Robert Pilgrim (entomologist)

Pilgrim was born in Christchurch on 26 August 1921. He attended Christchurch Boys' Highschool but had to leave when he was 16 years old after his father's business collapsed during the Great Depression. While working as a public servant, he became a part-time student at Canterbury College and completed a Bachelor of Science in 1943.^[1]

After completing his bachelor's degree, Pilgrim served as a biochemist and diagnostician in the New Zealand Medical Corps during World War 2, during which he was stationed in New Caledonia. Pilgrim was released from his service to work as an essential research assistant.^[2][1]

Pilgrim then completed a Master of Science in zoology at Canterbury College in 1947, in which he wrote a thesis on freshwater mussels.^[3] After this, he went to England to undertake a PhD at London University College, which he completed in 1951.^[1]

Once Pilgrim returned to New Zealand after completing his PhD, he became a lecturer at Canterbury College and eventually became a senior lecturer in 1954. In 1957 he was given a fellowship that allowed him to conduct postdoctoral work in California, Washington, England and Italy. After this period he returned to New Zealand and continued to work at Canterbury College until his retirement in 1983.^[1]

Although Pilgrim is mainly known for his extensive research on fleas and bird lice, he researched many other topics such as neurophysiology, mussels and a wide range of New Zealand's invertebrates.^[1]

Pilgrim died on 7 April 2010 from a heart attack while at home.^[4]