Academic news and updates

Each year we support over 60 fieldwork projects with our range of field research and independent travel grants, many of which have application deadlines in the coming months.

Day three of the Annual Conference is underway, with geographers continuing to examine themes such as migration through the lens of Climate changed geographies.

We are delighted to welcome Professors Maria Carmen Lemos and Dan Friess as new joint Editors in Chief of WIREs Climate Change, taking the reins from Professor Mike Hulme.

We caught up with some of this year’s Society-supported researchers and school groups to hear what they’ve been up to in the field.

Congratulations to the 12 Society Fellows who were recently awarded Chartered Geographer status by Council.

On Tuesday 20 June, we will be welcoming Chartered Geographers to the Society’s building in South Kensington for an evening of networking.

The June editions of the Society's journals Area, The Geographical Journal and Transactions of the Institute of British Geographers are now available online.

We are delighted to announce that the provisional programme for this year’s Annual International Conference is now live.

Congratulations to the newest Council and committee members elected at our Annual General Meeting yesterday.

As part of our 2023 medals and awards, we are recognising the International Geographical Union with a Special Gold Medal.

The inaugural Esmond B. Martin Royal Geographical Society Prize has been awarded to Kenyan biologist and conservationist, Dr Paula Kahumbu.

We have recently updated our privacy notice to include information on how we process personal data to help our fundraising efforts.

A new exhibition, Infinite light: a photographic meditation on Tibet, will be available for Fellows and Members to view in the Director’s Gallery from Tuesday 4 April.

There are just five weeks left to submit your entries telling a compelling story about our planet to this year's Earth Photo competition.

We are pleased to once again be taking part in National Lottery Open Week, an annual celebration of the contribution National Lottery players make every week in support of good causes.

Find out what’s on in our summer events programme, which is full of fascinating topics, ideas, and insights.

The Society has collaborated on the Equator project to improve equality, diversity and inclusion in geography, earth, and environmental science research.

We are proud to partner with Ordnance Survey (OS) to provide opportunities for teachers to improve their teaching of map skills and online mapping.

In our latest feature, a team from the Consumer Data Research Centre at the University of Leeds discuss their Priority Places for Food Index, showing the places most vulnerable to food insecurity in the UK during the ongoing cost of living crisis.

A new series of the Society's Professional insights webinars, providing careers support for Associate Fellows, is starting on Tuesday 7 February.

Ahead of his UK tour, we caught up with James Levelle to discuss what it’s been like documenting youth climate messages and travelling to the world’s wildest places.

Geography graduates have higher employment rates than almost every other social science subject, according to data released in the recent What do graduates do? report.

We are delighted to announce the appointment of a new editorial team for our open access academic journal Geo: Geography and Environment.

The Society has recently approved the accreditation or reaccreditation of 55 geography programmes at 14 higher education institutions across the UK.

Publication of our academic journals is moving to online-only from 2024.

The Society has published a new report on the contributions of geographers and geography in shaping the law and legal proceedings.

On Wednesday 11 January we welcomed the Government Geography Profession to the Society for their postponed 2022 annual conference.

A round-up of activities across the Society’s 31 Research Groups over the last year.

In 2022, we welcomed over a thousand students to the Society from over 25 institutions.

The call for papers for our Postgraduate Forum’s Mid-Term Conference, which will take place on Thursday 20 and Friday 21 April 2023, is now open.

Our spring programme of teacher CPD events is now available to book online.

Find out about Collaborative Doctoral Programme PhD student, Alice Oates’s, work to address the exclusion of blind or visually impaired people from space sciences.

Applications for the 2023 Wiley Digital Archive Research Fellowships are now open.

Take a look at some of our 2022 Research Group dissertation prize winners who were recognised for their outstanding work.

The Group's AGM is an opportunity to hear about their work over the past year, plans for the future, and to elect new committee members.

Mark this mentoring day with a look through our resources for mentors and mentees.

Congratulations to the 17 Society Fellows who were recently awarded Chartered Geographer status by Council. Over 1,000 Chartered Geographers have now been accredited.

Find out more about disaster risk management and how you can get involved with our Disaster Risk Management Professional Practice Group.

The Society is seeking two new editors for its open access journal, Geo: Geography and Environment.

Today is International Geodiversity Day. Find out what's happening near you to celebrate and raise awareness of geodiversity.

The Neville Shulman Challenge Award supports projects aiming to further our understanding and exploration of the planet, its people, cultures, and environments.

At the SGM on Monday 3 October, the Society's Fellowship voted to amend the Bye Laws and petition the Privy Council to implement a Supplemental Charter as proposed by Council.

