David Hall (chemist)

A student at Auckland University College, Hall graduated Master of Science in 1950 and a PhD in 1955.^[1] The title of his thesis was The Crystal Structure of Formamidoxime.^[2] He was one of the first research students in New Zealand in the area of X-ray crystallography, following the establishment of that research area at Auckland University College by John Llewellyn in 1948.^[3] The subject of both his master's and doctoral theses was the crystal structure of formamidoxime.^[4][5]

Hall was appointed to the academic staff of the Department of Chemistry at Auckland in 1950,^[6] and following the departure of Llewellyn in 1956, he became head of the crystallography research group.^[3] He was appointed professor and head of the Department of Chemistry at Auckland in 1965, but left to become professor of chemistry at the University of Alberta the following year.^[6] However, he returned to Auckland in 1968, and succeeded Peter de la Mare as head of department in 1980,^[6] serving in that role until his retirement in 1984, when he was conferred with the title of professor emeritus by the university.^[7] Hall was appointed chair of the New Zealand University Grants Committee in late 1984.^[8]

Hall was awarded a DSc by thesis from the University of Auckland in 1969,^[9] and he was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of New Zealand in 1972.^[10] His doctoral students included Neil Waters,^[11] Guy Dodson,^[12] and Ted Baker.^[13]

Hall died at his home in Auckland on 15 June 2016.^[14]