Doug Butterworth

{{Short description|South African academic}} {{Infobox academic | name = Doug Butterworth | region = | period = | title = | known_for = | children = | signature = | signature_alt = | signature_size = | era = | discipline = Applied mathematics | movement =  | religion =  | denomination =  | alma_mater = University of Cape Town <br />University College London | doctoral_students = | notable_students = | workplaces = University of Cape Town | website = | footnotes = | honorific_suffix = {{post-nominals|country=ZAR|OMS}} | sub_discipline = Fisheries science | birth_name = Douglas Stuart Butterworth | education = Bishops Diocesan College }}

'''Douglas Stuart Butterworth''' is a retired South African fisheries scientist and applied mathematician. He is professor emeritus of applied mathematics at the University of Cape Town, where he is the director of the Marine Resource Assessment and Management (MARAM) research group.

== Early life and education == Butterworth attended the Western Province Preparatory School in Cape Town,<ref>{{Cite web |last=Maluleke |first=Sagwadi |date=2019-05-26 |title=Award by Emperor of Japan – Professor Emeritus Doug Butterworth (1959) |url=https://wpps-alumni.org.za/2019/05/26/award-by-emperor-of-japan-professor-emeritus-doug-butterworth-1959/ |access-date=2024-06-26 |website=WPPS Alumni |language=en-US}}</ref> and he matriculated from nearby Bishops Diocesan College in 1963.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2019-05-23 |title=Prof. Butterworth (1963G) Receives Japanese Honour for Saving Bluefin Tuna |url=https://www.odunion.com/news/ods-in-the-news/413/413-Prof-Butterworth-1963G-Receives-Japanese-Honour-for-Saving-Bluefin-Tuna |access-date=2024-06-26 |website=Bishops OD Alumni Network |language=en}}</ref> Trained as a physicist, he holds an MSc from the University of Cape Town and a PhD in fundamental particle physics from University College London.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=Douglas Stuart Butterworth |url=https://www.thepresidency.gov.za/douglas-stuart-butterworth |access-date=25 June 2024 |website=Presidency of the Republic of South Africa}}</ref>

After his doctoral degree, he spent four months as an adjunct lecturer at the University of Natal. He returned to Cape Town in 1977 to work in applied mathematics for the Sea Fisheries Branch, unable to find a job in physics.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |last=Duvenage |first=Engela |date=2019-09-02 |title=The UCT prof who helped save the bluefin tuna |url=https://scibraai.co.za/the-uct-prof-who-helped-save-the-bluefin-tuna/ |access-date=2024-06-26 |website=SciBraai |language=en-US}}</ref> He became involved in fisheries research in 1979, when he advised a co-worker – marine biologist Peter Best – about techniques for survey-based marine mammal abundance estimation. With Best's support, he became increasingly engaged in the research that Best was engaged in for the International Whaling Commission.<ref name=":1" />

== University of Cape Town == After two years at the Sea Fisheries Branch, Butterworth joined the Department of Mathematics and Applied Mathematics at the University of Cape Town.<ref name=":1" /> His focus was applied mathematics and he primarily taught biomathematics and environmental modelling. His most important research concerned fisheries assessment, fisheries management, and related modelling.<ref name=":0" />

In particular, Butterworth is known for developing the so-called management procedure approach to fisheries regulation in the late 1980s and early 1990s.<ref>{{Cite web |date=21 May 2019 |title=UCT professor honoured by Emperor of Japan |url=http://www.news.uct.ac.za/article/-2019-05-21-uct-professor-honoured-by-emperor-of-japan |access-date=2024-06-26 |website=University of Cape Town |language=en}}</ref> The procedure originated in an informal competition undertaken by Butterworth and Andre Punt, a PhD student, against foreign research groups; in the course of the competition, Butterworth and Punt devised the procedure by using feedback control to refine computer simulations for whaling quotas.<ref name=":1" /> The management procedure approach is extremely compatible with the precautionary principle advocated by the Earth Summit.<ref name=":0" /> The approach was subsequently applied to calculate annual catch targets for South African hake, sardine, anchovy, and rock lobster,<ref>{{Cite web |date=2019-09-12 |title=Fishing industry demonstrates strong support for world-renowned professor |url=https://sadstia.co.za/fishing-industry-demonstrates-strong-support-for-world-renowned-professor/ |access-date=2024-06-26 |website=SADSTIA |language=en-ZA}}</ref> and it spread beyond South Africa: Butterworth has advised at least 12 other countries, as well as fishing industry associations and international bodies (among them the scientific committees of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation and the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species).<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" /> In total, he has written over 1,500 technical reports, in addition to some 250 academic publications.<ref name=":1" />

