Obituary – Professor Richie Poulton ’76

Professor Richie Poulton ’76 passed away during the School holidays. He had a strong connection with Auckland Grammar School including speaking at various School events including daily assembly as part of the 150th celebrations in 2019.

Richie was a Prefect in 1980 and a member of the 1st XV Rugby XV and 1st XI Cricket teams. He captained the 1st XI team in Term 3 and he received the Cup for sportsmanship, loyalty and effort in the 1st XI.

Richie was an influential social scientist in New Zealand and served on many government, public and academic statutory bodies, and was a consultant internationally. He led the internationally renowned Dunedin multidisciplinary longitudinal birth cohort study since 2000. In 2007, he established and became a Co-Director of the National Centre for Lifecourse Research, a research centre based at the University of Otago in Dunedin, but with partners located around the world.

In 2014, Richie was appointed as part-time Chief Science Advisor to the Ministry of Social Development and in that role, he led much of the work advising government on social investment and was a member of the group who reviewed Child, Youth and Family Services.

In 2014, he was also named as a Highly Cited Researcher by Thomson-Reuters, one of only four New Zealanders to be so designated, and was listed in Thomson-Reuters ‘2014 World’s Most Influential Scientific Minds’.

Richie was made a Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit (CNZM) for his services to science and health research in the 2017 Queen’s Birthday Honours and in 2018, he was one of three recipients of the Augusta Award (pictured above).

Auckland Grammar School extends its deepest sympathies to Professor Poulton’s family and friends.

As a mark of respect for the lives and contributions of Richie and Daniel Aliaga ’93, the flag on top of the Main Block will remain at half-mast today (Monday 9 October).