Richard Laws facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Dick Laws
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| Born |
Richard Maitland Laws
23 April 1926 |
| Died | 7 October 2014 (aged 88) |
| Alma mater | University of Cambridge |
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| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Marine biology |
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Richard Maitland Laws (born April 23, 1926 – died October 7, 2014) was a famous British scientist. He spent many years studying animals, especially in the cold lands of Antarctica. He was the leader of the British Antarctic Survey for a long time, from 1973 to 1987. He also led St Edmund's College, Cambridge and was involved with the Zoological Society of London.
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Early Life and Learning
Richard Laws was born in Whitley Bay, a town in Northumberland, England. He went to Dame Allan's School in Newcastle upon Tyne. Later, he studied at St Catharine's College, Cambridge, where he was a top student.
A Career Studying Animals
Laws began his work as a zoologist in 1947. He joined the Falkland Islands Dependencies Survey. His first big project was studying elephant seals. He observed them in the South Orkney Islands and South Georgia. This research helped him earn his PhD from Cambridge in 1953.
After working as a whaling inspector for a short time, he joined the Institute of Oceanography. This was from 1955 to 1961. Here, he continued his studies on great whales and elephant seals.
Research in Africa
Laws was not only an expert on Antarctic animals. He also studied large African mammals. In 1960, he became the Director of the Nuffield Unit of Tropical Animal Ecology in Uganda. For the next eight years, he focused on the lives of hippopotamuses and elephants.
He spent a year as the Director of the Tsavo Research Project in Kenya. His research aimed to understand elephant populations better. This work was important for wildlife management and conservation efforts.
Return to Antarctica
In 1968, Laws returned to Cambridge. He went back to his research on Antarctic animals. In 1969, he became the Head of the Life Sciences Division at the British Antarctic Survey.
He took over from Vivian Fuchs as the Director of the British Antarctic Survey in 1973. He held this important position until he retired in May 1987.
From 1985 to 1996, he was the Master of St Edmund's College, Cambridge. He was also a member of the Scientific Committee for the International Whaling Commission. This group works on whale conservation.
Awards and Special Recognition
Richard Laws received many awards for his scientific work.
- In 1954, he won the Bruce memorial prize. This was for his important studies on elephant seals.
- He was given the Polar Medal in 1975. This medal honors people who have done great work in the polar regions.
- In 1980, he was chosen as a Fellow of the Royal Society (FRS). This is a very high honor for scientists in the UK.
- He was also appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE).
In 1991, the University of Bath gave him an Honorary Doctor of Science degree. From 1998, he was a member of the Norwegian Academy of Science and Letters.
The Laws Prize
When Richard Laws retired, a special fund was created. This fund gives out the Laws Prize every year. The prize celebrates the achievements of excellent young scientists at the British Antarctic Survey. It helps encourage new talent in scientific research.
