The Council of the Royal Society of New South Wales warmly congratulates Emeritus Professor David Black AO FRSN FRSN for the award of Doctor of Science, honoris causa, for eminent service to organic chemistry and UNSW.

A prolific researcher in heterocyclic chemistry, coordination chemistry, and natural products, Professor Black has published more than 310 papers and received numerous prestigious awards, including the Rennie, Smith, Birch, and Leighton Medals from the Royal Australian Chemical Institute (RACI).

He was made an Officer of the Order of Australia in 2012 for his services to organic and heterocyclic chemistry through leadership roles within professional organisations and as an educator and mentor.

David’s global influence is equally profound, having served as Secretary General of both the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC) and the International Council for Science, as well as contributing to scientific development in Malaysia and Indonesia.