Tribute to Steve Baldwin

David Brandon pays tribute to Steve Baldwin, professor of psychology in the School of Social Sciences at the University of Teesside, who was killed in last week's Selby train crash.

I first met Steve Baldwin more than 15 years ago. To hear yesterday that he died in the Selby train crash was an immense shock. Since moving to Scarborough some months ago, I had seen him several times at Teesside University. I last saw him as he strode off purposefully into the distance after a brief chat about everything from his ideas on neighbourhoods, the lack of ethics in the major drug companies and the overdosing of children with behavioural problems, to a brief burst of his experiences as an academic in Australia.

We had worked together on various books and on an ill-fated journal, Care in Place . He had a gentle smile and manner, but underlying them was an intense and restless commitment to radicalising psychology and psychiatry and a great belief in the potential of his students. He had a considerable gift for self-mockery that is ringing in my ears right now.

I will miss him greatly. The shock of his sudden death is still washing over me. My warmest thoughts go out to his family, colleagues and students, who will miss his caring, diligence, innovation and inspiration. We shall all just have to manage the best we can.

David Brandon, Scarborough, North Yorkshire
Emeritus professor, Anglia Polytechnic University