(Edwin) Elliott Burnell passed away on January 22, 2026. Elliott served for 46 years as a professor in the Department of Chemistry at UBC, from 1972-2018. He is remembered by family, friends and colleagues for his enthusiasm for science and life, his sense of humor and his patient guidance and mentorship.

Elliott was born in 1943 in Saint John’s, Newfoundland, the younger of two sons of Jessie Isabelle Burnell (née Elliott) and Edwin John Burnell. A lover of mathematical puzzles, he began his Bachelor’s degree at Memorial University of Newfoundland in 1960.  At Memorial, he became excited about a newly developed technique for imaging molecules, Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR), in which he saw both challenging theoretical puzzles and the potential to discover new truths about the molecular world. This interest took him to the University of Bristol in 1966 to pursue a PhD. He enjoyed both the stimulating academic environment and the opportunity to travel all over Europe, including annual ski trips to the Dolomites in Italy and adventures by motorcycle around the UK and Mediterranean.

After three years at Bristol, Elliott moved to Vancouver as a Post-Doctoral Researcher. There, he met Simon Fraser University student (Catherine) Bonnie McKnight, and they were married in 1971. After a year doing further research in Switzerland, the couple settled back in Vancouver, where Elliott began his long and productive faculty career at UBC working in advanced NMR spectroscopy of liquid crystals. His professional life took him, and sometimes his family, all over the world, including sabbaticals in Sweden, Bologna and Australia. He relished these travels for their scientific opportunities and the chance to reconnect with life-long friends and collaborators, and simply to explore new places.

Elliott was a patient and caring mentor to many students in his time at UBC. He helped develop an undergraduate series of two courses in physical chemistry, and both taught and directed the Science One program for a number of years, which he particularly enjoyed for the fun, interactive and interdisciplinary teaching environment.

Elliott was a devoted father to his three children Tara, Fiona and Kaitlyn, and later to his four grandchildren, Christopher, Miranda, Alice and Nora. He will be very much missed by all of them and by his wife Bonnie, as well as by his many collaborators and friends. Elliott’s energy and enthusiasm for life and work, and constant love for his family, are a model to everyone in how to make the most of all that life brings.

To celebrate Elliott’s life, his family is establishing the Elliott Burnell Memorial Fund at UBC. Your gift will pay tribute to Elliott’s life and career by supporting students pursuing their passion for chemistry at UBC. Final decisions on the area of support will be made by UBC in consultation with the family. Thank you for your generosity in memory of Elliott Burnell.