Professor Roger Brian Keey (1933–2023)

It is of great sadness to report that Emeritus Professor Roger Keey passed away on October 9th, 2023 at the age of 89. Professor Keey was well-known for his pioneering work on exploring and establishing fundamental theories for solid drying and related heat/mass transfer phenomena. In his main research on drying technology, Roger was central to presenting a clear, concise and extremely impactful view on drying technology. His 1972 monograph on “Drying Principles and Practice” was significantly influenced by German texts by Krischer and Kast, nevertheless developing his own perspective. The 1978 monograph “Introduction to Industrial Drying Operations” presents a masterly overview of drying technology, from a transport-phenomena perspective. His 1992 monograph on “Drying of Loose and Particulate Materials” is a similar masterpiece.

In drying, he was a strong proponent of the concept of a characteristic drying curve (CDC), emphasized its utility, ease of application, and its fitness for purpose, as well as its theoretical roots. Through this CDC concept, Roger has had an enormous practical impact on many industries that use drying on a world-wide basis, again breaking through the obfuscation and waffle that can impede progress.

His quantitative approach to risk management and safety research was also seminal in cutting through the hand-waving and obfuscation that occasionally marks this area. It was an outstanding complement to his outstanding work on drying technology.

As a teacher, I (Professor Langrish) have a strong personal view that he was the best teacher of transport phenomena that I have ever seen or heard, and I found his lectures absolutely captivating. He put a great effort into putting his own professional and professorial mastery view into each word and diagram in his lectures, and his teaching style has been a great source of inspiration to me.

Comments from a colleague, Professor Miles Kennedy, writing in 1998 when nominating Roger for a Fellowship of the Royal Society of New Zealand, capture Roger’s achievements at the highest level:

“…in 1965, Dr Keey had already begun to establish a solid reputation for his research and teaching in mass transfer operations - a field that lies at the heart of chemical engineering. He soon determined that at that time drying is critical, technically and economically, in the manufacture of such diverse products as salt and sugar; wool and wallboards; pulp and paper; milk powders and gelatine; clayware and coffee; casein and lucerne; seeds and soap; and instant foods; cement and timber. Drying operation has such significance in regard to the quality and cost of so many of New Zealand’s manufactured products, and no other operation had been so steeped in folklore and so shrouded in mystery and empiricism.”

Professor Keey’s outstanding work was recognized worldwide. In 1992, he was the recipient of the Proctor and Gamble Award for Excellence in Drying Technology and in 2005 the highly prestigious Chemeca Award for services to chemical engineering in Australasia. There were many other awards recognizing his commitment and expertise.

He was also a very fine man, quite exceptional and wonderful, a great supporter and friend, and he will be greatly missed.

Timothy Langrish
School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering
The University of Sydney
[email protected]

Shusheng Pang
Department of Chemical and Process Engineering
The University of Canterbury