Norman Owen-Smith held academic appointments as postdoctoral fellow at the University of Pretoria, a lecturer at the University of Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe), a research scientist, and Professor in African Ecology at Wits University. His research encompasses the ecology of large mammalian herbivores. Academic awards include A-rating from National Research Foundation, Fellow of Royal Society of South Africa, Honorary Life Member Ecological Society of America, Gold Medals from Zoological Society of South Africa and Southern African Association for the Advancement of Science, and Bill Venter/Altron Literary Award. He has written or edited five books and over 145 articles in scientific journals or books. Currently, he is Research Professor Emeritus in the School of Animal, Plant and Environmental Science, University of the Witwatersrand.
