John H. Steele (Oceanographer)

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John Hyslop Steele (born November 15, 1926 in Edinburgh , United Kingdom , † November 4, 2013 in Falmouth , Massachusetts ) was a British mathematician and oceanographer . He made important contributions to the scientific understanding of the dynamics in marine ecosystems.

Life

John Steele grew up in Edinburgh and went to University College London after graduating and studied mathematics. In 1946 he graduated from there.

He then served in the Royal Air Force from 1947 to 1949 and did research at the Royal Aircraft Establishment in the field of aeronautical engineering . After his service he worked in the Marine Fisheries Management Laboratory of the Scotland Department of Agriculture and Fisheries in Aberdeen .

In the late 1950s he began his research with colleagues from the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI). With Charles S. Yentsch he researched the vertical distribution of plankton in oceans. He examined both small maritime systems, such as Loch Ewe , in order to draw conclusions about large systems, as well as huge amounts of marine data using mathematics and statistics.

In 1977 he was elected director of the WHOI and remained so until his retirement in 1989. During his time as director, the wreck of the Titanic was discovered on September 1, 1985 by one of his research teams under Robert Ballard , which caused a worldwide sensation. Under Steele's leadership, WHOI played a central role in the development of international oceanographic projects that examined the role of the oceans on climate change.

Even after retirement, Steele continued to work in research and served on the boards of various companies and organizations, including the Bermuda Institute of Ocean Sciences , Exxon Corporation, and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation .

John Steele published over 100 scientific papers and his 1974 book The Structure of Marine Ecosystems is considered the Bible of Oceanography .

He was married to his wife Evelyn for 56 years and had a son with her.

Awards (selection)

literature

by John Steele

as editor

  • Encyclopedia of Ocean Sciences , with Steve A. Thorpe (Associate Editor) and Karl K. Turekian (Associate Editor), Academic Press , San Diego 2001, ISBN 0-122-274-30X

Web links

swell

personal data
SURNAME Steele, John H.
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Steele, John Hyslop (full name)
BRIEF DESCRIPTION British mathematician and oceanographer
DATE OF BIRTH November 15, 1926
PLACE OF BIRTH Edinburgh , UK
DATE OF DEATH 4th November 2013
Place of death Falmouth , Massachusetts