Person
Thornton, Ian Walter Boothroyd (1926 - 2002)
FAA
- Born
- 14 July 1926
Halifax, Yorkshire, United Kingdom - Died
- 1 October 2002
Bangkok, Thailand - Occupation
- Zoologist
Summary
Ian 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 moved from Hong Kong to 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.
Details
Chronology
- c. 1944 - c. 1948
- Military service - Second World War. Officer and Parachutist in the 6th Airborne Division of the British Army
- 1951
- Education - Bachelor of Science with Honours (BSc(Hons)), University of Leeds, UK
- 1953
- Education - Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), University of Leeds
- 1953 - 1956
- Career position - Lecturer in Zoology, Gordon Memorial University College of Khartoum, Sudan
- 1956 - 1966
- Career position - Senior lecturer in Zoology, University of Hong Kong
- 1966 - 1968
- Career position - Reader in Zoology, University of Hong Kong
- 1968 - 1991
- Career position - Foundation Professor of Zoology, La Trobe University
- 1984
- Education - Doctor of Science (DSc)
- 1984 - 1992
- Career position - Leader of the International Zoological Expeditions to Krakatau
- 1992 -
- Career position - Professor Emeritus of Zoology, La Trobe University
- 1993
- Award - John Lewis Gold Medal, Royal Geographical Society of Australasia, South Australian Branch
- 1995 - 2002
- Award - Fellow, Australian Academy of Science (FAA)
- 1996
- Publication - Book: Krakatau: The Destruction and Reassembly of an Ecosystem
Related entries
Archival resources
Adolph Basser Library, Australian Academy of Science
Published resources
Encyclopedia of Australian Science and Innovation Exhibitions
- Smith, Ailie, Adolph Basser Library Manuscript Collection, eScholarship Research Centre, Melbourne, 2012, https://www.eoas.info/exhibitions/basser/basser_browse.html. Details
Journal Articles
- New, T. R.; Smithers, C. N.; and Marshall, A. T., 'Ian Walter Boothroyd Thornton, 1926-2002', Historical Records of Australian Science, 16 (1) (2005), 91-106. https://doi.org/10.1071/HR05002. Details
Newspaper Articles
- Marshall, Alan T., 'Exploring the living world in Darwin's footsteps - Obituary, Ian Walter Boothroyd Thornton', The Age (2002). Details
Resources
- Wikidata, http://www.wikidata.org/entity/Q28133286. Details
- VIAF - Virtual International Authority File, OCLC, https://viaf.org/viaf/14911149. Details
- 'Thornton, I W B (1926-2002)', Trove, National Library of Australia, 2009, https://nla.gov.au/nla.party-633709. Details
Resource Sections
- Thornton, Ian, 'Interview with Dr Patricia Woolley, zoologist', in Interviews with Australian scientists, Australian Academy of Science, 9 Nov 2000, https://www.science.org.au/learning/general-audience/history/interviews-australian-scientists/dr-patricia-woolley-zoologist. Details
Rosanne Walker
Created: 25 May 2001, Last modified: 21 January 2026
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