Phil Silva. Photo: Mark Tantrum
Dr Silva founded the study, which followed the lives of 1037 babies born at Queen Mary Maternity Hospital, Dunedin, in the early 1970s.
He worked as a primary school teacher and a psychologist before founding the study, which has produced more than 1300 publications and reports.
In 1994, he was made an Officer of the British Empire for services to health and education.
He died on June 12. — APL
