It is with deep regret that we announce the death of Dr Joachim Steinke, from the Department of Chemistry, on Friday 18 Jan 2013.

It is with deep regret that we announce the death of Dr Joachim Steinke, Reader in Organic and Polymer Chemistry at the Department of Chemistry Imperial College, on Friday 18 January 2013, at the age of 48.  Joachim Steinke was a fine scientist and teacher, his loss at such a clearly rich period in his career is a tragedy for all of us who interacted with him on projects that were benefiting from his guidance and expertise. He will be greatly missed by all who knew him.

Joachim Steinke obtained his first degree in chemistry from the Heinrich-Heine-Universität Düsseldorf in Germany and went on to carry out his PhD studies in synthetic polymer chemistry at the University of Strathclyde, Glasgow with David. C. Sherrington. Afterwards he worked in the group of Jean M.J. Fréchet at Cornell University as postdoctoral fellow. From there he returned to the UK in 1995 to take up a lectureship at Cambridge University in the Department of Chemistry (Melville Laboratory for Polymer Synthesis). Two years later he joined the Chemistry Department at Imperial College as a Reader in Organic and Polymer Chemistry.

A personal obituary by Dr Rob Law, and details for donations, can be found here