RGS Medals and Awards 2024


Congratulations to all those who are receiving RGS Medals and Awards this year. They were announced earlier in the week.

These are awarded each June, following the AGM of the Society. I shall be attending this year to hear the new member of RGS Council being announced and attend the reception. Come and say hello if you're going to be there...

A thread here:

A full list can be read here.

Particular congratulations to Fiona Sheriff and Cyrus Golding, who are both receiving the Ordnance Survey Award for excellence in Secondary Geography teaching. I was very proud to receive this award back in 2008. It's a splendid day for the awardees who are treated very well.

There are some very interesting people receiving award and medals this year, some of whom I know, and many who I know of their work, as one might expect.

Royal Medals
His Majesty the King has approved the award of the Royal Medals as follows:

Royal Medal - Founder’s Medal

Dr Vanessa Lawrence, CB For outstanding contributions to the Society and to the promotion of geography in the UK and internationally
Royal Medal - Patron’s Medal
Stephen Venables For his lifetime’s contribution to geographical discovery in the high mountains of the world


Council awards
The Society’s Council has made the following awards:

Victoria Medal
Professor Lily Kong For conspicuous merit in social and cultural geography and in urban research

Busk Medal
Professor Chris Clark For profound influence on the understanding of glacial systems through the ‘British-Irish Ice Sheet’ reconstruction

Cherry Kearton Medal and Award
Leon McCarron For dedication to unearthing the importance, beauty and fragility of natural history

Murchison Award
Professor Stefan Doerr For pioneering research influencing policy and management of environmental risks from wildfires

Back Award
Professor Peter Hopkins For sustained and outstanding contributions to policy development through research

Professional Geography Award
Dr Ed Parsons For excellence in the use of geography in professional practice

Geographical Engagement Award
Professor Ed Hawkins, MBE For excellence in public engagement with climate change through ‘Climate Stripes’

Cuthbert Peek Award
Professor Peter Atkinson For scientific advances transforming the understanding of geographical data

Gill Memorial Award (two awards)
Dr Iestyn Woolway For exceptional early career research with a remarkable track record of achievement
Dr Kean Fan Lim For exceptional early career research with a remarkable track record of achievement

Ordnance Survey Awards (two awards)
Dr Cyrus Golding For excellence in geography education at secondary level
Fiona Sheriff For excellence in geography education at secondary level

Two teachers receive this award each year. It dates back to 1998. 
The first recipient was Linda Thompson, who served on the GA Secondary Committee when I first joined before heading off for a new job. 

Taylor and Francis Award
Professor Daniel Arribas-Bel For excellence in the practice and promotion of teaching in higher education

Ness Award
Colonel Chris Hadfield For enhancing the wider understanding of our world and exploration in space
Alfred Steers Dissertation Prize
Kelsey Monteith For the undergraduate geography dissertation judged to be the best in 2023: ‘Time is not our master. I will not bow to time on this fair.’

Area Prize (two prizes)

Dr Ana Laura Zavala Guillen For her paper ‘Feeling/thinking the archive: Participatory mapping Marronage’

Manannan Donoghoe For the best article in the journal in 2023 by an early-career researcher – ‘Intimate extraction: Geological matter, extractive afterlives, and the denial of a Black sense of place in Southern Louisiana’

The Sir Ron Cooke Award
Ella Herbert For the best A Level independent investigation (NEA): ‘To what extent are the key players impacting the development of Cambers sand dunes’

Geographical Award

The Ulysses Trust For providing outstanding support for individuals and groups through expeditions

Honorary Fellowship

Dr Sophie Bowlby In recognition of outstanding support for geography

Steve Brace In recognition of outstanding support for geography and the Society

Professor David Higgitt In recognition of outstanding support for geography

Dr Tony Juniper CBE In recognition of outstanding support for conservation

Carol Lawson In recognition of outstanding support for the Society

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