Walter Clive Clark (22 October 1927 – 21 November 2019) was a New Zealand zoologist who specialised in the study of

nematode The nematodes ( or ; ; ), roundworms or eelworms constitute the phylum Nematoda. Species in the phylum inhabit a broad range of environments. Most species are free-living, feeding on microorganisms, but many are parasitic. Parasitic worms (h ...

s and

pycnogonid Sea spiders are marine arthropods of the class Pycnogonida, hence they are also called pycnogonids (; named after ''Pycnogonum'', the type genus; with the suffix '). The class includes the only now-living order Pantopoda ( ‘all feet’), alongs ...

s. He was a professor at

Massey University Massey University () is a Public university, public research university in New Zealand that provides internal and distance education. The university has campuses in Auckland, Palmerston North, and Wellington. Data from Universities New Zealand ...

and later the

University of Canterbury The University of Canterbury (UC; ; postnominal abbreviation ''Cantuar.'' or ''Cant.'' for ''Cantuariensis'', the Latin name for Canterbury) is a public research university based in Christchurch, New Zealand. It was founded in 1873 as Canterbur ...

Early life, family, and education

Born in

Christchurch Christchurch (; ) is the largest city in the South Island and the List of cities in New Zealand, second-largest city by urban area population in New Zealand. Christchurch has an urban population of , and a metropolitan population of over hal ...

on 22 October 1927, Clark was the son of Clive Harold Clark and Ellen Martha Clark (née Baldwin). He had his early education at

Bruce Bay Bruce Bay is a bay and settlement in South Westland, New Zealand, Westland, New Zealand on the Tasman Sea. It is located on State Highway 6 (New Zealand), State Highway 6, northeast of Haast, New Zealand, Haast and southwest of Fox Glacier (town ...

, where his academic potential was first recognised, before moving back to Christchurch about the end of 1942. Clark later studied at

Canterbury University College The University of Canterbury (UC; ; postnominal abbreviation ''Cantuar.'' or ''Cant.'' for ''Cantuariensis'', the Latin name for Canterbury) is a public research university based in Christchurch, New Zealand. It was founded in 1873 as Canterbur ...

, graduating MSc with first-class honours in 1957. He was an assistant lecturer in biology at

Christchurch Teachers' College The University of Canterbury (UC; ; postnominal abbreviation ''Cantuar.'' or ''Cant.'' for ''Cantuariensis'', the Latin name for Canterbury) is a public research university based in Christchurch, New Zealand. It was founded in 1873 as Canterbur ...

from 1954 to 1955 and an assistant lecturer in zoology at Canterbury from 1956 to 1957. He was then a principal scientific officer in nematology in the entomology division of the

Department of Scientific and Industrial Research Department of Scientific and Industrial Research, abbreviated DSIR was the name of several British Empire organisations founded after the 1923 Imperial Conference to foster intra-Empire trade and development. * Department of Scientific and Industria ...

(DSIR) in

Nelson Nelson may refer to: Arts and entertainment * ''Nelson'' (1918 film), a historical film directed by Maurice Elvey * ''Nelson'' (1926 film), a historical film directed by Walter Summers * ''Nelson'' (opera), an opera by Lennox Berkeley to a lib ...

from 1957 to 1964. The DSIR supported Clark to undertake doctoral studies, and he completed a

PhD A Doctor of Philosophy (PhD, DPhil; or ) is a terminal degree that usually denotes the highest level of academic achievement in a given discipline and is awarded following a course of graduate study and original research. The name of the deg ...

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 ...

, supervised by Bernard Peters and Charles Potter, in 1961. The title of his doctoral thesis was ''Systematic and morphological studies on some Enoplida Nematoda, with special reference to the soil fauna of New Zealand''. In 1958, Clark married Gwenda Bellamy Goodman.

Academic career

Clark was appointed professor of zoology at

in 1964, but in 1967 he returned to Department of Zoology at the

as a reader (equivalent to

associate professor Associate professor is an academic title with two principal meanings: in the North American system and that of the ''Commonwealth system''. In the ''North American system'', used in the United States and many other countries, it is a position ...

). He rose to the rank of professor and also served as head of department. His main research interests were nematodes and pycnogonids. On his retirement from Canterbury in 1988, Clark was conferred the title of

professor emeritus ''Emeritus/Emerita'' () is an honorary title granted to someone who retirement, retires from a position of distinction, most commonly an academic faculty position, but is allowed to continue using the previous title, as in "professor emeritus". ...

. Among the research students supervised by Clark was Gregor Yeates, who completed his PhD on the ecology of nematodes in sand dunes in 1968.

Later life and death

In retirement, Clark lived in the small town of Woodend. His first wife died in 1999, and he later remarried, to Clover. He died on 21 November 2019.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Clark, Wally 1927 births 2019 deaths Scientists from Christchurch University of Canterbury alumni Alumni of Imperial College London New Zealand zoologists People associated with Department of Scientific and Industrial Research (New Zealand) Academic staff of Massey University Academic staff of the University of Canterbury