal of Membrane Science . The first volume of the Journal included contributions from nearly every leading membrane researcher at the time, even though the Journal had no track record of success and no visibility within the academic community – agreeing to publish a paper in the Journal of Membrane Science was very much a “roll of the dice”. And, for nearly every one of those early contributors, one of the main reasons for agreeing to submit a paper was their personal and professional connection to Harry Lonsdale. I never got to know Harry personally – his first run for the U.S. Senate was in 1989 when I was still a young Assistant Professor. But, I did receive a personal note of congratulations from Harry when I became Editor-in-Chief in 2008. Harry specifically noted that one of his goals in founding the Journal “was to encourage scientists to investigate what is probably the most important membrane of all, the biomembrane (due to its importance in) human health, disease, and of life itself.” I think Harry was thrilled to watch the development of the Journal over the past 38 years, including the large expansion in membrane applications in human health as well as the growing emphasis on biomimetic membranes and learning from the behavior of biological systems. The attached letters were submitted in response to my invitations to offer more personal perspectives on Harry Lonsdale. These letters are well worth reading – they provide a much deeper perspective and reminiscences into Harry׳s life, his wide-ranging contributions, and the impact that he had on the membrane community. Harry will truly be missed. He was one of real pioneers in the membrane field – the entire membrane community owes Harry a great deal of thanks for his efforts to promote “membranes” including his tireless contributions to the development of the Journal of Membrane Science . Andrew Zydney Editor-in-Chief The Pennsylvania State University--------------------------------------- Our membrane community owes an enormous debt to Harry Lonsdale, whose wisdom and energy created our Journal dedicated to the topic of “Membranology”, dealing with the science and technology of membrane processes. Harry׳s vision to provide a vehicle for the critical exchange of information, insights and analyses has been maintained since the first volume was published in January, 1976, with him as the Editor-in-Chief. As his successor, I was honored to lead a team comprising myself, Tony Fane and Karl Boddeker starting with Volume 61 in 1991. Over the next 17 years, through Vol. 325 in 2008, the team of editors grew to include Pierre Aimar, Young Moo Lee, Jerry Lin, Matthias Wessling and Andrew Zydney. With contributions by core leaders on the editorial and advisory boards, our team maintained Harry׳s vision in a vibrantly growing international field. During my tenure, Harry would periodically check in with me with advice and suggestions, and his inputs were always wise and useful. Beginning in 2009, under the able leadership of Andrew Zydney and his dynamic team, Harry׳s vision has been continued and expanded as the field of membranes has expanded. I know Harry would consider the creation of the Journal to be one of his grand achievements, and it is appropriate to take our collective hats off to him as a visionary. Besides his visionary leadership in starting the Journal , Harry was also a true scholar and intellectual leader in our field. His paper with Ulrich Merten and Bob Riley, Transport Properties of Cellulose Acetate Osmotic Membranes, Journal of Applied Polymer Science , 9(4) 1341–1362(1965), was published over 11 years before the first volume of the Journal of Membrane Science . This paper is a beautifully clear exposition of the solution-diffusion model for reverse osmosis and has been cited over 450 times. I heartily recommend this paper as good reading for any members of our community to see the crystal-clear thinking and writing that were parts of Harry׳s nature. I always looked forward to receiving a holiday card and concise, thoughtful note from Harry. This year I will miss that card, but I will still remember Harry and his unique contributions. I hope our whole community will take a moment to also think about him and what we owe to this special individual. Bill Koros Georgia Institute of Technology--------------------------------------- I first met Harry Lonsdale in 1974 after recently graduating from Bend High School, in Bend, Oregon. Karen, Harry׳s daughter, was my new girlfriend, and I was “summoned” to meet Harry. Harry had recently moved to Central Oregon with his family, as had Richard Baker. Harry and Richard had left Alza in Palo Alto, California, and come to Bend to start their own company, aptly named Bend Research, Inc. (BRI). Harry and I got on well. And I had the incredibly good fortune to be offered a summer job as the fifth employee of Bend Research. Thirty nine years later, shortly before Harry passed away, I retired after serving several years as the third CEO of BRI (after Harry and Chris Babcock). Harry had everything to do with this tremendous opportunity. The world is a different place without Harry Lonsdale—it will take me years to truly process what he means to me, all of the