Person

Thornton, Ian Walter Boothroyd (1926 - 2002)

Born
14 July 1926
Halifax, 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 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.

Details

Chronology

c. 1944 - c. 1948
Career position - 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, 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 at 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 at La Trobe University
1992
Award - John Lewis Gold Medal, Royal Geographical Society of Australasia
1995 -
Award - Fellow, Australian Academy of Science (FAA)
1996
Career position - Krakatau: The Destruction and Reassembly of an Ecosystem published

Related Corporate Bodies

Archival resources

Adolph Basser Library, Australian Academy of Science

  • Ian Walter Boothroyd Thornton - Records, 1953 - 2000, MS 215; Adolph Basser Library, Australian Academy of Science. Details

Published resources

Encyclopedia of Australian Science and Innovation Exhibitions

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

Resource Sections

Rosanne Walker

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