Activity | He was educated in Aberdeenshire and at Aberdeen University where he earned a first class honours degree in 1949 and a doctorate in 1952, and where, later, most of his career would be based. After a brief spell at the Bureau of Animal Populations in Oxford and his marriage to Margaret Henderson Thompson, he went to Australia to work as a Research Officer for the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization (CSIRO) during the period 1953-1958. He returned to Aberdeen University to a post as Lecturer and to be in charge of the newly established Culterty Field Station at Newburgh, a few miles north of Aberdeen. As Director of this rural outpost of the University's Department of Natural History, as it was then known, George led the development of a burgeoning and ongoing programme of ecological research in the nearby Ythan estuary and Sands of Forvie National Nature Reserve. George also carried out research for DSIR in New Zealand during 1968-1969. He was promoted successively to Senior Lecturer, Professor, Regius Professor of Natural History and Head of Department, and eventually became Dean of the Faculty of Science. Several fellowships and honours were awarded to George from 1970 to 1994, and a D.Sc. in 1984. From the early 1970's he became increasingly involved in a number of committees including some from British government agencies too numerous to list here. This work continued until his untimely death from a stroke in Copenhagen.
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