The members of the Magazine of Concrete Research (MCR) Editorial Board wish to express their sadness and respect for the loss of Professor George Somerville. Professor Somerville was a long-standing member of the MCR Editorial Board and greatly respected by members and the wider concrete community.
He was a structural engineer of status and held in high regard by his peers and other professionals. His incisive and painstaking approach to the work of MCR reflected a profound concern for concrete research from both a structural and materials point of view. He was always aware of useful and practical outcomes from research and knowledge generation, these were his hallmark. That legacy he imbued in others – a consummate professional.
George was a member of national and international technical institutions and committees, and was honoured on several occasions; for instance, he received the Construction News Innovation Award, the Institution of Structural Engineers Lewis Kent Award, and the Swedish National Concrete Award. He was proud of these marks of recognition, particularly his OBE. He was a holder of two visiting professorships at Imperial College London and Kingston University London, and was Director of Research & Development at the Cement & Concrete Associates Ltd and Director of Engineering at the British Cement Association.
George was exceptional in that he could interface at the academic–application boundary, communicating knowledge and practical benefit – a rare attribute. His enthusiasm and inclusiveness is missed by his MCR colleagues1.
