David Harper
Limnologist; Researcher in River Conservation
David started his career in freshwater biology after a degree in Zoology, as a PhD student with Professor Bill Stewart, in Dundee University. That gave him his first experience of the FBA, with visits to learn about limnology from Jack Talling and zooplankton from Bill Smyly and Geoff Fryer.
That PhD, in lake eutrophication, led him to become the first limnologist for the new Rutland Water, for the former Welland & Nene River Division of Anglian Water Authority. He moved out of the water industry after 4 years to the University of Leicester, where he remained for the rest of his career, moving from the departments of Adult Education, to Zoology and then to Biology, as academic fashions changed. His first PhD student was the FBA’s current CEO; both of them were involved in starting, through running Adult Education field research, limnological studies in Kenyan Rift Valley lakes that lasted until his retirement. David continued research in river conservation ecology, which he had started at AWA.
David is Professor Emeritus at the University of Leicester, where he maintains his conservation interests in river restoration through the Welland Rivers Trust, which he helped form in 2010. He also studies the ecology of shallow lagoons at Norfolk nature reserves and is still publishing work from his African lake and English river studies.
