Dr Henry Bennet-Clark (1934–2025)

Dr Henry Bennet-Clark (1934–2025)

St Catherine’s College is deeply saddened to announce the passing of Dr Henry Bennet-Clark, Emeritus Reader in Invertebrate Zoology.

Henry was a Fellow and Tutor in Biology at St Catherine’s from 1978 to 1999 and served as Dean from 2004 to 2007. He was a dedicated teacher, known for his deep knowledge of invertebrate biology and his engaging approach to lectures.

His research focused on how insects move and produce sound, studying everything from the powerful jumps of fleas and locusts to the loud songs of crickets and cicadas. A hands-on scientist, he built models and designed experiments to understand these mechanisms, combining engineering with biology in a way few others could. Notably, in the 1960s, he discovered that fleas store the energy needed to catapult themselves into the air in a pad made of the unique ‘elastic’ protein resilin.

Henry’s curiosity, skill, and sense of humour left a lasting impact on students and colleagues alike. He will be greatly missed.

Further details on arrangements will be shared in due course.