influences he had on my life, and on the lives of countless others. Harry had much to do with the kind of person I am, what I believe in, how I approach science and leadership, and any worthwhile accomplishments. He made me a better person. Yes, he was difficult too, but somehow that aspect of Harry challenged those who came to know him to be that much better. Harry founded a company that ended up being a truly great legacy to him, and that I had the great honor to lead for 8 years. Literally thousands of people benefited directly, both professionally and personally, from his leadership and vision, and certainly from his standards and beliefs; these put into practice by Harry and by those of us who were his “disciples”. Harry had a religious-level reverence for BRI. I remember sitting with him during the “restart,” when things looked pretty dark. I was taking Harry through the plan, as I so often did. He looked at me with great emotion and said “I know you and the team can save it—I׳m counting on you.” That, in itself was hugely motivating. Harry, and Bend Research, forever changed Bend, Oregon. Harry, and the very presence of Bend Research, was the engine that drove “high tech” in Bend for many years. Even now, the number of BRI “spin-offs” is significant in Bend. More subtly, Bend Research, and it is 150–300 science and technology oriented employees, made the barrier lower for new technology companies moving to or being started in Bend. The last time I saw Harry, about 10 days before the end, we spent our lunch talking about what is best for Bend—and particularly the best way to get the OSU Cascades four-year university up and running. This was one of the last of literally 40 years of discussion and effort on his part focused on making Bend, Oregon a better place. One of his last comments to me (right before our last hug) was to stay the course and to do what I could to help get OSU Cascades up and running. Much has been made of Harry׳s two runs for the Senate. A couple of thoughts on that from my perspective. First, as a friend recently said, Harry did not start with something like Mayor. Instead, his first foray into politics was at the U.S. Senate level. This is classic Harry Lonsdale. Second, while I did not necessarily agree with Harry׳s politics, he kept everyone honest, and always at the ready to explain their position. This was no different than any of us that worked for him or with him felt. And I think that added value for a time to the political scene. Harry was like a father to me, and truly was the “Father of Bend Research.” I will miss him greatly, Thank you, Harry. Rod Ray Bend, Oregon--------------------------------------- With Harry Lonsdale׳s passing away the membrane research community lost one of its most prominent members. Harry׳s contributions to membrane science and technology are characterized by solid basic research and inspiring new ideas. His early work on the development of reverse osmosis membranes has been a significant contribution to the practical use of membranes in water desalination. Together with his colleague, Richard Baker, Harry then set up Bend Research Incorporated. The company grew rapidly and very soon was recognized as one of the leading institutions in the United States focusing on the development of new membranes and membrane processes for clients from all over the world. But Harry׳s most important contribution to the development of the membrane community was the founding of the Journal of Membrane Science in the late 70s. Before the Journal of Membrane Science became available, membrane related research work was published in a number of journals which were focused on very different and specific topics such as desalination or polymer chemistry and process technology. Membrane-related manuscripts played only a minor role in these journals and their impact was often quite low. After its founding, the Journal of Membrane Science became very rapidly the main forum for the publication of all membrane related manuscripts. With Harry Lonsdale as Editor, the Journal achieved very high quality standards. Today it is the most important source of communication for authors and readers interested in membrane science. The founding of the Journal of Membrane Science by Harry is certainly an important milestone in the history of membrane science. But Harry׳s interests and activities were not only membrane related. He also became involved in political issues. His engagement in environmental protection and a sustainable industrial development in Oregon have found large acceptance and support. For me Harry was not only a highly respected colleague but also a very close friend. Since I first met him and his family in 1972 in Germany, we spent time together traveling, hiking and having often long and interesting discussions about Harry׳s new ideas and activities. Harry has left us now and we will surely miss him. He will always be remembered by his friends and colleagues, not only for his outstanding achievements in membrane science and technology and his engagement in important environmental issues, but also for being a trusted and reliable friend. Heiner Strathmann University of Stuttgart--------------------------------------- Harry