Miklos Udvardy
Encyclopedia
Miklos Dezso Ferenc Udvardy (March 23, 1919 – January 27, 1998) was a biologist and biogeographer. He was born on March 23, 1919 in Debrecen
, Hungary
to Miklos Udvardy and Elizabeth Komlossy. Despite an early interest in birds, his father encouraged him to study law, but later went on to earn a doctorate in biology from the University of Debrecen in 1942. His first position was as research biologist at the Tihanyi Biological Station on Lake Balaton
in western Hungary.
Udvardy left Hungary in 1948, and secured a postdoctoral fellowship at Helsinki University in Finland
with Professor P. Palmgren, an ornithologist and zoologist. He met his future wife Maud Bjorklund in 1950, and moved to Uppsala
in Sweden
. He was Curator of Marine Invertebrates at the Swedish Museum of Natural History
in Stockholm
for a brief time.
Miklos and Maud married in 1951 and emigrated to Canada
. Udvardy arrived at the University of British Columbia
in Vancouver, British Columbia in 1952 and was appointed Assistant Professor in the Department of Zoology in 1953, where he lectured in comparative anatomy and ornithology until 1966. He was a visiting professor at the University of Hawaii
during the 1958-1959 academic year, and was Lida Scott Brown Lecturer in Ornithology at the University of California, Los Angeles
in the 1963-1964 academic year.
He served as Professor of Biological Sciences at California State University, Sacramento from 1967 until his retirement in 1991. There he sponsored eight graduate students, and spent a year as Visiting Professor at the University of Bonn
in Germany
, and a year as Fulbright Lecturer at the National University of Honduras.
Dr. Udvardy contributed 191 papers, 8 books, and 3 maps to the scientific literature, mostly in the fields of ornithology, biogeography, and vegetation classification.
Miklos Udvardy died of surgical complications in Sacramento, California
, on January 27, 1998. He was survived by his wife, Maud, and their three children and two grandchildren.
Debrecen
Debrecen , is the second largest city in Hungary after Budapest. Debrecen is the regional centre of the Northern Great Plain region and the seat of Hajdú-Bihar county.- Name :...
, Hungary
Hungary
Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...
to Miklos Udvardy and Elizabeth Komlossy. Despite an early interest in birds, his father encouraged him to study law, but later went on to earn a doctorate in biology from the University of Debrecen in 1942. His first position was as research biologist at the Tihanyi Biological Station on Lake Balaton
Lake Balaton
Lake Balaton is a freshwater lake in the Transdanubian region of Hungary. It is the largest lake in Central Europe, and one of its foremost tourist destinations. As Hungary is landlocked , Lake Balaton is often affectionately called the "Hungarian Sea"...
in western Hungary.
Udvardy left Hungary in 1948, and secured a postdoctoral fellowship at Helsinki University in Finland
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
with Professor P. Palmgren, an ornithologist and zoologist. He met his future wife Maud Bjorklund in 1950, and moved to Uppsala
Uppsala
- Economy :Today Uppsala is well established in medical research and recognized for its leading position in biotechnology.*Abbott Medical Optics *GE Healthcare*Pfizer *Phadia, an offshoot of Pharmacia*Fresenius*Q-Med...
in Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
. He was Curator of Marine Invertebrates at the Swedish Museum of Natural History
Swedish Museum of Natural History
The Swedish Museum of Natural History , in Stockholm, is one of two major museums of natural history in Sweden, the other one being located in Gothenburg....
in Stockholm
Stockholm
Stockholm is the capital and the largest city of Sweden and constitutes the most populated urban area in Scandinavia. Stockholm is the most populous city in Sweden, with a population of 851,155 in the municipality , 1.37 million in the urban area , and around 2.1 million in the metropolitan area...
for a brief time.
Miklos and Maud married in 1951 and emigrated to Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. Udvardy arrived at the University of British Columbia
University of British Columbia
The University of British Columbia is a public research university. UBC’s two main campuses are situated in Vancouver and in Kelowna in the Okanagan Valley...
in Vancouver, British Columbia in 1952 and was appointed Assistant Professor in the Department of Zoology in 1953, where he lectured in comparative anatomy and ornithology until 1966. He was a visiting professor at the University of Hawaii
University of Hawaii
The University of Hawaii System, formally the University of Hawaii and popularly known as UH, is a public, co-educational college and university system that confers associate, bachelor, master, and doctoral degrees through three university campuses, seven community college campuses, an employment...
during the 1958-1959 academic year, and was Lida Scott Brown Lecturer in Ornithology at the University of California, Los Angeles
University of California, Los Angeles
The University of California, Los Angeles is a public research university located in the Westwood neighborhood of Los Angeles, California, USA. It was founded in 1919 as the "Southern Branch" of the University of California and is the second oldest of the ten campuses...
in the 1963-1964 academic year.
He served as Professor of Biological Sciences at California State University, Sacramento from 1967 until his retirement in 1991. There he sponsored eight graduate students, and spent a year as Visiting Professor at the University of Bonn
University of Bonn
The University of Bonn is a public research university located in Bonn, Germany. Founded in its present form in 1818, as the linear successor of earlier academic institutions, the University of Bonn is today one of the leading universities in Germany. The University of Bonn offers a large number...
in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, and a year as Fulbright Lecturer at the National University of Honduras.
Dr. Udvardy contributed 191 papers, 8 books, and 3 maps to the scientific literature, mostly in the fields of ornithology, biogeography, and vegetation classification.
Miklos Udvardy died of surgical complications in Sacramento, California
Sacramento, California
Sacramento is the capital city of the U.S. state of California and the county seat of Sacramento County. It is located at the confluence of the Sacramento River and the American River in the northern portion of California's expansive Central Valley. With a population of 466,488 at the 2010 census,...
, on January 27, 1998. He was survived by his wife, Maud, and their three children and two grandchildren.
Selected publications
- Udvardy, M. D. F. (1975). A classification of the biogeographical provinces of the world. IUCN Occasional Paper no. 18. Morges, Switzerland: IUCN.
- Udvardy, Miklos D. F. (1975) "World Biogeographical Provinces" (Map). The CoEvolution Quarterly, Sausalito, California.