Sir Thomas Richard Edmund Southwood GOM DL FRS (20 June 1931 – 26 October 2005) was a British biologist, professor of

zoology Zoology ( , ) is the scientific study of animals. Its studies include the anatomy, structure, embryology, Biological classification, classification, Ethology, habits, and distribution of all animals, both living and extinction, extinct, and ...

and vice-chancellor of the

University of Oxford The University of Oxford is a collegiate university, collegiate research university in Oxford, England. There is evidence of teaching as early as 1096, making it the oldest university in the English-speaking world and the List of oldest un ...

. A specialist on

entomology Entomology (from Ancient Greek ἔντομον (''éntomon''), meaning "insect", and -logy from λόγος (''lógos''), meaning "study") is the branch of zoology that focuses on insects. Those who study entomology are known as entomologists. In ...

, he developed the field of insect ecology and the development of study techniques. He wrote a landmark textbook on ''Ecological Methods'' that went into numerous editions. He also was well known for developing the field of entomology through mentorship of a circle of researchers at Silwood Park.

Biography

Southwood was born in Marlborough Cottage in

Northfleet Northfleet is a town in the borough of Gravesham in Kent, England. It is located immediately west of Gravesend, and on the border with the Borough of Dartford. Northfleet has its own railway station on the North Kent Line, just east of Ebbsf ...

near Gravesend, where his father's family dealt in farm and dairy products. In 1935 the family moved to Parrock Manor. His parents encouraged his interest in natural history. Richard became interested in natural history at an early age, and developed his skills on the family dairy farm in

Kent Kent is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in South East England. It is bordered by Essex across the Thames Estuary to the north, the Strait of Dover to the south-east, East Sussex to the south-west, Surrey to the west, and Gr ...

; he had his first research article on sunbathing in birds in '' British Birds'' when he was fifteen and about insects published in the ''

Entomologist's Monthly Magazine ''Entomologist's Monthly Magazine'' is a British entomological journal, founded by a staff of five editors – T. Blackburn, H. G. Knaggs, M.D., R. McLachlan, F.L.S., E. C. Rye and H. T. Stainton – and first published in 1864. The journal ...

'' when he was a year older. His father had received some education at the

Wye College The College of St Gregory and St Martin at Wye, commonly known as Wye College, was an education and research institution in the village of Wye, Kent. In 1447, Cardinal (Catholic Church), Cardinal John Kempe founded his chantry there which also ...

. Other early influences included

Tom Longstaff Tom George Longstaff (15 January 1875 – 26 June 1964) was an England, English medical doctor, explorer and mountaineer, most famous for being the first person to climb a summit of over 7,000 metres in elevation, Trisul, in the India/Pakistan ...

. He was educated at Bronte School, Gravesend Grammar School and

Imperial College London Imperial College London, also known as Imperial, is a Public university, public research university in London, England. Its history began with Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, Prince Albert, husband of Queen Victoria, who envisioned a Al ...

BSc in biology, MSc botany, then worked for his PhD degree in zoology studies at

Rothamsted Experimental Station Rothamsted Research, previously known as the Rothamsted Experimental Station and then the Institute of Arable Crops Research, is one of the oldest agricultural research institutions in the world, having been founded in 1843. It is located at Harp ...

. 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 A chair is a type of seat, typically designed for one person and consisting of one or more legs, a flat or slightly angled seat and a back-rest. It may be made of wood, metal, or synthetic materials, and may be padded or upholstered in vario ...

of the division of life sciences. Southwood'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 in the University of Oxford, and was elected a

Fellow A fellow is a title and form of address for distinguished, learned, or skilled individuals in academia, medicine, research, and industry. The exact meaning of the term differs in each field. In learned society, learned or professional society, p ...

Merton College Merton College (in full: The House or College of Scholars of Merton in the University of Oxford) is a constituent college of the University of Oxford in England. Its foundation can be traced back to the 1260s when Walter de Merton, chancellor ...

. 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. Southwood served as chairman of the

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 monarch, Government, Parliament and the public on environmental issues. It was closed on 1 April 2011, as part of the Co ...

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 The National Radiological Protection Board (NRPB) 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 ...

from 1985 until 1994, and also chaired the Working Party on

Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy Bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), commonly known as mad cow disease, is an incurable and always fatal neurodegenerative disease of cattle. Symptoms include abnormal behavior, trouble walking, and weight loss. Later in the course of th ...

(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 (CEU; , ) is a private research university in Vienna. The university offers graduate and undergraduate programs in the social sciences and humanities, which are accredited in Austria and the United States. The univ ...

in Budapest. Southwood was also a contributing member of the Oxford Round Table, an interdisciplinary forum for the discussion of contemporary issues. A portrait of Sir Richard Southwood hangs at

Merton College, Oxford Merton College (in full: The House or College of Scholars of Merton in the University of Oxford) is a Colleges of the University of Oxford, constituent college of the University of Oxford in England. Its foundation can be traced back to the 126 ...

Family

Sir Richard Southwood married, in 1955, Alison Langley (''née'' Harden) who he met at Rothamsted; Sir Richard and Lady Southwood had two sons and six grandchildren.

Honours

Knight Bachelor The title of Knight Bachelor is the basic rank granted to a man who has been knighted by the monarch but not inducted as a member of one of the organised Order of chivalry, orders of chivalry; it is a part of the Orders, decorations, and medals ...

United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Northwestern Europe, off the coast of European mainland, the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...

(1984) *

Grand Officer of the

Order of Merit The Order of Merit () is an order of merit for the Commonwealth realms, recognising distinguished service in the armed forces, science, art, literature, or the promotion of culture. Established in 1902 by Edward VII, admission into the order r ...

Portugal Portugal, officially the Portuguese Republic, is a country on the Iberian Peninsula in Southwestern Europe. Featuring Cabo da Roca, the westernmost point in continental Europe, Portugal borders Spain to its north and east, with which it share ...

(April 27, 1993) * British Naturalists' Association Peter Scott Memorial Award.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Southwood, Richard 1931 births 2005 deaths People educated at Gravesend Grammar School Alumni of Imperial College London British ecologists Fellows of Merton College, Oxford Foreign associates of the National Academy of Sciences Linacre Professors of Zoology Fellows of the Royal Society Fellows of the Linnean Society of London Fellows of the Zoological Society of London Fellows of the Royal Entomological Society Mathematical ecologists Members of the Pontifical Academy of Sciences 20th-century British zoologists Vice-chancellors of the University of Oxford Knights Bachelor Deaths from cancer in England Deans of the Royal College of Science Presidents of the British Ecological Society