Max Kelly graduated from the Faculty of Science with first class honours and the University Medal and then went to Cambridge to complete a PhD. In 1973 he returned to the University of Sydney as Professor in the Department of Pure Mathematics after six years as Professor at UNSW. He retired in 1994 after 21 years at the University of Sydney as a highly valued alumnus and colleague of many academics and friends.

Professor Kelly was a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Science. The President of the Academy, Kurt Lambeck wrote to the other Fellows of the AAS of his passing:

“It is with sadness that I advise you of the death of Professor Max Kelly on 26 January 2007. He was elected to the Academy in 1972 for his leadership in the development of Category Theory: a field of Pure Mathematics that pervades almost all fundamental structures of mathematics. Max was well known internationally, being instrumental in attracting expertise in the area to Australia. He will also be remembered for his great influence on a young generation of Australian mathematicians. Our condolences go to his family.”

Unsurprisingly, his indomitable spirit mean that Max continued to carry out research and until last year held an ARC Discovery grant (with Prof Ross Street and others at Macquarie). He published four papers in 2005 and in his last few days he was working on a joint paper which will appear later in 2007.