21 July 1919 – 2 May 2017
A Great Grandmaster of the Deep
From Paul Tyler, University of Southampton, UK
Dear Deep-sea Colleagues,
As many of you will now be aware Torben Wolff, one of the pioneers of modern deep-sea biology has died at the age of 97. Below is his obituary from Jorgen Olesen, accompanied by photographs and tribute from Robert George, but Maria thought it would be nice to record some of my thoughts on his passing. Although I have never been to sea with him I have interacted extensively with him at the Deep-sea Biology Symposia over the years. He was one of the driving pillars of deep-sea biology from the time of the Galathea expedition and as our science entered the modern era in the sixties and early seventies. To aid international collaboration, which we take for granted today, he instituted the Deep-sea Newsletter in hard copy (pre-digital) that was posted out to a few institutions and thus trickled down to us, the most junior of researchers. Today’s Deep-sea Life has inherited that mantle and keeps alive that international collaboration. Torben also was a driving force behind the deep-sea biology symposia. He attended all meetings, until he became too frail to travel, and was a vigorous presence at those meeting stimulating colleagues and students alike. And no one is ever going to forget his rendition of the Haka as the conference banquet – even at 80 years old! I hope you will all spare a moment’s though for Torben Wolff, one of the greats of deep-sea biology.
From Jørgen Olesen, University of Copenhagen, Denmark
IN MEMORIAM
Dr. Torben Wolff, known all over the world as just Torben, nestor of oceanography and carcinology, friend, colleague, mentor for three generations of marine scientists, and promoter of science to the public at all levels, died in his sleep 2 May 2017 at the age of 97. Torben got his cand.mag. degree from the University of Copenhagen in 1947 and was awarded the Dr.phil. degree in 1963. His career at the Zoological Museum started in 1953. He was Associate Professor and Curator of Crustacea from 1962 until he retired in 1989, from 1966 as Head of Department of Marine Invertebrates, with a break in 1980-83 as Director of the Danish Aquarium.
Before his permanent attachment at the Zoological Museum Torben took part in three cruises that defined his life ever after: the Atlantide expedition to West Africa 1945-46, The Danish Rennell Expedition 1951, and first and foremost as second in command on the Galathea Expedition around the world 1950-52. Later, in 1962, he led the Noona Dan expedition to the Bismarck–and Solomon Islands. After these experiences he was invited to participate in American, Russian and French deep-sea expeditions incl. a 4000 m deep dive with a French bathyscaph off Madeira in 1966.
Torben authored about 70 scientific papers (and many hundred short articles in ‘popular’ media on oceanography inthe widest sense). He wrote several taxonomic studies in the now famous Galathea Report, but his tour-de-force was the monumental ‘The systematics and biology of bathyal and abyssal Isopoda Asellota’ Galathea Report 6: 1-320, from 1962, in which he introduced his views on the taxonomy of the group and summarised all available systematic and geographic knowledge, thus establishing a comprehensive new platform for the study of asellote Isopoda.
Torben would not have been the Torben we knew without engaging himself wholeheartedly in many international and national organizations, committees and policy fora in oceanography and nature conservation. In this, he followed in the footsteps of his own mentor and dear friend Professor Anton Bruun.
In November 2016 Torben, to his great pleasure, had an asteroid named after him as ‘Asteroid 6577 Torbenwolff’. Torben was the ultimate extrovert. He will long be remembered for his all-encompassing freely aired enthusiasm that inspired many who worked with him or met him at conferences and meetings and at social gatherings (who can forget his rendition of the Māori war dance the Haka).
Let our thoughts go to his wife Lisbeth who traveled with Torben all over the world and supported him (and not infrequently reined him in a bit!) throughout their 63 years together.
From Robert George (George Institute for Biodiversity and Sustainability)
HONOURING TORBEN
I discussed my plans to sample hadal fauna in Puerto Rico Trench while visiting Torben in Copenhagan. He told me that in Galathea expedition they lost trawls and dredges at the floor of Puerto Rico Trench at 9000 m. I took Torben’s advice to do a thorough bathymetric and seismic mapping of the trench floor when I led the expedition to Puerto Rico Trench during the GILLISS EXPEDITION. We successfully sampled the trench floor at 9200 and I named a new species of hadal isopod Storthyngura torbeni George to honor Torben (Storthyngura torbeni in the painting of Hadal life in Puerto Rico Trench).
From DSL9
