Introduction to the Donald G. Miller Memorial Tribute

Abstract

Dr. Donald G. Miller passed away on 3 February 2012 at the age of 84. Don will be familiar to many readers of this journal because of his extensive contributions to the field of solution chemistry over about 60 years, particularly in the areas of equilibrium thermodynamics and the thermodynamics of non-equilibrium processes in the linear gradient region and, in recent years, especially the determination and analysis of mass diffusion coefficients in liquid multicomponent solutions including protein–salt–water systems relevant to protein crystallization. Less well known is Don’s role as an advocate for a separate journal for solution chemistry that led to the founding of this journal in 1972 with Prof. Robert L. Kay as founding editor. Although Don’s scientific contributions are predominately in solution chemistry, his early research included Boolean algebra, the thermodynamics of rubber, equations of state of gases and the spectroscopy of rare earth ions, and his later research also included analysis of ballistics data and rifling twist, with some contributions to the history of science. It is not our intention to give a complete list of his scientific contributions, which we summarized on the occasion of Don’s 80th birthday [1]. Much information about, and many references for, Don’s work in diffusion can be found in a historical review of the use of optical interferometry for precision measurements of diffusion coefficients [2]. Additional information about Don Miller and his scientific career can be found on a website created by his grandson Lucio Franco [3]. We are fortunate to have collaborated in scientific research with Don Miller for about 35 years (JAR) and about 40 years (JGA), respectively. Don also collaborated with many other scientists, especially those affiliated with the diffusion research facility at the Universita degli Studi di Naploi-Federico II (Italy). We are grateful to two scientists from this