title: Neil Chalmers
text: # Neil Chalmers
  
  Sir Neil Robert Chalmers (born 19 June 1942) is a British zoologist and academic. He is a former Director of the Natural History Museum in London, and former warden of Wadham College, Oxford.
  
  ## Early life
  
  Chalmers was educated at King's College School, Magdalen College, Oxford (BA), and St John's College, Cambridge (PhD).
  
  ## Academic career
  
  From 1966 to 1969, Chalmers lectured in zoology at Makarere University College, Kampala, Uganda, and was scientific director at the National Primate Reserve Centre, Nairobi, Kenya from 1969 until 1970. From 1970 until 1988 he worked for the Open University, first as a lecturer, later as dean of science. He was the Director of the Natural History Museum from 1988 until 2004. He became Warden of Wadham College, Oxford, in 2004. He retired in 2012.
  
  ## Honours
  
  He was appointed Knight Bachelor by HM The Queen in 2001.
  
  