It is with deep sadness that we pass on the news that Em/Prof. Rodney James Baxter, FAA FRS passed away peacefully on Sunday July 20 after a brief illness.

Rodney was a giant in the field of mathematical physics. His groundbreaking contributions to the study of exactly solved models in statistical mechanics include the invention of commuting transfer matrices and other ingenious mathematical techniques. Rodney’s brilliant exact solutions led to a deeper understanding of the theory of phase transitions and critical phenomena and remarkable relations with quantum field theory. His work also initiated, and continues to inspire, profound developments in areas of mathematics including quantum groups, knot theory and representation theory of infinite dimensional algebras. As one measure of the impact of his work, Rodney’s classic book Exactly Solved Lattice Models in Statistical Mechanics has been cited over 11,000 times in Google Scholar. It has been remarked that when Rodney started his research career over 60 years ago the classical culture of “working with formulas” had been seemingly forgotten by most mathematicians in their pursuit of abstractions. Rodney is one of the few who stimulated the renaissance of this culture in modern mathematics. Rodney’s achievements have been recognised by numerous awards including the Pawsey Medal (1975), Boltzmann Medal (1980), Lyle Medal (1983), Dannie Heineman Prize (1987), Harrie Massey Medal (1994), Centenary Medal (2003), Lars Onsager Prize (2006), Lars Onsager Lecture and Medal (2006), Royal Medal (2013), Peter Baume Award (2020) and the Henri Poincaré Prize (2021).

Rodney was a graduate of the University of Cambridge and obtained his PhD from ANU in 1964, placing him among the first doctoral graduates in theoretical physics from the ANU. In 1964 and 1965 he worked for the Iraq Petroleum Company. He worked as an assistant professor at MIT from 1968 until 1970, when he took up a position at the ANU, and served a term as the Head of the Department of Theoretical Physics in the Institute of Advanced Study. Rodney has had a long association with the Mathematical Sciences Institute. In 1984, he was awarded a Doctor of Science by Cambridge. He is a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Science (1977), Royal Society of London (1982) and the Isaac Newton Institute, where he was Royal Society Research Professor in 1992. Apart from various other visiting positions Rodney’s entire career was based at ANU. Indeed, Rodney’s lifelong achievements have led to him being recognised as one of ANU’s most internationally known academics. His name is immortalised in the celebrated Yang-Baxter equation.

Rodney is survived by his wife Elizabeth, daughter Anne, son Andrew, grandchildren Lachie, Jimmy, Billy Ben and Tom. He will be deeply missed by friends and colleagues at the ANU, including former students, postdocs and colleagues who have been deeply inspired by his work. A conference will be held to celebrate Rodney’s life and achievements during 9 September to 11 September 2025.