ROYAL SOCIETY OF SOUTH AFRICA

Lecture Series 2019

Mike Bruton

Emeritus Professor, University of Cape Town 

Former Director of the JLB Smith Institute of Ichthyology

Makanda

will present a lecture entitled

The Coelacanth and the Life and Work of Marjorie Courtenay-Latimer

Wednesday 23 October 2019

Time: 5.45 pm

Venue: John Bews Lecture Theatre, 

Life Sciences Campus, Pietermaritzburg.

Professor Mike Bruton was born in East London, and graduated with a BSc (Hons), Master of Science and Doctor of Philosophy and a Doctor of Science honoris causae from Rhodes University, South Africa. His main research fields were initially ichthyology, aquatic biology and ecology, then fish life histories, aquatic conservation and management, traditional fishing methods, and finally indigenous knowledge systems and environmental education. More recently, he has focussed on the psychology of learning, nature of creativity, structure and function of the brain, history and development of museums and science centres, history and role of science and technology, history of Islamic contributions to science and technology, and technological innovation. He is a Fellow of the Linnean Society of London, Fellow of the Royal Society of South Africa and has won many awards such as a Lifetime Achievement Award from the South African National Science and Technology Forum. Professor Bruton is Emeritus Professor, University of Cape Town, has an Honorary doctorate in Science, from Rhodes University, is an Honorary Life Member of the Two Oceans Aquarium, Cape Town and the South African Association for Science & Technology Centres, and an Honorary Research Associate of the South African Institute for Aquatic Biodiversity, Grahamstown. Until 2015 Prof Bruton was also employed by the MTE Studios, Dubai, Cape Town and Bahrain and he is now self-employed as ‘Mike Bruton Imagineering’. He has published over 120 peer-reviewed scientific papers and authored, co-authored and edited 30 scientific books on aquatic biology, ichthyology, as well as three on South African inventions, six books for children, and 800 popular science and technology articles in magazines, newspapers and newsletters worldwide. He has been a lecturer of under-and post-graduate students at universities and has served on many committees and consultancy panels.

Mike Bruton will describe his recollections of Marjorie Courtenay-Latimer. Not only did she save the coelacanth for Science, as the first bird-ringer in South Africa, she endured rugged expeditions to collect specimens for the East London museum that she curated. She was an important researcher on flowers (she has a Lachenalia named in her honour), as well as fossils, birds and isiXhosa customs. From child prodigy to a world-famous scientist, despite great hardships in her life, her extraordinary story will be told with legendary attention to detail. Prof Bruton has published his autobiography, “When I was a Fish” and three other compelling books, “The Annotated Old Four Legs: The Updated Story of the Coelacanth”, as well as “The Amazing Coelacanth and The Fishy Smith: A Biography of JLB and Margaret Smith” and the book “Curator and Crusader: The Life and Work of Marjorie Courtenay-Latimer”. These books will be on sale at the talk.

All welcome, please support! Light refreshments will be supplied.

Enquiries: Dr Edith Elliott – 082 4159435 or Ext 033-2605435.