Authorised form of name | Tobias; Phillip Vallentine (1925 - 2012) |
Dates | 1925 - 2012 |
Nationality | South African |
Place of birth | Durban, Natal, South Africa |
Date of birth | 14/10/1925 |
Place of death | Johannesburg |
Date of death | 07/06/2012 |
Occupation | Palaeoanthropologist |
Activity | Education: First schooling in Bloemfontein at St Andrew's School and Durban. Received five degrees at Wits University, including a medical degree, Ph.D in genetics and DSc in palaeo-anthropology. Career: Palaeothropologist famous for discoveries at the Sterkfonein caves where he recovered more than 600 hominid remains. Part-time teacher in the Anatomy epartment at Wits University (1946-1950); a lecturer and senior lecturer under Professor Raymond Dart (1951-1958); Professor of Anatomy for 35 years, for 32 of which he was Head of the Department of Anatomy. Dean of Wits MEdical Faculty for three years, and a Member of the University Council for 14 years. Officially retired in 1993, but continues to be actively involved in academic matters, supervising PhD students and post doctoral fellows; serves on numerous committees such as the planning committee for the World Heritage Site at Sterkfonein, Swartkans, Kromdaai and the environs; the South African National Commission for UNESCO (immediate past chairman); Institute for the Study of Mankind in Africa (Founder President) received are the Balzan Prize for Physical Anthropology (1987) and the Charles R. Darwin Lifetime Achievement Award of the American Association of Physical Anthropologists (1997). The Royal Society of South Africa is very sparing with its honours, and Tobias is one of only two South African Honorary Fellows of the Society and one of very few recipients of its senior medal, the John Herschel Medal. |
Membership category | Fellow |
Date of election | 14/03/1996 |
Age at election | 70 |
Relationships | Only son and second child of Joseph Newman Tobias and his wife, Fanny (née Rosendorff) |
Source | Authority: Name spelling confirmed 20/04/2001 |
Virtual International Authority File | http://viaf.org/viaf/60198413 |
Code | NA2648 |
Archives associated with this Fellow
RefNo | Title | Date |
EC/1996/39 | Tobias, Phillip Vallentine: certificate of election to the Royal Society | 1995 |
IM/004612 | Tobias, Phillip Vallentine | 1996 |