Professor S.A. Wurm

[Malcolm Ross]

I am sad to inform you that Professor Stephen Wurm, founder of the
Department of Linguistics in the Research School of Pacific and Asian
Studies at The Australian National University, died yesterday
afternoon at the age of 79. He had been ill for some months, and died
at Calvary Hospital, Canberra.

Stephen pioneered the field study and analysis of the Papuan
languages of New Guinea. He was both an outstanding fieldworker and a
leader of research in this field, recruiting colleagues and students
to work in what was then an unknown region. Until a few months ago he
remained a regular visitor to this department, and his presence will
be sorely missed.

Malcolm Ross
_____________________________________
Dr Malcolm D. Ross
Senior Fellow and a/Head
Department of Linguistics
Research School of Pacific and Asian Studies
Australian National University
CANBERRA ACT 0200