was one of the true pioneers in advancing membrane technology, not only in the U.S. but worldwide. As the founder of the Journal of Membrane Science , he had the foresight to understand that this technology area needed its own venue to expand and flourish. The journal is now the top research journal for membrane science and technology and is recognized internationally as such. He was also a founder of Bend Research, which was at the forefront of membrane research and technology development during this same time period. I started conducting research in the membrane area in the early 80׳s when I started work at the National Bureau of Standards (now NIST) in Boulder, Colorado. I do not remember the first time that I met Harry but I quickly learned that Bend Research and the Journal of Membrane Science were key elements in research at that time. I do remember that Harry organized a workshop for membrane researchers in Bend, Oregon and issued the “battle cry” that the U.S. needed to move forward and be a leader. This was at a time when there was no mention of membranes in any textbooks on separation technology and certainly no software that could be used for design purposes. He was very passionate about the role of membrane science and technology for chemical separations. He was also a very pleasant and engaging person who was willing to share his knowledge and passion for the topic with a young researcher (such as I was) at that time. Membrane science and technology owes a big “thank you” to Harry. He pushed the field when it needed it and the results can be seen both in the Journal of Membrane Science and the participation in meetings such as NAMS in the U.S. and ICOM internationally. Prof. Richard D. Noble Alfred T. & Betty E. Look Professor of Chemical Engineering University of Colorado, Boulder--------------------------------------- I first met Harry in 1967 in Athens at the 2nd European Symposium on Fresh Water from the Sea – a memorable first international event in the field of desalination. His paper appeared in my Desalination journal. In 1971 I invited him to the Editorial Board as one of the prominent spokesmen of the budding membrane field. A few years later Harry suggested to me there should be a journal dealing with “other” membranes for which there were many uses such as in the pharmaceutical industry. We promised to accept only “our” papers and I introduced him to Elsevier who as we know responded to this and the Journal of Membrane Science was born in 1975 and continues to flourish today. I was touched when Harry kindly thanked me in his brief bio in the NAMS newsletter. Then in about 1976 we met in Washington where he told me that he and Richard Baker had had 26 meetings with agencies resulting in the foundation of Bend Research. Significantly it was in these years in Washington that OSW announced that it was time for industry to take over. And this was exactly what Harry did. He not only wished to make it financially stable but was fulfilling a need to be supported by research. And then again, when he sold and retired from Bend Research he wished to make a difference and pursue his dreams of promoting environmental and societal issues. He made an attempt to enter politics striving to benefit society. Harry should be remembered for his ideas, entrepreneurship and daring to successfully turn these ideas into sustainable action. Miriam Balaban Desalination, Founding Editor, 1966–2009 Desalination and Water Treatment, Editor-in-Chief, 2009--------------------------------------- When at odds with his son Sandy, Harry would muse “ he does not apply himself” , a telling reflection on his own multifaceted involvement. My farewell to Harry Lonsdale is based on a letter written in response to his announcement of the Origin of Life Research Award (“ my latest adventure” , 2011), with added hints at relocating to Southern California. This is my letter to him. Dear Harry, The latest moves in your life make me ponder (and wonder). Gain and loss seem so close. New horizons (again) and returning to the place from where you started (and parted) a lifetime ago – looking then for the simple life among spiritual equals, a clean creek to go fishing, and a place for the books. Bend Research has since given in to competitive marketing (“ it was like losing a child” ), but, as far as I know, it still says “Founding Editor: Harry Lonsdale, Bend, Oregon” on the inside cover of the Journal of Membrane Science . About motivation: One observation which you voiced at times was that lesser achievement often receives more recognition. In your words “ I could do at least as well as him” (if given the chance), followed by some politician׳s name (you took the chance). About the origin of life: I suppose you refer to the claim by Craig Venter to have found the key (see Scientific American of Sept. 2009). I used the issue as a teaching aid and deterrent: It is a disgrace to our profession that so few of us have the courage to simply admit “we do not know” when in fact we do not, inventing fudge factors (like a “cosmological constant”) instead. The list of unknowns is long, and yet headed by the origin of life; others are gravity and assorted follow-ups of life itself: