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Richard Chorley
Richard John Chorley (4 September 1927 – 12 May 2002) was an English geographer, and Professor of Geography at Cambridge University, known as leading figure in quantitative geography in the late 20th century, who played an instrumental role in bringing in the use of systems theory to geography.
Chorley was born in Minehead, Somerset in an area known as the West Country, with roots in Exmoor and the Vale of Taunton Deane. He was a product of a local primary school and Minehead Grammar School. Later on, Chorley began studying Geomorphology as an undergraduate at the School of Geography at Oxford. He served with the Royal Engineers from 1946 to 1948 and made it Lieutenant. Afterwards he went up to Exeter College, where he obtained his BA with Honours in 1951. Later in 1954 he also obtained his MA at Oxford University, and in 1974 his Sc.D. at Cambridge University.
At Oxford he was greatly influenced by R.P. Beckinsale, who advised Chorley to go on to graduate study in the United States. He made a transatlantic move in 1951 as a Fulbright Scholar to Columbia University where he was a graduate student in the Geology Department and explored the quantitative approach to land form evolution.
Chorley started his academic career as Instructor in Geography at Columbia University, New York in 1952. In 1954 he moved to Brown University, Providence, USA, where he was appointed Instructor in Geology. In 1957, Chorley needed to return to Britain for family reasons. In 1958 he was appointed a Demonstrator at Cambridge University and proceeded to move rapidly up the university hierarchy with a readership in 1970 and ad hominem chair in 1974.
During his career Chorley published few geomorphology studies; among them one about comparative morphometry in 1962 and a review papper dealing with the methods of Strahler and Horton in 1966. In the opinion of Eiju Yatsu, Chorley was more of a science philosopher than a geomorphologist.
From 1963 to 1978 he also co-directed the Madingley Geography Conferences. In 1964 was appointed British representative to the Commission on Quantitative Techniques of the International Geographical Union, where he was nominated chairman in 1968. In the same year he was also appointed Chairman of the Committee on the Role of Models and Quantitative techniques in Geographical Teaching of the Geographical Association.
At Cambridge University from 1970 to 1975 Chorley served as Secretary of the Faculty Board of Geography and Geology. In 1972 he was appointed Deputy Head of the Department of Geography, Cambridge University, for the Lent and Michaelmas terms, and from 1984 to 1989 he was Head of the Department of Geography, Cambridge University. In 1990 he was elected Vice-Master, Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge University.
Chorley received a series of Awards and honours, such as:
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Richard Chorley
Richard John Chorley (4 September 1927 – 12 May 2002) was an English geographer, and Professor of Geography at Cambridge University, known as leading figure in quantitative geography in the late 20th century, who played an instrumental role in bringing in the use of systems theory to geography.
Chorley was born in Minehead, Somerset in an area known as the West Country, with roots in Exmoor and the Vale of Taunton Deane. He was a product of a local primary school and Minehead Grammar School. Later on, Chorley began studying Geomorphology as an undergraduate at the School of Geography at Oxford. He served with the Royal Engineers from 1946 to 1948 and made it Lieutenant. Afterwards he went up to Exeter College, where he obtained his BA with Honours in 1951. Later in 1954 he also obtained his MA at Oxford University, and in 1974 his Sc.D. at Cambridge University.
At Oxford he was greatly influenced by R.P. Beckinsale, who advised Chorley to go on to graduate study in the United States. He made a transatlantic move in 1951 as a Fulbright Scholar to Columbia University where he was a graduate student in the Geology Department and explored the quantitative approach to land form evolution.
Chorley started his academic career as Instructor in Geography at Columbia University, New York in 1952. In 1954 he moved to Brown University, Providence, USA, where he was appointed Instructor in Geology. In 1957, Chorley needed to return to Britain for family reasons. In 1958 he was appointed a Demonstrator at Cambridge University and proceeded to move rapidly up the university hierarchy with a readership in 1970 and ad hominem chair in 1974.
During his career Chorley published few geomorphology studies; among them one about comparative morphometry in 1962 and a review papper dealing with the methods of Strahler and Horton in 1966. In the opinion of Eiju Yatsu, Chorley was more of a science philosopher than a geomorphologist.
From 1963 to 1978 he also co-directed the Madingley Geography Conferences. In 1964 was appointed British representative to the Commission on Quantitative Techniques of the International Geographical Union, where he was nominated chairman in 1968. In the same year he was also appointed Chairman of the Committee on the Role of Models and Quantitative techniques in Geographical Teaching of the Geographical Association.
At Cambridge University from 1970 to 1975 Chorley served as Secretary of the Faculty Board of Geography and Geology. In 1972 he was appointed Deputy Head of the Department of Geography, Cambridge University, for the Lent and Michaelmas terms, and from 1984 to 1989 he was Head of the Department of Geography, Cambridge University. In 1990 he was elected Vice-Master, Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge University.
Chorley received a series of Awards and honours, such as: