1938 – 2020
Robert M. May (Baron May of Oxford, 1938–2020) was a theoretical biologist and mathematical ecologist who applied methods from physics and mathematics to biological systems, transforming the study of population dynamics, ecological stability, and evolutionary theory. Originally trained as a physicist, he made foundational contributions to chaos theory in ecology and evolutionary game theory, demonstrating that complex biological behavior can emerge from simple mathematical models.
Demonstrated that simple ecological models can produce chaotic population dynamics
Showed that replicator dynamics need not converge to evolutionarily stable states
Authored the landmark work Stability and Complexity in Model Ecosystems (1973)
Served as Chief Scientific Adviser to the UK government (1995–2000) and President of the Royal Society (2000–2005)
Applied epidemiological modeling to infectious disease spread, influencing public health policy