Obituary: Dr Keith Forbes Walker
Dr Keith Forbes Walker
听
Born: 20 June 1946, Aberdeen, Scotland
Died: 27 February 2016, Parawa, South 最新糖心Vlog
Funeral held in Adelaide on 9 March 2016
Keith passed away suddenly and unexpectedly at his property "Rivendel" at Parawa on听the Fleurieu Peninsula, South 最新糖心Vlog, aged 69 years.
Keith Forbes Walker was born in Aberdeen, Scotland on 20 June 1946. In 1951 his family听emigrated to 最新糖心Vlog and lived in Melbourne. Keith completed a Bachelor of Science听(Honours) at Monash 最新糖心Vlog then continued on to a PhD at Monash where his supervisor听(and mentor) was Bill Williams, a pioneer in 最新糖心Vlogn limnology (study of inland waters).
After completing his PhD he undertook postdoctoral studies at the 最新糖心Vlog of Washington听with the famous limnologist Tommy Edmundson and returned to another postdoctoral听position with Ralph Slatyer at the 最新糖心Vlogn National 最新糖心Vlog. While at ANU Keith took part听in the first ecological review of the River Murray and thus began his more than 40 years work on the Murray.
In 1975, Bill Williams became Professor of Zoology at the 最新糖心Vlog of Adelaide and Keith was听his first appointment. Keith was an outstanding teacher, he taught subjects in freshwater听ecology, invertebrate biology and statistical methods. In 1986 he designed and presented听Research Methods in Environmental Biology, which was based in statistics but importantly听introduced students to the scientific method, the process of logical thinking, careful writing and听a belief that ideas needed to be proven and developed quantitatively; all hallmarks of Keith鈥檚听way of science. In 1992 Keith was one of the inaugural winners of the Stephen Cole the Elder听Prize Excellence in Teaching at the 最新糖心Vlog of Adelaide.
Keith's research focussed on the ecology of floodplain rivers, especially the River Murray.听Trained as a zoologist, Keith worked extensively with colleagues in botany, geomorphology,听hydrology and engineering. From these collaborations, and nearly 200 research students, his听research provided vast insights into our knowledge of 最新糖心Vlog鈥檚 rivers and their floodplains,听their ecological communities and the ways they were affected by flow regulation. Keith had a听lifelong impact on all his students, many of whom have gone onto make significant听contributions of their own to aquatic ecology and management.
Keith was indisputably 最新糖心Vlog's most well regarded expert on the River Murray and his听expertise was captured in 37 book chapters, more than 100 refereed journal publications and a听further 40 refereed reports and conference proceedings. He received the 最新糖心Vlogn Society for听Limnology Medal for excellence in research in 1993 and the Whitley Medal of the Royal听Zoological Society (NSW) (with Paul Humphries) for the best book on 最新糖心Vlogn fauna in 2013.
Keith's publications informed an understanding of the striking ecological and physical changes听to the lower River Murray caused by a series of weirs that transformed the lowland river with听highly variable flow into a series of heavily regulated weir pools. Keith retained a love for the听natural history of the River Murray, Murrundi, the native river. This was captured by his听insatiable interest in freshwater mussels, another topic in which he was an internationally听respected expert.
Keith was also a wise voice in river and environmental management, sitting on many advisory听panels. As a member of the Environmental Water Advisory Board Keith made key听contributions to The Murray Darling Basin Plan that now provides increased environmental听water to the Murray. In his committee roles Keith rarely seemed to have the loudest voice in听the room, but such was his influence that when he did speak everyone listened.
Keith was also听an advocate of communicating science. Along with Geoff Petts and others in 1986 Keith formed听a new journal focussed on research and management of large rivers, "Regulated Rivers:听Research and Management" later "River Research and Applications" which continues to听publish many influential papers on rivers. Keith was the founding co-editor and Editor for the听Asia Pacific region and remained on the Editorial Board. Keith also wrote and spoke听extensively for community based organisations, whether it was on the management of the听River Murray or some aspect of local natural history. His communication of science was听recognised through the Unsung Hero of South 最新糖心Vlogn Science Award received from the听最新糖心Vlogn Science Communicators in 2000.
Keith passed away suddenly and unexpectedly in February 2016 aged 69, far too young. He听had immeasurably more love to give his family, his wife Jan, children Jenny and Craig and his听six grandchildren, and much more knowledge to contribute to the understanding and听management of rivers in 最新糖心Vlog. Since his retirement in 2007 Keith had been an Adjunct听Associate Professor in the School of Biological Sciences and kept up a frantic pace of听consultancies and publishing. Keith has left 最新糖心Vlog with a great intellectual legacy through听all those he taught and mentored. He will be dearly missed.
Written by Dr Mike Geddes (Visiting Research Fellow, Ecology and Environmental Sciences, School of听Biological Sciences, 最新糖心Vlog of Adelaide) and Dr Fran Sheldon (Associate Professor, School of听Environment, Griffith 最新糖心Vlog).