Eligible to apply for Chartered Geographer and want to accelerate your application? Find out more about our Application Accelerator series this October.

We are saddened to hear of the death of Her Majesty The Queen. Our thoughts are with her family at this sad time.

This autumn, Emily Penn and Sally Earthrowl will tour the UK as part of the Society’s Regional Theatres Programme. We caught up with them to find out more about their talks and the issue of plastic pollution.

As the new school year starts, here's a reminder about the activities and resources that we offer to support the teaching and learning of geography.

Day three of conference saw another full day of sessions, taking place across Newcastle University and online, as well as fieldtrips and exhibitions.

The Society's Council has called a Special General Meeting as it is proposing some changes to our Bye Laws.

With just one week to go until the 2022 Annual International Conference, we have put together some programme highlights from across the week which you won’t want to miss.

We are working to deliver a conference that is safer, more accessible, more inclusive and convivial for everyone.

Mohammad Rakibul Hasan has won the overall 2022 Earth Photo competition as well as the People category for his pair of images The Last Savings at Bengal Delta and The Climate Crisis. 

We spoke to Nicholas Crane about following in the footsteps of the 1735 Latitude expedition and his passion for geography.

Join us this London Climate Action Week for our panel discussion and Earth Photo exhibition.

Join us on 18 and 19 June to celebrate London’s trailblazing innovators, scientists, artists and designers who inspire us all.

This June, the Society is marking a month of CPD-related activity for professional geographers.

The provisional programme for the Society's 2022 Annual International Conference is now online.

We caught up with Wiley Research Fellow Jonathan Westaway to discuss his research on Gurkhas in the Everest expeditions of the 1920s and 1930s.

Our award-winning teaching and learning resources bring the latest geographical research into schools.

Ahead of his upcoming UK tour for the Society’s Regional Theatres Programme, Toby Strong shares his behind-the-scenes insights and tips for filming wildlife documentaries.

Professor Nicola Thomas, recipient of the 2022 Taylor and Francis Award, talks about her work.

Professor Paul Cloke, recipient of the 2022 Victoria Medal, talks about his work.

We caught up with Wiley Research Fellow María Sebastián Sebastián from the University of the Balearic Islands to discuss her research

To mark Earth Day, we’re making our recent Monday night lecture by Emily Penn, Navigating our way towards a plastic-free ocean, free to view for until Monday 25 April.

The Society is launching a new event series for Associate Fellows as part of our support for professional geographers.

Congratulations to our Fellows who were recently awarded Chartered Geographer status by Council.

Chartered Geographer status is not just beneficial for your employees, but also for you and your business.

We caught up with Wiley Research Fellow, Nokmedemla Lemtur from the University of Göttingen, Germany, to discuss her research.

The newest addition to the RGS-IBG book series, Defensible Space on the Move: Mobilisation in English Housing Policy and Practice, is now available to order online.

The Society and the Financial Times are pleased to announce the launch of our joint School Essay Competition for 2022.

The call for papers for our Postgraduate Forum’s Mid-Term Conference, which will take place on Wednesday 27 and Thursday 28 April, is now open.

With the time for choosing A Level options approaching, there has never been a better time to encourage your students to choose A Level geography.

Through Teacher Tap, the Society recently conducted a survey of approximately 2,000 primary geography teachers to understand what support they have received for teaching geography during their careers.

As part of the Society’s commitment to support teachers to provide meaningful, fun and curriculum relevant fieldwork experiences, we are running a range of training events over the coming months for both primary and secondary geography teachers.

Join our Author meets critics session with author of The Unsettling Outdoors: Environmental Estrangement in Everyday Life, Professor Russell Hitchings of University College London.

To mark the centenary of Shackleton’s death, a new exhibition, Shackleton’s legacy and the power of early Antarctic photography, will be on display in the Society’s Pavilion from 7 February.

This spring we are bringing in the changes to how some of our membership categories are named or structured that were agreed at the Special General Meeting in September 2021.

A recent paper published in the Society’s journal Transactions of the Institute of British Geographers highlights the underrepresentation of Black PhD students and scholars in UK higher education.

To mark the end of the CARICUK research project, a series of online events focusing on transforming academic institutions and promoting Black scholarship and creativity will be held over the next two weeks.

Every year we support the Society’s 31 Research and Working Groups through the Research Groups grants scheme.

Every year our medals and awards recognise geographers who have made a significant contribution to geographical research, fieldwork, teaching, policymaking, and public engagement.

We are delighted to share our spring events programme, full of interesting topics, ideas, and insight.

