With deep regret and sorrow we report news of the sudden death of our dear friend and colleague, Professor Fedor Macášek, a founding member of the Editorial Board of Solvent Extraction and Ion Exchange. Professor Macášek spent more than four decades of his professional life as a member of the Faculty of Natural Sciences at Comenius University in Bratislava, Slovakia (1963–2004). After completing his doctoral degree in Physical Chemistry and Radiochemistry at Lomonosov Moscow State University (1962), he began his career at the Department of Inorganic Chemistry at Comenius University. Born to be a leader, with a small team of colleagues he soon became a co-founder (1966) and later a Head of the Department of Nuclear Chemistry, where he co-authored several teaching texts, developed and taught courses in Nuclear and Radiochemistry and a graduate course in Separation Chemistry.
His research activity started with studies of the chemistry of protactinium, sorption of radionuclides on bentonite clays, and application of radiotracers for the transport studies in groundwater. After a visiting position at Chalmers University with Prof. Jan Rydberg (1973), he carried out research on mechanisms of solvent extraction processes and radiation chemistry of biphasic systems, environmental speciation and analysis of radionuclides. As a renowned radiochemist, he was awarded with numerous national research grants and several international projects (IAEA, NATO). During his long academic and research career he authored and co-authored more than 110 well-cited scientific papers, 20 monographs and 14 author certificates.
Later in his academic career (1994–2004) he intensively worked on the IAEA supported project of the Cyclotron Center within the Slovak Office of Standards, Metrology and Testing in Bratislava. He served as a National Coordinator of this project and a Chair of the Chemico-Pharmaceutical Section. He established the system of quality management for the design, development and production of medical radionuclides and radiopharmaceuticals for positron emission tomography. In 2004 he retired from Comenius University as a Professor Emeritus and became a Manager of Quality at the BIONT, the joint-stock company linked to Cyclotron Center.
Professor Macášek will be remembered as an extremely creative and thoughtful scientist, able to seamlessly blend his teaching, research and leadership activities. He established and chaired the Division of Nuclear Chemistry and Radioecology of the Slovak Chemical Society, founded and chaired the biennial international conference SIS “Separation of Ionic Solutes” (1985–2003), served on editorial boards of a few peer-reviewed international journals, was a member of the IUPAC Commission on Radiochemistry and Nuclear Techniques, and cofounder and a board chair of the Curie Foundation. In the 1980’s he also served as the Dean of the Faculty of Natural Sciences at the Comenius University, and the State Secretary of the Ministry of Education (1986–1989 and 1994). He lectured at many places home and abroad: Munich, Gent, Lyon, Denver, Kyoto, Clemson, Moscow, Cairo, Mumbai. He received many highly respected awards and several prestigious medals.
Fedor was a great scientist and his enthusiasm and technical knowledge were crucially important for continuing progress in radiochemistry and radioecology research, production of radiopharmaceuticals and the education of students in radiochemistry. Fedor passed away after a long battle with cancer, just a few months before the 50th anniversary of the Department of Nuclear Chemistry and Radioecology that he co-founded. He will be remembered for his charisma and enthusiasm for life, love of symphonic music, travel, and photography. He will be terribly missed as a warm and caring friend, and as a dedicated mentor. He is survived by his wife of 55 years, Lyuba, their two children, three grandchildren, and his sister.
— Prof. Alena PaulenovaOregon State University andProf.-Emeritus James NavratilClemson University