Professor Ian Newton OBE BSc DPhil DSc FRS FRSE
Professor Ian Newton will be awarded a Doctor of Science (DSc) on Thursday 2 July 2026 during the afternoon ceremony.
Professor Ian Newton is a distinguished ecologist whose research has made a major contribution to the study of bird populations and conservation biology.
Professor Newton worked throughout his career for the Natural Environment Research Council, including at the Institute of Terrestrial Ecology, where he undertook long-term research on bird populations and ecological change.
He is best known for his work on the ecology and conservation of birds, including a 27-year study of a sparrowhawk population in Scotland, the longest-running and most detailed study of any bird of prey. He is also renowned for his early research on finches, which provided important insights into feeding behaviour, ecological requirements and population dynamics.
His research has had significant implications for evolutionary biology and conservation science, including studies on the effects of pesticides and environmental pollutants on bird populations, reproductive success and links between population change and food supply.
Professor Newton has authored over 320 scientific papers and several influential books on ornithology and population ecology.
He has received numerous awards, including the Union Medal of the British Ornithologists’ Union (1987), the President’s Medal of the British Ecological Society (1989) and the Gold Medal of the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (1991). He was appointed OBE in 1999 for services to avian research.
He was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1993 in recognition of his contribution to ecological science.