Death Announcement: David Hilton passes away

David Hilton, a distinguished geochemist at the University of California San Diego, passed away on January 7 at the age of 59, following a five-year-long battle with cancer.

Hilton was a world expert in noble gas and stable isotope geochemistry, with a keen interest in how volatiles are distributed in the Earth's interior and move between the planet's depths and atmosphere. His work has been cited more than 6,000 times, reflecting his significant contributions to the field.

Hilton served as the director of the Geosciences Research Division at Scripps from 2012 to 2017. During his tenure, he authored more than 100 publications in peer-reviewed journals and books, showcasing his prolific research output.

One of Hilton's most notable achievements was his work on the East African Rift, where he demonstrated geochemically how a super mantle plume affects the break-up of continents. His fieldwork often took him to remote and challenging locations, such as volcanoes in the Northern Mariana Islands. Among his most recent field projects was an exploration of the East African Rift.

Hilton's research focus was on tectonics, the formation of planet Earth, and solid earth dynamics. His passion for understanding the variability of gas compositions through time and space contributed significantly to our understanding of magma and mantle processes. He was known for his rigorous laboratory techniques and his ability to collect the best possible gas and mineral samples.

In addition to his professional accomplishments, Hilton was a gifted storyteller, capable of captivating an audience with his tales of fieldwork in far-off corners of the world. He was a lifelong supporter of Everton Football Club and frequently enjoyed recounting (unsubstantiated) tales of his personal football greatness.

Hilton is survived by his wife Purnama and daughter Nia, his father, and two brothers. The family requests that in lieu of flowers, please consider donating to "science, education in STEM, or just have a good medium rare steak and a beer, and think of Dave while you do so."

Though Hilton's physical presence will be deeply missed, his legacy in the fields of noble gases, stable isotope geochemistry, and volcanology will continue to inspire and guide future generations of geochemists.