After he retired from teaching, Butterworth remained the director of the university's Marine Resource Assessment and Management (MARAM) research group.<ref name=":1" />

== Honours and awards == Butterworth is a fellow of the Royal Society of South Africa.<ref name=":1" /> In October 2008, President Kgalema Motlanthe admitted him to the Order of Mapungubwe,'''<ref>{{Cite web |date=3 November 2008 |title=National Orders for UCT four |url=http://www.news.uct.ac.za/article/-2008-11-03-national-orders-for-uct-four |access-date=2024-06-26 |website=University of Cape Town |language=en}}</ref>''' granting him the award in silver for, "His excellent contribution to the betterment of the environment and sustainability of fisheries."<ref name=":0" />

In September 2019, the Emperor of Japan admitted Butterworth to the Order of the Rising Sun, Third Class.<ref>{{Cite web |last= |date=2019-06-04 |title=Fisheries scientist wins prestigious award |url=https://www.worldfishing.net/fisheries-scientist-wins-prestigious-award/1175896.article |access-date=2024-06-26 |website=World Fishing |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last= |date=2019-09-12 |title=Accolade: Fishing Industry Honours Doug Butterworth |url=https://www.fishingindustrynewssa.com/2019/09/12/accolade-fishing-industry-honours-doug-butterworth/ |access-date=2024-06-26 |website=Fishing Industry News and Aquaculture SA |language=en-GB}}</ref> Having served on the Japanese delegation to the scientific committee of the Commission for the Conservation of Southern Bluefin Tuna, he received the award for his contribution to the sustainable management of Japan's marine resources, particularly southern bluefin tuna.<ref>{{Cite news |date=21 May 2019 |title=UCT scientist honoured for helping to save Japan's bluefin tuna |url=https://www.timeslive.co.za/news/south-africa/2019-05-21-uct-scientist-honoured-for-helping-to-save-japans-bluefin-tuna/ |access-date=25 June 2024 |work=Sunday Times}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=12 September 2019 |title=Japan honours UCT fisheries scientist Butterworth for 'distinguished achievements' |url=https://www.iol.co.za/capetimes/news/japan-honours-uct-fisheries-scientist-butterworth-for-distinguished-achievements-32862290 |access-date=25 June 2024 |work=Cape Times}}</ref>

== References == {{reflist}}

== External links ==

* {{ResearchGate|id=Doug-S-Butterworth-2109884689|name=Doug S. Butterworth}} * {{ResearchGate|id=Douglas-S-Butterworth-2069922425|name=Douglas S. Butterworth}} * {{Google Scholar ID|id=h-D16Jk8AAAAJ|name=D. S. Butterworth}} * [https://science.uct.ac.za/maram/contacts/doug-butterworth Professor Emeritus Doug Butterworth] at University of Cape Town * [https://science.uct.ac.za/maram/contacts/doug-butterworth Professor Emeritus Doug Butterworth] at MARAM * [https://boatingsouthafrica.co.za/2019/06/04/the-numbers-guy-uct-boffin-doug-butterworth-is-big-in-japan/ 2019 interview] with ''Boating South Africa'' * [https://www.fishingindustrynewssa.com/2019/10/15/interview-face-to-face-with-professor-doug-butterworth/ 2019 interview] with ''Fishing Industry News'' {{Order of Mapungubwe}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Butterworth, Doug}} Category:20th-century South African scientists Category:21st-century South African scientists Category:Academic staff of the University of Cape Town Category:Alumni of Diocesan College, Cape Town Category:Alumni of University College London Category:Applied mathematicians Category:Fisheries scientists Category:University of Cape Town alumni Category:Year of birth missing (living people) Category:Place of birth missing (living people) Category:Living people Category:Recipients of the Order of Mapungubwe

Doug Butterworth

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