photosynthesis, silk, the biogenesis of mineral oil, the caprioles of the human mind …… Harry, there is much to remember you by besides membranes. Karl Wilhelm Böddeker (Karl) Hamburg Technical University--------------------------------------- The earliest work of Harry׳s of which I am aware has to do with the mechanism (solution/diffusion) of water and salt transport through cellulose acetate membranes. In my early years at the GE corporate laboratory in the mid to late 60׳s this was one of those articles that our membrane group referred to regularly. Harry and I met at a Membrane Gordon Conference in the early 70s. Harry told me how it was that he and Richard Baker started Bend Research. I was in awe of his guts, especially since they based the company funding largely on government contracts. Harry visited the GE corporate lab in 75 and I well remember asking him how they intended to make it for the long run. Harry said something to the effect that somehow products and a valuable company would result. How right he was. I visited Bend Research in 1982 and found a bunch of folks who were as committed to their work as any group I had ever encountered – AND they wore jeans to work which in those days was uncommon at least at our laboratory. Harry was a creative force. He started Bend Research and that was only the beginning. He founded the Journal of Membrane Science , he pursued education reform, he got every person in his company to clean up nearby roads, he was passionate about campaign finance reform, he ran for the US senate three times, he wrote a book on the heartache and anxiety and excitement of seeking political office, he funded research on the origin of life, and finally the last of his work was giving away his money which he made from the success of Bend Research. In addition to all this Harry consumed books, almost exclusively nonfiction, and many of us received books he sent to us just because he thought we would get as much from them as he did. Harry was a creative, inspiring, fun, loyal friend whom I will dearly miss. William Ward Retired Research Engineer GE Corporate Research and Development--------------------------------------- I really appreciate your initiative for a Journal Membrane Science contribution to Harry Lonsdale, Founding Editor of the Journal. When I was starting my research activities as a Postdoc around 1967, I wrote to Dr. Merten asking for some samples of the new RO membranes. I received a very kind reply from Harry Lonsdale and samples of the CA asymmetric membranes he was developing at that time. My first project and publications were made possible with Harry׳s help. I was lucky a few years later meeting him again and working with him at the Max Planck Institute in Frankfurt, both hosted by Prof. W. Pusch. It was a very interesting, important period in my scientific life. We discussed everything, from membranes to science perspectives to life. I attended his first meeting with Mrs. Burke from Elsevier when he presented his idea for the creation of a new scientific journal: The Journal of Membrane Science . When a few years later he created Bend Research in Bend, Oregon, the first, to my knowledge, private research company totally devoted to membrane science and membrane engineering, he used to invite me, with my family and one or two of my Italian students to spend the Summer period at Bend Research collaborating on projects and continuing our conversations on everything. Harry had a clear vision from the very beginning of the importance of membrane science and the capability to initiate and promote important activities necessary for making real and visible the impact of membrane science at a global level. He for sure has contributed to the success of JMS and to the rapid progress of membrane science. It might be very appropriate to remember to all the young researchers in our field of his scientific successes and of his vision of the importance of membrane science and membrane engineering for the quality of our life and industrial development. Enrico Drioli National Research Council —Institute on Membrane Technology (ITM-CNR)--------------------------------------- Harry Lonsdale was one of my heroes for 35 years. We first met in 1979 at an ACS meeting on ultrafiltration in Washington. It was my first membrane conference and an introduction to the growing world of ‘membranologists’ (as Harry would call them). However it was not until 1983 that I got to know him. In that year we ran our first International Membrane Technology Conference (IMTEC, now IMSTEC) in Sydney. We were delighted that Harry, as one of the pioneers of RO, could come and give the opening Plenary on ‘Recent Developments in Desalination by Reverse Osmosis’. My most vivid recollection of that event is not ‘membranes’ but a lunch with Harry when Paulette and I took him to a famous seafood restaurant overlooking a beautiful Sydney harbor. We discovered a kindred spirit and appreciated his views, ideas and gentle humor. That year, 1983, Harry organized a Conference at Sunriver in Oregon which had a ‘rock-star’ cast and I was a privileged novice among membrane royalty. His friendship and support was very valuable in my early membrane life. I was fortunate to