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Michel
Robert 1937-2004
Dr. Michel Robert died
suddenly on Thursday 28th October 2004 whilst
attending a meeting to finalise the research priorities
in Soil Science, arising from the work on the European
Union’s Thematic Strategy for Soil Protection.
Michel Robert was born in
Annecy in Haute Savoire on 3 August 1937. He studied as
an Agricultural Engineer from 1957 to 1960 and was
recruited by INRA during his third year, taking up a
position as Assistant in the Soils Laboratory of the
Central Agronomy Station at Versailles. He registered
for a doctorate which was awarded in 1970. During 1962
through to 1964 he did his military service as a
Sub-lieutenant based in Dijon. Following his doctorate
he continued his career in INRA being appointed Master
of Research in 1974, after this Director of Research (second
then first class in 1986). He continued his employment
with INRA until his retirement in 2002, but from 1994 he
was seconded on a part-time basis as Bureau Chief of the
Section on Research and Economic Affairs of the Ministry
of the Environment (he continued his involvement with
the Ministry after his retirement, in part specifically
in relation to the work on the Thematic Strategy for
Soil Protection), and during 2002 he was seconded to FAO
in Rome for 5 months.
It is clear that Michel
devoted his life to Soil Science, and there is
considerable evidence of the substantial contribution he
made both nationally and internationally. Within INRA
he worked initially on soil genesis and development,
focusing firstly on the weathering of micaceous soil
components then and intereactions of mineral and
organic soil constituents. Work on the phosphate and
potassium fertility in soils followed, together with
substantial contributions to the study of soil
degradation including salinisation, acidification and
soil erosion sustained in part through the direction of
numerous students theses. Latterly he was working on
the soil’s role at the environmental interface,
considering a wide range of topics including pollution
by metals, denitrification and the use of sewage sludge
on land. Many of these topics were the focus of the
activities discussed in the European Thematic Strategy
for Soil Protection. During his time at INRA he
supervised a number of students in the Masters and
Doctoral projects. In addition he contributed to the
Soil Science education of students at a number of
Universities in France with both lectures and field
excursions. There are many active soil scientists who
had their interests in soils ignited by Michel during
his teaching.
Michel was not only active
in France, but internationally, participating fully in
international Congresses of Soil Science , Soil
Micromorphology, Clays and Geochemistry of Trace
Elements. He was an active member of the organising
committee of the 16th World Congress of Soil
Science in Montpellier in 1998, and continued to be
active in the International Union of Soil Sciences, the
successor to ISSS.
Michel published
extensively both in French and English, and was very
widely read. Whilst regrettably there is an increasing
tendency to publish only in English, I noted in 1997,
when reviewing his 1996 text, published by Masson, one
of the leading French Scientific publishers, ‘Le sol:
Interface dans l’environnement, ressource pour le
développement’ for European Journal of Soil Science,
that “whilst written in French, the style is clear and
crisp and should not prove difficult to read for
non-French speakers.” The writing and content of this
book epitomised his ability to communicate clearly but
with passion about a subject so close to his heart, Soil
Science. Michel was a member of the national French
Agricultural Academy (Académie d’Agriculture de France).
Whilst during his life Michel took on more
responsibilities and became a key player in informing
policy makers, both French and European, of the key role
soils play in environmental systems, at no time did he
lose his ‘down to earth’ characteristics, he continued
to the very last to be involved with soil science and
soil scientists at all levels. I am pleased that I had
the considerable pleasure to get to know Michel and in
time to consider him a friend, I shall miss him
enormously. Soil Science has lost a wonderful and
enthusiastic ambassador and France and Europe have lost
a high quality soil scientist who was able to provide
significant guidance on the development of strategies to
ensure the protection of the soil from the base of an
excellent understanding of soil processes and soil
functions.
Michel Robert will be very
greatly missed by colleagues in France and around the
rest of the world. My sincere sympathies go to his
family.
Stephen Nortcliff
Reading, December 2004 |
