Phillip Tobias
Phillip Tobias University of Witwatersrand | |
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Known for | Paleoanthropological and evolutionary work |
Awards | Fellow of the Royal Society |
Scientific career | |
Fields | Anthropology |
Thesis | Chromosomes, Sex Cells, and Evolution in the Gerbil (1953) |
Part of a series on |
Anthropology |
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Phillip Vallentine Tobias
Academic life
Born in
In 1955, Tobias started his post-graduate research at the
Tobias excavated at the
Research
His research has been mainly in the fields of paleoanthropology and the human biology of Africa's various populations. He has studied the Kalahari
He published in 1970 an article in which he questioned the link between brain-size, race and intelligence.[7]
Achievements and awards
Tobias is one of South Africa's most honoured and decorated scientists, and a world leading expert on human prehistoric ancestors; he has been nominated three times for a Nobel Prize, received a dozen honorary doctorates and been awarded South Africa's Order for Meritorious Service. Tobias published over 600 journal articles and authored or co-authored 33 books and edited or co-edited eight others. He has received honorary degrees from seventeen universities and other academic institutions in South Africa, the United States of America, Canada and Europe. He has been elected as a fellow, associate or honorary member of over 28 learned societies. These include being elected a foreign associate of the
Among the medals, awards and prizes he has received are the
He held the positions of Professor Emeritus of Anatomy and Human Biology at the University of the Witwatersrand, Honorary Professor of Palaeo-anthropology, Honorary Professorial Research Associate and Director of the Sterkfontein Research Unit, and Andrew Dickson White Professor-at-Large of Cornell University, Ithaca, New York USA. He has been a visiting professor at the University of Pennsylvania, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Cambridge University and other institutions.[14]
Books
- Humanity from Naissance to Coming Millennia – This book covers important recent advances in human biology and human evolutionary studies. The contributions cover a wide range of topics, from Human Biology, Human Evolution (Emerging Homo, Evolving Homo, Early Modern Humans), Dating, Taxonomy and Systematics, to Diet and Brain Evolution.
- Into the Past – In this autobiographical work Tobias recounts the first 40 years of his life through anecdotes, experiences and philosophies.
- Images of Humanity: Selected Writings of Phillip V. Tobias Hardcover – December 31, 1991; ISBN 978-1874800231– This is a valuable collection of the writings of an acclaimed academic who made important contributions to the sciences and humanities. Always wary of intense specialization, Tobias over the years fostered an interest in the human, social, anthropological and historical sciences. His early studies were in medicine, his PhD was awarded for his thesis.
Death
On 7 June 2012, Tobias died after a long illness, at a Johannesburg hospital aged 86.[15][16] He was buried at the West Park Jewish Cemetery in Johannesburg on 10 June 2012.[17]
Notes
- S2CID 206543089.
- PMID 23594211.
- ^ Denise Grady (11 June 2012). "Phillip V. Tobias, Paleoanthropologist Who Analyzed Apelike Fossils, Is Dead at 86". The New York Times.
- ^ "About Us". World Cultural Council. Retrieved 8 November 2016.
- S2CID 144768021.
- ^ UNESCO World Heritage Centre. "Fossil Hominid Sites of South Africa". whc.unesco.org. Retrieved 4 December 2022.
- PMID 5415587.
- ^ "Phillip V. Tobias". www.nasonline.org. Retrieved 13 December 2021.
- ^ "DServe Archive Persons Show". royalsociety.org. Retrieved 14 November 2017.
- S2CID 247453665.
- ^ "Phillip V. Tobias". American Academy of Arts & Sciences. Retrieved 13 December 2021.
- ^ "APS Member History". search.amphilsoc.org. Retrieved 13 December 2021.
- ^ Royal Society of South Africa Medal Winners
- ^ University of Witwatersrand Obituary Archived 25 March 2014 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "Scientist Phillip Tobias dies". News24. 7 June 2012. Retrieved 7 June 2012.
- ^ "Eminent South African anthropologist Tobias dies". Retrieved 8 June 2012.
- ^ Smillie, Shaun; van Schie, Kristen (9 June 2012). "Prof leaves indelible mark". IOL. Archived from the original on 26 June 2020. Retrieved 26 June 2020.
References
- Tribute to Phillip Valentine Tobias by the Royal Society Of South Africa on the Occasion of his 80th Birthday at the Wayback Machine (archived 2006-09-24)
- Minnesota State University at the Wayback Machine (archived 2007-06-09)
- Goodrum, Matthew R. (2013). "Obituary: Phillip Vallentine Tobias (1925–2012)". American Journal of Physical Anthropology. 150 (2): 167–169. PMID 23180609.