In Memoriam: Fred T. Mackenzie, legendary UH Manoa faculty and scientist
Fred T Mackenzie
Dr. Fred T. Mackenzie, a renowned ocean and Earth systems scientist and friend to many worldwide, passed away on January 3, 2024 at the age of 89 surrounded by his devoted family after a long and courageous battle with several illnesses.
Mackenzie had an illustrious career that spanned decades and took him around the globe. In 1981, he accepted a position at the University of Hawai‘i at Manoa (UHM) where he conducted research, taught courses, and mentored students in the UH Mānoa Department of Oceanography until 2008 when he retired and became a professor emeritus of oceanography. Much has been written about the breadth of his scientific contributions, but he was most proud of founding the Global Environmental Sciences Program in the UH Mānoa School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology (SOEST), the first of its kind in the United States.
Mackenzie was a treasured friend, respected professor, and mentor to hundreds of students, many of whom he remained close to over the years, and now have their own distinguished careers and have recognized and honored his contributions to their lives.
“Fred Mackenzie was an exemplar of the faculty we cherish at UHM” said Michael Guidry, chair of the Global Environmental Science program and former Mackenzie student. “His contributions to the campus and society at-large will live on through the students he mentored and the program he founded.”
A thoughtful and considerate listener, Mackenzie’s warm and embracing personality was contagious to those he met.
“Fred was a tough but supportive mentor” noted Christopher Sabine, interim Vice Provost for Research and Scholarship and former Mackenzie student. “He had a way of encouraging his students to accomplish more than they ever thought they could.”
The study of the entire Earth system and the interactions between the land, ocean, and atmosphere, was at the forefront of his interests, thoughts, and research. He was the author or co-author of over 300 scholarly works and received hundreds of accolades, medals, and awards during his distinguished career.
At SOEST, Mackenzie broadened his research and teaching program even more into the field of marine biogeochemistry, particularly into the biogeochemical interactions involving carbon and oxygen and the nutrient elements of nitrogen, phosphorus, and silicon between the land and coastal waters. He also investigated carbon dioxide exchange in coastal marine waters, and the consequences of ocean acidification for reefs and other ecosystems.
An ardent athlete, avid runner, hiker, scuba diver, mountaineer, and prolific reader, Mackenzie’s journey took him from the depths of the oceans to the summits of mountains. A true explorer, he traveled through sixty-eight countries with his beloved wife, Judy. His inquisitive mind went well beyond the sciences. His world was rich, filled with the knowledge of other cultures and a respect for many belief systems.
The University of Hawai‘i Foundation has a “Friends of Global Environmental Science” fund through which a donation to the program he founded can be made in celebration of Mackenzie’s life. Donors can specify “In memory of” during step two of the donation process.