Roy Crawford

Robert James "Roy" Crawford (6 April 1949 – 23 June 2016) was a university administrator and mechanical engineering academic. His primary research interest was in the mechanical properties and processing behaviour of plastics.

Early life and education Crawford was born on 6 April 1949 in Lisburn, Northern Ireland. He attended Lisburn Technical College before studying mechanical engineering at Queen's University Belfast, where he earned a first-class BSc in 1970, followed by a PhD in 1973. He received a DSc from the same university in 1987. In 1989, he was appointed professor of Mechanical Engineering and director of the university's School of Mechanical and Process Engineering. He was also responsible for establishing the Polymer Processing Research Centre. This centre included the research group on rotational moulding of plastics, which he also established. From 1999 to 2001, he was professor of mechanical engineering at the University of Auckland in New Zealand.

From 2001 to 2004, Crawford was pro vice-chancellor for research at Queen's University Belfast. From January 2005 until December 2014, he was vice chancellor of the University of Waikato in New Zealand.

Crawford published nine books and about 300 papers,

Personal life and death A British national and permanent resident of New Zealand, Crawford was married with three children. He died on 23 June 2016, aged 67 years. His funeral took place on 1 July at Manukau Memorial Gardens Chapel, and a memorial service for him was held at University of Waikato on 6 July.