Benjamin is Professor of Political Geography, most recently based at the RAND School of Public Policy. He has a PhD from Princeton University, where alongside his studies, he worked towards advocating for geography's place in international studies.
About
I possess over a decade of think tank experience practising geography to develop more holistic and effective national security policies. I am devoted to promoting geography education in the United States and beyond, including mentoring students and communicating geography’s critical importance to diverse audiences throughout North America and Europe.
Preferences
- Location: Massachusetts, USA
- Availability: daytime, evening, online
- Key stage: KS3, KS4 and KS5
- Themes: cities, geopolitics, hazards, political geography, geography of international affairs, geography of security studies
Current or most recent role
I am the RAND School of Public Policy’s Professor of Political Geography. Most recently, I spent over six years as the RAND Corporation’s primary – and one of its first ever recognised – applied political geographers. I regularly briefed US and UK agencies how to leverage geography to better shape national security policies.
Previous experience
My geographical outreach began as a secondary student, when I co-led my town’s historical committee to re-examine its historical geography within the context of New England’s c.1890s–1930s socioeconomic transformations. As a Tufts undergraduate, I simultaneously developed and taught its first credit-based geography course in decades for peers and established the ongoing Tufts Historical Review, a national space for budding scholars to publish articles integrating historical geography, culture, economics, and politics. At Princeton, I worked towards incorporating geography education and outreach into its international studies initiatives. At RAND, I established its first known comprehensive postgraduate applied political geography course. I continue to work with both Princeton and Tufts universities to inspire students to leverage geography in helping them realise their own passions.
Why I want to become a professional ambassador
I am passionate to share my lifelong journey as a professional geographer, and the RGS-IBG’s integral, ongoing role in it, to inspire students of all ages and restore geography to the forefront of US primary, secondary, and collegiate education, translating both fundamental concepts and the latest breakthrough research into applied skills.
Types of activities
- Talking about current job and career pathway
- Running activities about my career sector and the opportunities available; talking about what geographical skills I use at work and how geography is used in the 'real world'
- Inspiring young people to choose geography
- Classroom based activities or working with small groups of students to talk about career options
