Gordon Conway facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Sir Gordon Conway
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Gordon Richard Conway
6 July 1938 Birmingham, England
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| Died | 30 July 2023 (aged 85) |
| Alma mater | Bangor University Cambridge University University of the West Indies University of California, Davis |
| Awards | Fellow of the Royal Society (2004) KCMG (2005) Founder's Medal (2017) |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Agricultural Ecology |
| Institutions | Imperial College London University of California, Davis The Rockefeller Foundation |
| Thesis | A Basic Model of Insect Reproduction and its Implications for Pest Control (1969) |
Sir Gordon Richard Conway (born July 6, 1938 – died July 30, 2023) was an important British scientist. He studied how farming and the environment work together. He led big organizations like the Rockefeller Foundation and the Royal Geographical Society. Later, he was a professor at Imperial College, London. He also directed a project called Agriculture for Impact. This project helped farmers in Africa, with support from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
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Early Life and Learning
Gordon Richard Conway was born in Birmingham, England, on July 6, 1938. He went to several universities to study. These included Bangor University and Cambridge University. He also studied at the University of the West Indies in Trinidad. He earned his highest degree, a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), from the University of California, Davis.
Sir Gordon's Career and Impact
In the early 1960s, Sir Gordon worked in Sabah, North Borneo. There, he became a leader in new farming methods. He helped create ideas like sustainable agriculture. This means farming in ways that protect the environment. He also worked on integrated pest management. This is a way to control pests without harming nature too much.
From 1970 to 1986, he was a professor. He taught Environmental Technology at the Imperial College of Science and Technology in London. After that, he led a program on sustainable agriculture. This was at the International Institute for Environment and Development. He also worked for the Ford Foundation in New Delhi. He was also the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Sussex. This means he was a top leader at that university.
In 1998, Sir Gordon became the eleventh President of The Rockefeller Foundation. He held this important job until 2004. From 2004 to 2009, he was also the President of the Royal Geographical Society. This society promotes geography and exploration. In 2005, he became the Chief Scientific Adviser. This was for the UK government's Department for International Development.
Later, Sir Gordon worked at Imperial College London again. He led a project called Agriculture for Impact. This project was funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. It focused on finding ways to improve farming for smallholder farmers in Africa. These are farmers who own small plots of land. The project aimed to help them grow more food. It also worked to make their farming better for the environment.
Agriculture for Impact was an independent group. It worked to encourage support for African agriculture. The project ran until the summer of 2016. It also brought together experts. This group was called the Montpellier Panel. These experts came from many fields. They included farming, trade, and global development.
Later Life and Passing
Sir Gordon Conway passed away on July 30, 2023. He was 85 years old. He died from blood cancer.
Awards and Special Recognitions
Sir Gordon received many honors for his work. Here are some of them:
- In June 2004, he received an honorary degree. This was from the Open University.
- In 2004, he became a Fellow of the Royal Society. This is a very high honor for scientists.
- In 2005, he was made a Knight Commander. This is part of the Order of Saint Michael and Saint George (KCMG). This means he was given the title "Sir."
- In 2005, he was listed among the top global thinkers.
- In 2008, he became an Honorary Fellow. This was of the Royal Academy of Engineering.
- In 2017, he received the Founder's Medal. This is a special award from the Royal Geographical Society.
Books Written by Sir Gordon
Sir Gordon Conway wrote several important books:
- Unwelcome Harvest: agriculture and pollution (Earthscan, Island Press) ISBN: 1-85383-036-4
- The Doubly Green Revolution: Food for all in the 21st century (Penguin and University Press, Cornell) ISBN: 0-8014-8610-6
- Islamophobia: a challenge for us all (The Runnymede Trust) ISBN: 0-902397-98-2
He also helped write these books:
- Science and Innovation for Development (UK Collaborative on Development Sciences (UKCDS))
- One Billion Hungry: Can we Feed the World? This book was published in October 2012.
