Professor Stafford Beer

Kybernetes

ISSN: 0368-492X

Article publication date: 1 April 2003

57

Citation

(2003), "Professor Stafford Beer", Kybernetes, Vol. 32 No. 3. https://doi.org/10.1108/k.2003.06732cab.001

Publisher

:

Emerald Group Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2003, MCB UP Limited


Professor Stafford Beer

During our preparations for the publication of this issue we were saddened to learn the death of Professor Stafford Beer at the age of 75 on 23rd August 2002 in Toronto, Canada.

All who are associated with cybernetics and systems and those involved in his many endeavours will mourn him. We at Kybernetes, in particular, will always be proud that we were given the opportunity to publish some of his memorable contributions and that he supported the journal with such enthusiasm and energy.

Both the Director-General of the World Organisation of Systems and Cybernetics and the Editor-in Chief of this, the official journal of the organisation have written to Dr Allenna Leonard and the family to express our condolences. The publishers of this journal, Emerald, the Editorial Advisory Board and the Editorial Team join in expressing their tributes to his memory.

We were fortunate that with his cooperation and that of many of his friends we were able to pay a tribute to his enormous contribution to our field, during his lifetime. This was published as a Special Double Issue of Kybernetes Vol. 22 No. 6, 1993 pp. 112. In later volumes we were honoured to have been able to publish many other memorable contributions and that he consented to become the journals' first patron.

Both the publishers and the Editorial Board of the journal have now expressed the wish that a special commemorative issue(s), dedicated to him, should be published in 2003/4. We would, ofcourse, wish to discuss this with Dr Leonard, family and friends. If the proposal is acceptable we would like to appoint two joint editors who would not only appreciate his great contribution to so many aspects of life but are also his friends.

This, in our own small way, would enable us to both celebrate and attempt to display some of the richness and versatility of his life's endeavours.

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