David J. Patterson
Encyclopedia
David J. Patterson is a taxonomist
specializing in the protozoa
and the use of taxonomy in biodiversity informatics
. He was born in Belfast
, Northern Ireland
on the 19th April 1950 to Doris Mary (née Bell) and Samuel Patterson, with one elder brother (Samuel James, a mathematician) and a sister (Frances Mary). He was educated at Belmont Primary, Strandtown and Grosvenor High schools. He obtained his Bachelor of Science
British undergraduate degree classification#First-class honours First Class at Queen's University Belfast in 1971. He obtained a Doctor of Philosophy
from the University of Bristol
in 1976, where he was later employed (1977–1993). He obtained his Doctor of Science
in 1990 from Queen's University. In 1993 he moved to the University of Sydney
in Australia
where he became Head of the School of Biological Sciences. Father of Alice Mia Patterson, Daniel Patterson, and William Patterson. Currently, he is a Senior Scientist, at the Marine Biological Laboratory, Professor (MBL) at Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island, and Emeritus Professor, School of Biological Sciences, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia. As a taxonomist, his primary interests are in the diversity of protozoa and the evolution of protists. He and his coworkers have described over 250 new taxa. He helped to establish the Encyclopedia of Life project having had responsibility for the informatics component, basing EOL on the model developed with the micro*scope project. He received his Ph.D. from the University of Bristol, Bristol, UK in 1976 and his D.Sc. from Queens University, Belfast Northern Ireland, UK in 1990. He was Head of the School of Biological Sciences at the University of Sydney before moving in 2004 to the Marine Biological Laboratory in Woods Hole. David Patterson has been awarded the Thomas Henry Huxley prize and the Scientific Medal of the Zoological Society of London; has been Secretary of the British Section of the Society of Protozoologists; President of the International Society for Evolutionary Protistology; and Vice-President of the (International) Society of Protozoology. He is a member of the International Commission for Zoological Nomenclature. He has published approximately 160 peer-reviewed papers and several books throughout his caree. He was Senior Taxonomist on the Encyclopedia of Life project, a coPI of the Data Conservancy and of the NSF funded Global Names project.
Taxonomy
Taxonomy is the science of identifying and naming species, and arranging them into a classification. The field of taxonomy, sometimes referred to as "biological taxonomy", revolves around the description and use of taxonomic units, known as taxa...
specializing in the protozoa
Protozoa
Protozoa are a diverse group of single-cells eukaryotic organisms, many of which are motile. Throughout history, protozoa have been defined as single-cell protists with animal-like behavior, e.g., movement...
and the use of taxonomy in biodiversity informatics
Biodiversity Informatics
Biodiversity Informatics is the application of informatics techniques to biodiversity information for improved management, presentation, discovery, exploration and analysis...
. He was born in Belfast
Belfast
Belfast is the capital of and largest city in Northern Ireland. By population, it is the 14th biggest city in the United Kingdom and second biggest on the island of Ireland . It is the seat of the devolved government and legislative Northern Ireland Assembly...
, Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
on the 19th April 1950 to Doris Mary (née Bell) and Samuel Patterson, with one elder brother (Samuel James, a mathematician) and a sister (Frances Mary). He was educated at Belmont Primary, Strandtown and Grosvenor High schools. He obtained his Bachelor of Science
Bachelor of Science
A Bachelor of Science is an undergraduate academic degree awarded for completed courses that generally last three to five years .-Australia:In Australia, the BSc is a 3 year degree, offered from 1st year on...
British undergraduate degree classification#First-class honours First Class at Queen's University Belfast in 1971. He obtained a Doctor of Philosophy
Doctor of Philosophy
Doctor of Philosophy, abbreviated as Ph.D., PhD, D.Phil., or DPhil , in English-speaking countries, is a postgraduate academic degree awarded by universities...
from the University of Bristol
University of Bristol
The University of Bristol is a public research university located in Bristol, United Kingdom. One of the so-called "red brick" universities, it received its Royal Charter in 1909, although its predecessor institution, University College, Bristol, had been in existence since 1876.The University is...
in 1976, where he was later employed (1977–1993). He obtained his Doctor of Science
Doctor of Science
Doctor of Science , usually abbreviated Sc.D., D.Sc., S.D. or Dr.Sc., is an academic research degree awarded in a number of countries throughout the world. In some countries Doctor of Science is the name used for the standard doctorate in the sciences, elsewhere the Sc.D...
in 1990 from Queen's University. In 1993 he moved to the University of Sydney
University of Sydney
The University of Sydney is a public university located in Sydney, New South Wales. The main campus spreads across the suburbs of Camperdown and Darlington on the southwestern outskirts of the Sydney CBD. Founded in 1850, it is the oldest university in Australia and Oceania...
in Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
where he became Head of the School of Biological Sciences. Father of Alice Mia Patterson, Daniel Patterson, and William Patterson. Currently, he is a Senior Scientist, at the Marine Biological Laboratory, Professor (MBL) at Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island, and Emeritus Professor, School of Biological Sciences, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia. As a taxonomist, his primary interests are in the diversity of protozoa and the evolution of protists. He and his coworkers have described over 250 new taxa. He helped to establish the Encyclopedia of Life project having had responsibility for the informatics component, basing EOL on the model developed with the micro*scope project. He received his Ph.D. from the University of Bristol, Bristol, UK in 1976 and his D.Sc. from Queens University, Belfast Northern Ireland, UK in 1990. He was Head of the School of Biological Sciences at the University of Sydney before moving in 2004 to the Marine Biological Laboratory in Woods Hole. David Patterson has been awarded the Thomas Henry Huxley prize and the Scientific Medal of the Zoological Society of London; has been Secretary of the British Section of the Society of Protozoologists; President of the International Society for Evolutionary Protistology; and Vice-President of the (International) Society of Protozoology. He is a member of the International Commission for Zoological Nomenclature. He has published approximately 160 peer-reviewed papers and several books throughout his caree. He was Senior Taxonomist on the Encyclopedia of Life project, a coPI of the Data Conservancy and of the NSF funded Global Names project.