David Catchpoole, B.Ag.Sc. (Hons), Ph.D.
Creationist plant physiologist (CMI–Australia)

Biography

Dr David Catchpoole received his B.Ag.Sc. (Hons) from the University of Adelaide and a Ph.D. from the University of New England (New South Wales). His Ph.D. investigated nitrogen transfer between tree legumes, associated grass and ruminant animals (goats). This was undertaken in Indonesia as part of a joint Australia-Indonesia project in forage research, aimed at improving the quality and availability of animal feed.

Dr Catchpoole subsequently worked for the Queensland Department of Primary Industries as a plant physiologist. His research focused primarily on plant nutrition of tropical fruit trees (especially mango), and varietal selection. He has also worked as a science educator at James Cook University, which included lecturing in tropical horticulture.

David was once an ardent atheistic evolutionist, before being challenged to look critically at the problems of evolution, and the scientific evidence for creation and the Bible. He now works full-time for Creation Ministries International (CMI) in Brisbane, Australia and is a popular speaker having lectured all over Australia and across the world. He has spoken widely on the issues of creation, in particular their importance to evangelism. He is co-author of The Creation Answers Book, and contributed to the book, The Big Argument. David is a co-editor and writer for Creation magazine, and also contributes articles for CMI's popular website, www.creation.com.

See also this article about Dr Catchpoole: From lampooning ‘loonies’ to shouting ‘creation!’: Former atheist scientist tours USA.

Education

B.Ag.Sc. (Hons) [University of Adelaide, South Australia]—Honours thesis title: The effects of applied nitrate on nitrogen fixation by subterranean clover (1982)
Ph.D. [University of New England, New South Wales, Australia]—Thesis title: The contribution of tree legumes to the nitrogen economy and forage production in the humid tropics (1988)

Publications

Books

The Creation Answers Book (edited by Don Batten) with Dr Jonathan Sarfati and Dr Carl Wieland) (available in Albanian, Dutch, German, Hungarian, Russian and Spanish). See index of online chapters and free chapter study guides.

Refereed articles arising from Ph.D. and Honours research projects published in secular Science publications:

Catchpoole, D.W. and Blair, G.J. (1990). Forage tree legumes.; I. Productivity and N economy of Leucaena, Gliricidia, Calliandra and Sesbania and tree/green panic mixtures. Australian Journal of Agricultural Research 41(3):521–530.
Catchpoole, D.W. and Blair, G.J. (1990). Forage tree legumes. II. Investigation of nitrogen transfer to an associated grass using a split-root technique. Australian Journal of Agricultural Research 41(3):531–537.
Catchpoole, D.W. and Blair, G.J. (1990). Forage tree legumes. III. Release of nitrogen from leaf, faeces and urine derived from Leucaena and Gliricidia leaf. Australian Journal of Agricultural Research 41(3):539–547.
Blair, G., Catchpoole, D. and Horne, P. (1990). Forage tree legumes: their management and contribution to the nitrogen economy of wet and humid tropical environments. Advances in Agronomy 44:27–54.
Silsbury, J.H., Catchpoole, D.W. and Wallace, W. (1986). Effects of Nitrate and Ammonium on Nitrogenase (C₂H₂ Reduction) Activity of Swards of Subterranean Clover, Trifolium subterraneum L. Australian Journal of Plant Physiology 13(2):257–273.
Silsbury, J.H. and Catchpoole, D.W. (1984). Effects of (NO₃^-) on N₂-fixation by Trifolium subterraneum. In Veeger, C. and Newton, W.E., eds, Advances in Nitrogen Fixation Research. Martinus Nijhoff, The Hague, pp. 544.)

Articles published in Creation magazine, Journal of Creation and on this website:

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