spend 4 months sabbatical at Bend Research in 1986 and found the excitement of this membrane frontier a great motivation for my own research. In 1992 Harry handed over his precious Journal of Membrane Science to Bill Koros, Karl Boddeker and me – what a great privilege! The journal by then was well established and is one of Harry׳s permanent gifts to the membrane community. It was a great honor to help sustain and grow the journal. Although Harry moved away from membranes in the late 1980s we maintained contact thanks to his wonderful letters received each Christmas (I must admit to still having many of these filed away). I admired his courage in running for elected office and can only lament that America missed out on an inspirational legislator. In 1996 I invited Harry back to Sydney to give the dinner speech at IMSTEC 96, and we heard then of some of his passion for political change. It was a fascinating insight into Harry׳s other world. He wrote eloquently about his experience in his book Running , which is a great read. More recently Harry has shared with us news of his Origin of Life Project; he called it his ‘latest adventure’. This obviously touches on the big issues of existence and typifies Harry׳s desire to take on challenges and fundamental questions. For Paulette and I, it has been our privilege to know Harry and appreciate his friendship and take inspiration from his life. We will miss him greatly. Tony Fane , Sydney, Australia--------------------------------------- I think Harry Lonsdale was one of the brightest men I have ever known. But it was not the intelligence which I most remember: it was the intellectual generosity. When I talked with Harry, I told him everything I was thinking, and he responded in kind. He was especially interested in anything which made either of us change the way we were thinking. It was exhilarating, like a strenuous but stress-free walk. I felt like an acolyte, listening to a master; like a prospector, an explorer of a mental world; but Harry also made me feel a peer, a fellow searcher. He gave stimulation, challenge, and equality in equal measure. Ironically, I am writing this in the public library in McCall, Idaho, surrounded by the same smells and sounds as those around Bend OR. Because Harry so loved this kind of environment, I will associate the smell of pine with talking with Harry for the rest of my life. Ed Cussler IT Distinguished Professor University of Minnesota--------------------------------------- Harry Lonsdale׳s career spanned the development of membrane technology, from the era when the Office of Saline Water under the Department of the Interior was the major funding source for early research in the field to the burgeoning industry it is today. He was both witness to [JMS] and participant in [Bend Research] the spectacular growth of the field. My principal interactions with Harry were with the Journal and the Gordon Conference on Membranes. At the time he founded the Journal, articles on membrane technology were few and those few were scattered over a wide range of publications. When Harry invited me to serve on the Board, I was not certain that there was sufficient activity to warrant a separate journal. How wrong I was! The Journal brought together a wide range of membrane R & D people and focused attention on progress in the field. Likewise the Membrane Gordon Conference brought together people who shared an interest in membranes and came from a wide span of disciplines. Harry׳s genius was to facilitate these interactions and to know who and where significant developments were being made. Harry put his stamp on membrane technology as we know it today and we are in his debt for his wisdom in uniting the membrane community through the Journal and those early conferences which helped define the present field of membrane science and engineering. John A. Quinn Robert D. Bent Professor Emeritus of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering School of Engineering and Applied Science University of Pennsylvania--------------------------------------- I was very sorry to hear that Harry Lonsdale has passed away. He informed me a few months ago that he was ill but I thought that he still had a number of good years ahead of him. He was an excellent scientist as well as a capable businessman. One of his main contributions to membrane science probably was as founder and first editor of the Journal of Membrane Science. I helped Harry edit this journal for several years after he founded it. Harry also had other interests. First as founder of Bend Research in Bend, Oregon, which he apparently sold after a number of years in order to enter senatorial politics. I understand he strived to become national senator in Washington DC instead of starting in local Oregon politics. Regretfully, he was unsuccessful in this endeavor, probably because he was not sufficiently well known as a politician. I lost contact with Harry after he entered politics but we continued to exchange letters for the New Year. He was a very intelligent, competent and likeable person who will be greatly missed by his friends. May he rest in peace! S. Alexander Stern (Alex) Paris

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