in memoriam - Hassan Hamdi (1912-2003)

Prof. Dr. Hassan M. Hamdi, who died on the 7th November 2003 at the age of 91 years was the president of the Egyptian Soil Science Society for over 50 years and was selected as honorary member of IUSS since 2002. He was born in Cairo on January 18, 1912. He obtained his B.Sc. in Agriculture Science from Cairo University 1935. Granted a mission to study his Ph.D. from the Federal University of High Technology (Soil Science), Switzerland 1942. Joined the staff members of Cairo University as Assistant Professor, Associate Professor and granted Prof. 1956.

He moved to Ain-Shams University to establish a new-department of Soil Science, 1958, selected as Vice-Dean 1964 then Dean 1967 to 1970. Fac. Of Agric. Ain Shams University. He was selected as a director of a new Department of Soil Science at Al-Azhar University 1973-1975. Member of the German Academy of Science 1961 and member of the Egyptian Academy of Science 1978 and a president 1989. Teaching courses at the Institute of soils of the humid regions, Libzig 1960 and Frankfurt Institute, Germany 1962.

Established the Egyptian Soil Science Society (ESSS) 1950, that joined the ISSS to be elected as a president for over 50 years. ESSS coordinate and encourage cooperation of scientific and social activities among 500 members. He was elected as a permanent president of the ESSS in all his life. Edited the Egyptian Journal of Soil Science since 1961 as Secretary and Chairman of the Editorial Board. The Egypt. J. of Soil Sci. is edited in four volumes yearly since 1984. Supervisor for over 200 students for M.Sc. and Ph.D. degrees from Cairo Univ., Ain Shams Univ. Ministry of Agriculture, The National Research Centre and Desert Research Institute. He established several Research activities and working groups in the field of Clay mineralogy, Soil genesis Mapping, and finally Remote sensing. Help in establishing the remote sensing center of the Ministry of Agriculture 1981- 1993. The center staff members were trained in Holland, Italy, USA and Canada .They were active in mapping of different regions of Egypt. Prof. Hamdi published 150 scientific papers since 1943 and published several books in Arabic in the field of soil science, the was the principal investigator of several National projects sponsored by the Egyptian Academy of Science and Technology, Ministry of Agriculture and UN Development Programs. Such projects were of great academic and practical application for the development of agriculture in Egypt. Prof. Hamdi was able to establish the following:

• Evaluation of the total Agricultural area grown with different crops in Egypt for three successive years.
• Evaluation of total Agriculture area of Egypt (about 7.5 Million Faddan).
• Evaluation of the borders of several cities and villages in the Delta area.
• Preparing a map of the Delta area about salinity status of different areas.
• Recording changes of one of Nile branches (Rasheed branch) from 1947 to 1992.

Prof. Hamdi Granted the highest National Award in Agricultural Science from the National Academy of Science and Technology,1988. Granted a promotion certificate and Medal from FAO for his activities in the field of Soil Science and water that contributed in the development and maintaining sustainable Agriculture 1989, 1990 and 1993. Selected as Soil Science Expert by the Academy of Science and National Technology. President of the National Soil Committee, ASRT.The ESSS Awarded him its Medal in 2000. The IUSS granted him the honorary membership.