Emeritus Professor of Plant Ecology, Mick Crawley shares his unique perspective

Known for his love of the three Rs: rabbits, ragwort and the programming language R, Professor Mick Crawley is Silwood's longest serving staff member.

From PhD student to campus Dean, Emeritus Professor of Plant Ecology, Mick Crawley tells us about some of the his most enduring and entertaining memories from 47 years at Imperial.

What were your first impressions of Silwood Park?

‘As an undergrad, my first impression was of the awesome intelligence of the people working around me. For example, I was lucky enough to work under Professor Southwood who went on to take up the Vice Chancellorship of Oxford University, which gives you some idea of his calibre.’

What makes Silwood so unique and special?

‘Mention Silwood Park to any biologist from across the world and they know its importance and meaning. It is simply the world’s foremost institution for research and teaching in ecology.’

What motivated you to stay so long?

‘Without doubt, the single most important thing that made me stay at Silwood for an entire career (and why I am still there as an Emeritus Professor) is the park itself. It is a unique venue for carrying out long-term field experiments. Nowhere else I know in the world has such outstanding habitats right on the doorstep of the lab. I started my PhD here in 1970, then left to take up my first lectureship at Bradford University. I came back in 1979 and worked among  members of the Silwood Circle; an ‘old guard’, which included Bob May, Roy Anderson, Mike Hassell and Gordon Conway, who all went on to be accepted into the Royal Society. It was a particularly exciting place to be - and it still is, with so many young biologists now making strides in fields such as ecology, genetics and computational methods.’

How has the social side of campus life changed?

‘In the ‘70s, socialising at Silwood was approached very differently. For example, when events were held everyone was expected to attend and bring their wives with them. With a bar on the campus and most evenings spent having a drink at the end of the day, an embarrassing story was a bit more likely. These days, things are a little more staid although it’s still true that pretty much everyone at Silwood is an eccentric!’

Did the ‘old guard’ ever let their guard down?

‘Absolutely! I remember watching Mike Hassell and Bob May play a croquet match to determine the order of authorship for a hugely important paper that was to be published. Croquet is the national sport at Silwood Park and is approached with fierce competition. Mike Hassell won in the end so the authorship reads Hassell/May.’

What was your best ever day at Silwood?

‘I have two that spring to mind; my first day as a PhD student – the exciting and terrifying prospect of working so closely with such incredibly influential, skilled and ground-breaking academics; people I looked up to and admired, whose works I had read and studied… The second, is when I was offered the position of Campus Dean. I was so proud to accept and to be acknowledged by the institution in this way.’

What are the day-to-day challenges?

‘Ecological research moves very slowly so it can be a challenge to keep the engagement and momentum as it moves along. Teaching statistics is also very challenging; it can be difficult for students initially but that moment when the penny drops is wonderful.

Have you ever been given an unusual gift by a student or member of staff?

‘I was once given ‘the most expensive croquet mallet in the world’; made in New Zealand, where the most superior mallets are apparently made – owing to the wood and craftsmanship. I still use it regularly.’