ICAN mourns the death of Fred Mendelsohn, a founding member of our first board and a generous, steadfast supporter of the campaign. Fred died at his home in Melbourne on 19 September.
A distinguished physician and neuroscientist, Fred led the Howard Florey Institute and helped build it into a world-leading centre for brain research. He published more than 300 scientific papers, was elected a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Science and was made an Officer of the Order of Australia.
Fred brought the same conviction to the movement to abolish nuclear weapons. As a leader in the Medical Association for Prevention of War (MAPW), he encouraged a generation of younger colleagues and helped lay the groundwork for ICAN. When the campaign was taking shape, its early meetings were held in the Florey boardroom and its first staff were given a place to work there.
Fred joined the public launch of ICAN at Parliament House in Melbourne in April 2007. Ten years later, he was in Oslo when ICAN received the Nobel Peace Prize. He understood preventing nuclear war as a scientific and medical imperative, and remained a proud supporter of the campaign throughout his life.
We remember Fred for his wisdom, warmth and generosity, and extend our heartfelt condolences to his wife Lyn and all his family and friends.
Adapted from a tribute by Tilman Ruff.