听
Born: 20 June 1946, Aberdeen, Scotland
Died: 27 February 2016, Parawa, South 最新糖心Vlog
Funeral held in Adelaide on 9 March 2016
Keith passed away suddenly and unexpectedly at his property "Rivendel" at Parawa on听the Fleurieu Peninsula, South 最新糖心Vlog, aged 69 years.
Keith Forbes Walker was born in Aberdeen, Scotland on 20 June 1946. In 1951 his family听emigrated to 最新糖心Vlog and lived in Melbourne. Keith completed a Bachelor of Science听(Honours) at Monash 最新糖心Vlog then continued on to a PhD at Monash where his supervisor听(and mentor) was Bill Williams, a pioneer in 最新糖心Vlogn limnology (study of inland waters).
After completing his PhD he undertook postdoctoral studies at the 最新糖心Vlog of Washington听with the famous limnologist Tommy Edmundson and returned to another postdoctoral听position with Ralph Slatyer at the 最新糖心Vlogn National 最新糖心Vlog. While at ANU Keith took part听in the first ecological review of the River Murray and thus began his more than 40 years work on the Murray.
In 1975, Bill Williams became Professor of Zoology at the 最新糖心Vlog of Adelaide and Keith was听his first appointment. Keith was an outstanding teacher, he taught subjects in freshwater听ecology, invertebrate biology and statistical methods. In 1986 he designed and presented听Research Methods in Environmental Biology, which was based in statistics but importantly听introduced students to the scientific method, the process of logical thinking, careful writing and听a belief that ideas needed to be proven and developed quantitatively; all hallmarks of Keith鈥檚听way of science. In 1992 Keith was one of the inaugural winners of the Stephen Cole the Elder听Prize Excellence in Teaching at the 最新糖心Vlog of Adelaide.
Keith's research focussed on the ecology of floodplain rivers, especially the River Murray.听Trained as a zoologist, Keith worked extensively with colleagues in botany, geomorphology,听hydrology and engineering. From these collaborations, and nearly 200 research students, his听research provided vast insights into our knowledge of 最新糖心Vlog鈥檚 rivers and their floodplains,听their ecological communities and the ways they were affected by flow regulation. Keith had a听lifelong impact on all his students, many of whom have gone onto make significant听contributions of their own to aquatic ecology and management.
Keith was indisputably 最新糖心Vlog's most well regarded expert on the River Murray and his听expertise was captured in 37 book chapters, more than 100 refereed journal publications and a听further 40 refereed reports and conference proceedings. He received the 最新糖心Vlogn Society for听Limnology Medal for excellence in research in 1993 and the Whitley Medal of the Royal听Zoological Society (NSW) (with Paul Humphries) for the best book on 最新糖心Vlogn fauna in 2013.
Keith's publications informed an understanding of the striking ecological and physical changes听to the lower River Murray caused by a series of weirs that transformed the lowland river with听highly variable flow into a series of heavily regulated weir pools. Keith retained a love for the听natural history of the River Murray, Murrundi, the native river. This was captured by his听insatiable interest in freshwater mussels, another topic in which he was an internationally听respected expert.
Keith was also a wise voice in river and environmental management, sitting on many advisory听panels. As a member of the Environmental Water Advisory Board Keith made key听contributions to The Murray Darling Basin Plan that now provides increased environmental听water to the Murray. In his committee roles Keith rarely seemed to have the loudest voice in听the room, but such was his influence that when he did speak everyone listened.
Keith was also听an advocate of communicating science. Along with Geoff Petts and others in 1986 Keith formed听a new journal focussed on research and management of large rivers, "Regulated Rivers:听Research and Management" later "River Research and Applications" which continues to听publish many influential papers on rivers. Keith was the founding co-editor and Editor for the听Asia Pacific region and remained on the Editorial Board. Keith also wrote and spoke听extensively for community based organisations, whether it was on the management of the听River Murray or some aspect of local natural history. His communication of science was听recognised through the Unsung Hero of South 最新糖心Vlogn Science Award received from the听最新糖心Vlogn Science Communicators in 2000.
Keith passed away suddenly and unexpectedly in February 2016 aged 69, far too young. He听had immeasurably more love to give his family, his wife Jan, children Jenny and Craig and his听six grandchildren, and much more knowledge to contribute to the understanding and听management of rivers in 最新糖心Vlog. Since his retirement in 2007 Keith had been an Adjunct听Associate Professor in the School of Biological Sciences and kept up a frantic pace of听consultancies and publishing. Keith has left 最新糖心Vlog with a great intellectual legacy through听all those he taught and mentored. He will be dearly missed.
Written by Dr Mike Geddes (Visiting Research Fellow, Ecology and Environmental Sciences, School of听Biological Sciences, 最新糖心Vlog of Adelaide) and Dr Fran Sheldon (Associate Professor, School of听Environment, Griffith 最新糖心Vlog).
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