Simpson, Stephen James (1957 - )

Summary

Stephen Simpson is an entomologist recognised internationally for his work on nutrition. Initially working on locusts, his research has found wider application, particularly in human nutrition. After a distinguished career of over 20 years at the University of Oxford, Simpson returned to Australia in 2005 to become Professor in the School of Biological Sciences, at the University of Sydney. In 2012 he was appointed inaugural Academic Director of the Charles Perkins Centre, a cross-faculty initiative promoting cross-disciplinary approaches to alleviating the burden of obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease and related conditions. Simpson has received numerous awards for his research.

Details

"Stephen Simpson has pioneered major developments at the interface of nutritional physiology, ecology and behaviour. His groundbreaking discovery of the mechanisms that include swarming in locusts (studies which span neurochemistry through to consequences for individual behaviour and population ecology) has immense practical and conceptual benefits. He has also developed a novel class of state-space models for nutrition. His Geometric Framework (GF) powerfully integrates ideas in this field, and although it arose from extensive experiments on insects, is now being applied in a wide variety of contexts, including the search for dietary causes of human obesity." [from https://www.science.org.au/profile/steve-simpson 11/7/2022]

Chronology

1978

Education - BSc (hons), University of Queensland

1982

Education - PhD, University of London

1982 - 1983

Career position - MRC Postdoctoral Fellow, Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Oxford

1983 - 1986

Career position - Lecturer in Entomology, Animal Behaviour and Neurobiology, Department of Zoology, University of Oxford

1986 - 1988

Career position - Fellow Linacre College, University of Oxford

1986 - 2004

Career position - Curator, Hope Entomological Collections, University of Oxford Museum

1988 - 1990

Career position - Senior Research Fellow, Jesus College, University of Oxford

1989 - 1992

Career position - Principal Curator, University of Oxford Museum

1990

Career position - Guest Professor in Insect Behaviour, University of Basel, Switzerland

1990 - 1993

Career position - Member of Council, Royal Entomological Society, London

1990 - 1995

Career position - Guy Newton Senior Research Fellow, Jesus College, University of Oxford

1995 -

Career position - Advisor, Desert Locust Control, United Nations

1996 - 1998

Career position - Reader in Zoology, University of Oxford

1998 - 2004

Career position - Professor, Hope Entomological Collections, University of Oxford Museum

1999

Career position - Distinguished Visiting Professor, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona, U.S.A.

2000

Career position - Acting Director, Museum of Natural History, University of Oxford

2000 - 2004

Career position - Associate Head, Department of Zoology, University of Oxford

2001

Career position - Distinguished Guest Professor, Monnell Chemical Senses Institute, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.A.

2001

Career position - Councillor, International Federation of Comparative Endocrinological Societies

2002 - 2003

Career position - Fellow, Wissenschaftskolleg zu Berlin

2005 - 2008

Career position - Senior Research Fellow, Jesus College, University of Oxford

2005 - 2008

Career position - Visiting Professor, Department of Zoology, University of Oxford

2005 - 2009

Award - ARC Federation Fellow

2005 - 2015

Career position - Professor, School of Biological Sciences, University of Sydney

2007 -

Award - Fellow, Australian Academy of Science (FAA)

2008

Award - Eureka Prize for Scientific Research, Australian Museum

2009

Award - New South Wales Scientist of the Year, New South Wales Science and Engineering Awards

2009

Award - Award for Plant and Animal Research, New South Wales Science and Engineering Awards

2009 - 2011

Career position - Chair, Sectional Committee 10, Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Australian Academy of Science

2009 - 2014

Award - ARC Australian Laureate Fellowship

2010 - 2011

Career position - Member, Biological and Biotechnology Sciences Research Evaluation Committee, Australian Research Council

2011

Award - Wigglesworth Memorial Lecture and Award, Royal Entomological Society, London

2011 - 2014

Career position - Member of Council, Australian Academy of Science

2012 -

Career position - Academic Director, Charles Perkins Centre, University of Sydney

2013 -

Award - Fellow, The Royal Society, London (FRS)

2013 -

Award - Honorary Fellow, Royal Entomological Society, London

2013

Award - Edwards Oration, Australian Society for Medical Research

2014 -

Career position - Executive Director, Obesity Australia

2015 -

Award - Fellow, Royal Society of New South Wales

2015 -

Career position - Professor, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Sydney

2015

Award - Companion of the Order of Australia (AC) - for eminent service to biological and biomedical science as an educator, researcher and author, particularly in the areas of human nutrition, obesity and metabolic disease, to higher education, and through roles with a range of professional scientific organisations

2022

Award - Macfarlane Burnet Medal and Lecture, Australian Academy of Science

Related entries

Published resources

Resources

• 'Steve Simpson - Citation at year of election, 2007', Fellows of the Academy, Australian Academy of Science, 2019, https://www.science.org.au/profile/steve-simpson. Details

See also

• Macfarlane Burnet Medal and Lecture, Australian Academy of Science, 2022, https://www.science.org.au/supporting-science/awards-and-opportunities/macfarlane-burnet-medal-and-lecture. Details
• Robson, Alexandra K.; Production Manager and Editor eds, Who's who in Australia 2019 (Southbank, Vic.: AAP Directories, 2018), 1788 pp. Details