Richard Southwood
Encyclopedia
Sir Thomas Richard Edmund Southwood DL
, FRS (20 June 1931 – 26 October 2005) was Professor of zoology
and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Oxford
.
Sir Richard became interested in natural history at an early age, and developed his skills on the family dairy farm in Kent
; he had his first research articles about insects published by the age of 16. He was educated at Gravesend Grammar School
and Imperial College London
, then worked for his Ph.D.
degree at Rothamsted Experimental Station
. He returned to Imperial
as a research assistant and lecturer, and in 1967 became head of the Department of Zoology and Applied Entomology, and director of Imperial College's Field Station at Silwood Park
. He later became Dean of Science and chair of the Division of Life Sciences.
Sir Richard's research at Imperial concentrated on insect communities and population dynamics. His 1966 book Ecological Methods described techniques available for the study of populations and ecosystems, including population estimates with different sampling techniques.
In 1979, he took up the Linacre Chair of Zoology
at the University of Oxford, and became a Fellow of Merton College
. In 1989, he moved from being head of the department of zoology to take up the Vice-Chancellorship of the University, from which position he set up a working party that would recommend the reform of the University's governance. Having stepped down from that position in 1993, he continued to research, teach and write, and in 2003 published The Story of Life, a book based on the first-year undergraduate lectures he gave at Oxford.
Sir Richard Southwood served as Chairman of the Royal Commission on Environmental Pollution
from 1981 to 1985, having been first appointed to the Commission in 1974. Under his chairmanship, the 1983 report Lead in the Environment aroused public concern about lead pollution. He was Chairman of the National Radiological Protection Board
from 1985 until 1994, and also chaired the Working Party on Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy
(BSE) set up by the British government in 1988. In 1993-1994 he was the first head of the Department of Environmental Sciences and Policy at the Central European University
in Budapest.
Southwood was also a contributing member of the Oxford Round Table
, an interdisciplinary forum for the discussion of contemporary issues.
Deputy Lieutenant
In the United Kingdom, a Deputy Lieutenant is one of several deputies to the Lord Lieutenant of a lieutenancy area; an English ceremonial county, Welsh preserved county, Scottish lieutenancy area, or Northern Irish county borough or county....
, FRS (20 June 1931 – 26 October 2005) was Professor of zoology
Zoology
Zoology |zoölogy]]), is the branch of biology that relates to the animal kingdom, including the structure, embryology, evolution, classification, habits, and distribution of all animals, both living and extinct...
and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Oxford
University of Oxford
The University of Oxford is a university located in Oxford, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest surviving university in the world and the oldest in the English-speaking world. Although its exact date of foundation is unclear, there is evidence of teaching as far back as 1096...
.
Sir Richard became interested in natural history at an early age, and developed his skills on the family dairy farm in Kent
Kent
Kent is a county in southeast England, and is one of the home counties. It borders East Sussex, Surrey and Greater London and has a defined boundary with Essex in the middle of the Thames Estuary. The ceremonial county boundaries of Kent include the shire county of Kent and the unitary borough of...
; he had his first research articles about insects published by the age of 16. He was educated at Gravesend Grammar School
Gravesend Grammar School
Gravesend Grammar School is a selective secondary school located in Gravesend, Kent, England. The school accepts boys at age 11 by examination and boys and girls at 16, based on their GCSE results.-The school:...
and Imperial College London
Imperial College London
Imperial College London is a public research university located in London, United Kingdom, specialising in science, engineering, business and medicine...
, then worked for his Ph.D.
Doctor of Philosophy
Doctor of Philosophy, abbreviated as Ph.D., PhD, D.Phil., or DPhil , in English-speaking countries, is a postgraduate academic degree awarded by universities...
degree at Rothamsted Experimental Station
Rothamsted Experimental Station
The Rothamsted Experimental Station, one of the oldest agricultural research institutions in the world, is located at Harpenden in Hertfordshire, England. It is now known as Rothamsted Research...
. He returned to Imperial
Imperial College London
Imperial College London is a public research university located in London, United Kingdom, specialising in science, engineering, business and medicine...
as a research assistant and lecturer, and in 1967 became head of the Department of Zoology and Applied Entomology, and director of Imperial College's Field Station at Silwood Park
Silwood Park
Silwood Park is the rural campus of Imperial College London, England. It is situated near the village of Sunninghill, near Ascot in Berkshire. Since 1986, there have been major developments on the site with four new college buildings...
. He later became Dean of Science and chair of the Division of Life Sciences.
Sir Richard's research at Imperial concentrated on insect communities and population dynamics. His 1966 book Ecological Methods described techniques available for the study of populations and ecosystems, including population estimates with different sampling techniques.
In 1979, he took up the Linacre Chair of Zoology
Linacre Chair of Zoology
The position of Linacre Professor of Zoology in the University of Oxford was founded in 1860, initially as the Linacre Professorship of Physiology and then as the chair of Human and Comparative Anatomy, although its origins can be traced back a further 300 years, to the Linacre Lectureships at...
at the University of Oxford, and became a Fellow of Merton College
Merton College, Oxford
Merton College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England. Its foundation can be traced back to the 1260s when Walter de Merton, chancellor to Henry III and later to Edward I, first drew up statutes for an independent academic community and established endowments to...
. In 1989, he moved from being head of the department of zoology to take up the Vice-Chancellorship of the University, from which position he set up a working party that would recommend the reform of the University's governance. Having stepped down from that position in 1993, he continued to research, teach and write, and in 2003 published The Story of Life, a book based on the first-year undergraduate lectures he gave at Oxford.
Sir Richard Southwood served as Chairman of the Royal Commission on Environmental Pollution
Royal Commission on Environmental Pollution
The Royal Commission on Environmental Pollution in the United Kingdom was created under Royal Warrant in 1970 to advise the Queen, Government, Parliament and the public on environmental issues...
from 1981 to 1985, having been first appointed to the Commission in 1974. Under his chairmanship, the 1983 report Lead in the Environment aroused public concern about lead pollution. He was Chairman of the National Radiological Protection Board
National Radiological Protection Board
The National Radiological Protection Board was a public authority in the UK created by the Radiological Protection Act 1970. Its statutory functions were to conduct research on radiological protection and provide advice and information on the subject to Government Departments and others. It was...
from 1985 until 1994, and also chaired the Working Party on Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy
Bovine spongiform encephalopathy
Bovine spongiform encephalopathy , commonly known as mad-cow disease, is a fatal neurodegenerative disease in cattle that causes a spongy degeneration in the brain and spinal cord. BSE has a long incubation period, about 30 months to 8 years, usually affecting adult cattle at a peak age onset of...
(BSE) set up by the British government in 1988. In 1993-1994 he was the first head of the Department of Environmental Sciences and Policy at the Central European University
Central European University
For other uses, see European University Central European University is a graduate-level, English-language university offering degrees in the social sciences, humanities, law, public policy, business management, environmental science, and mathematics...
in Budapest.
Southwood was also a contributing member of the Oxford Round Table
Oxford Round Table
The Oxford Round Table is a series of interdisciplinary conferences organized and run by a California-based educational organization, incorporated until recently as a for-profit and a not-for-profit corporation in Kentucky, and currently as a not-for-profit in Illinois and England and Wales.The...
, an interdisciplinary forum for the discussion of contemporary issues.