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Thornton, Ian Walter Boothroyd (1926 - 2002)

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Zoologist
Born: 14 July 1926  Halifax, United Kingdom.  Died: 1 October 2002  Bangkok, Thailand.
Ian Walter B. Thornton was Foundation Professor of Zoology at La Trobe University and Professor Emeritus from 1992. His research interests included ecosystem assembly and recovery, and biogeography and ecology of islands. He was educated at the University of Leeds, UK where he completed his PhD on psocoptera (booklice and barklice). Next Thornton went to the Gordon Memorial University College of Khartoum in Sudan followed by appointments of Dean and Reader of Zoology at the University of Hong Kong. In 1968 he left Hong Kong and was appointed Foundation Professor of Zoology at La Trobe University. Throughout his working life, Thornton carried out many field trips which included visits to Africa, Middle East, Asia, Micronesia, the Pacific and parts of Melanesia. His most reported work was of his studies in Krakatau which resulted in many publications including Krakatau. The destruction and reassembly of an island ecosystem.

Career Highlights

Chronology
c. 1944 - c. 1948Officer and Parachutist in the 6th Airborne Division of the British Army
1951Bachelor of Science with Honours (BSc (Hons)) completed at the University of Leeds, UK
1953Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) completed at the University of Leeds
1953 - 1956Lecturer in Zoology at the University College of Khartoum, Sudan
1956 - 1966Senior lecturer in Zoology at the University of Hong Kong
1966 - 1968Reader in Zoology at the University of Hong Kong
1968 - 1991Foundation Professor of Zoology at La Trobe University
1984Doctor of Science (DSc) received
1984 - 1992Leader of the International Zoological Expeditions to Krakatau
1992 - Professor Emeritus of Zoology at La Trobe University
1992John Lewis Gold Medal received from the Royal Geographical Society of Australasia
1995 - Fellow of the Australian Academy of Science (FAA)
1996Krakatau: The Destruction and Reassembly of an Ecosystem published

 
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Structure based on ISAAR(CPF) - click here for an explanation of the fields.Prepared by: Rosanne Walker
Created: 25 May 2001
Modified: 6 December 2006

Published by The University of Melbourne eScholarship Research Centre on ASAPWeb, 1994 - 2007
Originally published 1994-1999 by Australian Science Archives Project, 1999-2006 by the Australian Science and Technology Heritage Centre
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Updated: 26 February 2007
http://www.asap.unimelb.edu.au/bsparcs/biogs/P003631b.htm

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