It is with great sadness that we announce that our former colleague, Peter Smith, died on 25 January, just two days short of his 77th birthday.
Peter had a long and distinguished career as a hugely valued member of the Economics education community. He was deeply thoughtful, with a high intellect, many accomplishments and academic successes. An author and writer for the next generation of economists, a talented musician, a singer with the Southampton Philharmonic choir, and a fearsome fast bowler for the Economics Department (in his younger days!). As a senior member of the University he made important contributions not only to the whole University but in mentoring other staff and supporting colleagues. His compassion and respect for others did not just extend to his family but to his students and colleagues during his 49 years at Southampton University, for his PhD students, and even wider to those who are suffering in today’s troubled world.
The first in his family to go to University, he studied at Warwick in their founding year, and had a very busy time of study there. From taking his first interview in a portacabin in a muddy field, to learning computing programming (before the University owned a single computer!), to meeting his future wife and life-long partner Maureen, and finally graduating with a first class degree in Economics. He was the first undergraduate at Warwick to be awarded in absentia, as he was getting married at the time of the ceremony, a reflection of his commitment not only to his work, but also to his family, something he demonstrated every day, until the very end.
Peter went on to get a PhD from Birmingham University, before spending 3 years at UCL as a research fellow, and then coming to Southampton to work on the Southampton Econometric Model under Ivor Pearce.
In 1978, Peter took up a lecturing position and remained at Southampton until his retirement in 2015. Throughout the 1980’s Peter’s research interests became focussed on development Economics, and during his career he supervised more than 20 PhD students from Africa and South East Asia, many of whom have become Professors in their own right.
Also in the Early 1980s, together with a group of colleagues he co-launched the Economic Review, a magazine which aimed to teach economic concepts and teaching theory to A-level students. The idea was pioneered by Barry McCormick, the first editor, and Peter became editor himself in 1996. The core aim of inspiring students new to economics by communicating new ideas in an accessible way was at the heart of what they tried to do with the magazine – and remains so today, now on its 41st edition.
In many ways Peter was at the forefront of what we would now term the ‘teaching track’, becoming the first teaching track professor in the UK (at the time his title was Professorial Teaching Fellow). Peter used his trailblazer position to support and mentor many colleagues in the teaching community.
Peter also became heavily involved in University administration as Associate Dean for Education. In his final years at the University, he was seconded to the Vice-Chancellor’s office to lead a university-wide project on curriculum innovation, aiming to encourage students to look beyond the confines of their main discipline and catch glimpses of research and methodologies in a wide variety of settings. He also became a Reviewer for the Quality Assurance Agency (QAA).
Apart from his work, his passions were foreign travel, classical music, art and literature not to forget wine and chairing the University Wine Club. After his retirement, he crammed in many foreign cruises and visits abroad. His message to us would be that life is precious and you must chase your dreams. He will be greatly missed, not only for his contributions as a colleague but also a friend to many of us at the University and beyond.
He is survived by his loving wife, Maureen, and two sons, Nathan (Ashley) and Eliot. Maureen herself worked for the University for many years, Eliot received his second degree at the University as a student, and Nathan now works for the University in the ED&I team.
Maureen said: “There are no words to express the sorrow we feel and what an enormous gap he’s going to leave in our family’s lives and those of others. The future is going to be hard but I and our two sons know that Peter was grateful for all his years at the University and his interactions with staff at all levels and with his fellow authors and publishers. You will have your own memories of Peter and we thank you for any part you paid in his life.”
Nathan said: “As a family the University has been such a big part of our lives and continues to be so and we are all so thankful of the support that colleagues past and present have provided. My dad was the kindest and most gentle man who will forever be a role model for myself and all those that knew him”
Peter’s funeral will be at 15:00 on 15 February at Southampton Crematorium (SO16 3QB) on Bassett Green Road and all are welcome to come along and pay their respects. Please contact [email protected] with any queries.