Join Memories to request access to contribute your cherished photos, videos, and stories to Stephen's memorial with others who loved them.
Join MemoriesJoin Memories to request access to contribute your cherished photos, videos, and stories to Stephen's memorial with others who loved them.
Join MemoriesSteve had fantastic taste in music. When we'd do commercial data collection together, he'd always know of some amazing band from some far-flung country so we'd listen to Mongolian throat singing or Eastern European handpan electronica or atmospheric spoken word poetry. You never knew what you'd get. Steve was mysterious and kind and I will miss him lots.
I am deeply saddened by the passing of our dear friend and a colleague, Stephen. His polite, honest and unwavering dedication left a lasting impression on everyone that he worked with. He will always be remembered for his contributions and eagerness to help. May his soul rest in peace, and his memory live on in our hearts.
Stephen, you had a special kindness—a rare gift that never failed to lift my spirits. You will be deeply missed.
Steve - your kindness, passion, and unwavering dedication have left an indelible mark on everyone fortunate enough to know and work with you. I will always treasure the countless hours we spent together, collecting data and solving structures, often finding joy even in the most challenging moments. Your excitement for science was infectious, and your ability to find beauty in the complexity of our work was truly inspiring. You will always be remembered fondly and deeply missed!
Steve was such a great flatmate. Two nerdy, introverted postdocs trying to understand Sydney together, watching England all through the night as they won and lost at Euro96 and WC98, logging into the lab via linux and dialup to check data collections and solve structures. I always appreciated Steve's combination of deep insight and silence - when noise wasn't necessary. He was also the only flatmate I had who could repair the telly with a multimeter and some fuse wire. We need to value our gentle, quiet, patient, intelligent colleagues wherever we are in life. Farewell Steve.
In Stephen, we have lost a dearly valuable member of the Australian Synchrotron team. My deepest condolences go to his family and friends. May his soul rest peacefully, and may his memory remain alive on in our thoughts and hearts.
Steve was a remarkable mentor and someone so insightful and fun to work with. A true scientist with a quirky wit. My heartfelt condolences go out to his family during this difficult time. May you find peace and comfort in the cherished memories you shared with him.
I first met Steve when I was a young honours student at a Sydney Protein Group meeting. At the time, crystallographers were a mysterious breed of scientists and Steve was certainly no exception to this rule. Rumour around the tracks was that Steve was an 'ace' at the dark art and over the years I've learnt that this was true– he was deeply skilled and unassuming about it. When I arrived at UNSW I quickly discovered I was stepping into Steve's large shoes. I inherited his computer, the robotics and X-ray lab and even some of his datasets. I'm lucky enough to have published with Steve and to have been supported by Steve on the beam line. There are many stories about Steve, most allude to his technical abilities, and his ability to gently help and teach about science, but also to his sense of humour which was appreciated by many. We have lost a keen scientist and a friend.
Steve Harrop was one of a kind. He had an instinct for science and could sometimes apparently produce results from what, to me at least, seemed pure magic. He never failed to be helpful and would step in when needed without ever seeking anything in return. When things got tense at the synchrotron, Steve was always there calm and as ever displaying his wry sense of humour. I owe Steve a deep personal debt for helping our laboratory when I was having great difficulty sorting out a number of problems. In the end we did publish a highly cited work as a result largely from his efforts. He is a great loss to the Australian Synchrotron and structural biology communities. Vale Steve.
Stephen was more than just a brilliant scientist. he was a kind and compassionate individual, his unwavering support in setting up our CAP MX beamtimes and his dedication to helping us to succeed will never be forgotten. On behalf of the Centre for Microscopy and Microanalysis and the University of Queensland, we express our deepest condolences to Stephen’s family, friends, and colleagues. His passing is an immeasurable loss to the synchrotron community and beyond. Stephen will always be remembered for his kindness and professionalism. Rest in peace Stephen!
Sending my heartfelt condolences to Steve's family he will be greatly missed. It was so lovely seeing him every day in the cafe, and we will miss seeing his happy face. Table No 1 will always be his.
I’ll always remember Stephen’s gentle spirit and the kindness he extended to those around him. One thing that always stood out to me was how Stephen and I shared a similar way of walking. It might sound small, but it was a connection. That simple bond will always stay with me.
Stephen had such a passion around the synchrotron. He was always someone who would be willing to share his knowledge and help. He taught me a lot, and he was always there to help even when I didn't know I needed the help. I will sorely miss his happy presence one beamline over.
Steve, Your unwavering commitment, kindness, and genuine care for your users have left a lasting impact. We will deeply miss you and feel truly fortunate to have had the privilege of working with you.
What better tribute than to be remembered as a good man. I will miss you Steve, I wish I'd known you better.
Steve had an aura of kindness that even those who didn't know him well could feel. I can picture him at the cafe with his favorite lunch, bacon and eggs. I wish I got to know him better.
Steve had so much enthusiasm, he was always excited about teaching, and learning from him was always a great experience because of his kindness and patience. He was full of personality, and I will remember all his phrases, interesting playlists, and friendliness fondly. I am very glad to have known him, and I will miss him greatly.
Steve taught me how to be a beamline scientist. He was patient, kind and incredibly funny. There was no problem too hard to fix, even when troubleshooting a Windows laptop in Spanish. His highest compliment was that something was "absolutely cracking".
My deepest condolences to Steve's Mum Susan, and his family for their loss. Steve was quiet and unassuming yet did amazing things in his caving adventures as a young man, which is when I first I first got to know him.
I will always remember Stephen for his wealth of knowledge about X-ray crystallography and for being generous in spending time and effort helping me and other users at the Australian Synchrotron. He will be dearly missed. Godspeed, Stephen.
I am deeply saddened by Stephen’s premature passing. He was a good and special friend, and I hold many fond memories. He was generous with his time, for friends or anyone wanting help. I enjoyed his deep, thoughtful wisdom, both crystallographic and political. His kindness and influence reached many people.
Since my very first day working at the synchrotron Steve was nothing but kind, helpful and very funny. He could always make us laugh through his funny stories or his little quirks. He was someone I looked forward to seeing when I came to work, and someone I would happily boast about working with because he was so very smart but also so very humble. He made our lives richer and we will miss him deeply.
I spoke at Stephen's memorial about how I was not ready for a "Stephen-shaped hole" in my world - I miss him every day and still expect him to cheerfully stroll around the corner, ready to get some science happening. He was, quite simply, a brilliant man. I feel privileged to have known him and to have been his friend. He was kind and generous and so very, very funny. He helped make work feel like family. My heartfelt condolences to his family, especially to his mother, Susan, and his brother, Paul.
I will always remember Steve for the sweet person he was, welcoming everyone with a smile and a "Goodday". I am forever grateful to Steve for playing such an important part in shaping my career as he introduced me to protein crystallography during my PhD. From identifying a protein crystal to fishing and screening them, I have such fond memories of those times. More recently, it was always lovely to see him and talk to him as our beamline scientist during CAP sessions. I will truly miss not seeing Steve anymore.