John Lawrence ’53

John Lawrence is currently a professor, natural scientist, and author. After graduating Tech, he attended UC Berkeley and earned a B.A. in Zoology in 1957 and a PhD in Entomology in 1965. He worked at Harvard University’s Museum of Comparative Zoology as a curator of entomology collections from 1964-1977. In 1977 he moved to Australia to work as a curator for the Australian National Insect Collection. In 1999 he was named an honorary fellow at the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO).

He became a naturalized Australian citizen in 1981.

As a beetle specialist, Lawrence’s primary interests are in the evolution and classification of major beetle groups, and the use of beetles as measures of biodiversity and indicators of the effects of human activities on natural habitats. He has published more than 100 books.