Congratulations to all of the geographers who were recognised in the 2022 New Year Honours list, many of whom are Fellows of the Society.

The image on this year’s membership card features a photograph taken by Yevhen Samuchenko, Magic Tree. 

The Society recently co-hosted the Geography in Government Conference 2021, providing a platform for geographers across the public sector to share their expertise and experience.

The Society is pleased to announce the publication of a new guide to support those new to teaching geography in higher education (HE).

Yesterday evening the recipients of our 2020 and 2021 medals and awards gathered at the Society for a celebration of their outstanding contributions to geographical research, fieldwork, teaching, policy, and public engagement.

We are delighted to announce our plans for our 2022 Annual International Conference which will take place at Newcastle University from Tuesday 30 August to Friday 2 September 2022.

Spark inspiration and curiosity this Christmas with a gift that lasts all year - membership of the Society.

Our current exhibition, Lights and Shadows, is on display in the Pavilion until Friday 10 December.

Ten editorial board members are being sought for the Society’s academic journal, Transactions of the Institute of British Geographers.

Earlier this year, the Society and the Association for Geographic Information collaborated on a series of panel events exploring ethical issues in location data use.

The Society has published a new report, I didn’t have any teachers that looked like me, which highlights the experiences of Black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) geography teachers while studying and teaching the discipline.

Are you planning an event or conference in 2022 and looking for a venue? The Society is an iconic venue, both modern and characterful, with state-of-the-art AV equipment and experienced technicians alongside a professional venue team to support you every step of the way.

This year marks the 20th anniversary of the Neville Shulman Challenge Award, established for the Society by Neville Shulman CBE FRGS.

We are delighted to announce that an exhibition marking the centenary of the 1920s expeditions to Everest will take place at the Society in autumn 2022.

The application deadline for our senior research grants which support fieldwork in aquatic, arid, and Arctic and high-mountain environments is fast approaching.

The Society, the Royal Scottish Geographical Society and the International Geographical Union convened a meeting of almost all the world’s geographical bodies in June this year, resulting in an ambitious joint statement filled with self-challenge for the signatories.

The Society’s 45th annual fieldwork and planning seminar this November is a weekend for anyone aspiring to undertake original geographical field research.

The Society’s open access journal Geo: Geography and Environment, has just launched a new open collection on urban ecologies.

The Society has contributed content to a new smartphone app, launched by Ordnance Survey (OS), that aims to get more of us outdoors and enjoying the UK.

To mark Black History Month, we will be sharing a range of content by and related to Black geographers who have a connection to the Society and who have contributed to a better understanding of our world.

This autumn, Society Fellow, reporter and presenter, Tom Heap, is touring the UK with a talk that explores 39 ideas that could address climate change.

Join us at this year’s Great Exhibition Road Festival to explore how art and science can help inspire a greener future for the planet we all share.

The first in the next batch of episodes of our partnered BBC Radio 4 series, 39 Ways to Save the Planet, will be broadcast today.

We are delighted to announce that the call for proposals for AHRC-funded Collaborative Doctoral Awards to start in 2022 is now open.

New data show that the number of students applying to study geography at university in 2021 has risen by 3% from the equivalent figure in 2020.

The newest addition to the RGS-IBG book series, The Unsettling Outdoors: Environmental Estrangement in Everyday Life, is now available to order online.

Read the most recent update on re-opening our building to staff, Fellows and members, and other visitors.

A new funding opportunity is available for a new collaborative public engagement partnership, as part of the creative climate connections opportunity.

Over the past few months, the Society’s five current PhD students have continued to carry out their research on the Collections, as well as a number of associated activities related to their projects.

We caught up with Dr Lydia Gibson, Junior Research Fellow at the UCL Institute of Advanced Studies, to hear how a Society grant helped her during her PhD and beyond.

The Society and Association for Geographic Information (AGI) are running a series of joint webinars which bring together geospatial practitioners to explore key issues in putting location data ethics into practice.

Congratulations to Professor Felix Driver, Dr Lowri Jones, Vandana Patel and their research team who have received the President’s Medal of the Society for the History of Natural History, for their work on the research project Hidden Histories of Exploration.

Congratulations to our Fellows who were awarded Chartered Geographer status by our Council earlier this week.

This month we caught up with Catherine Oliver and Karen Rann to discuss their research, why they applied for the Fellowship and what they’re hoping to find in the digital archives.

The Society has published a briefing report summarising the actions needed by national and local policymakers, planners, designers and developers, and local communities, to achieve the widespread benefits of blue-green infrastructure (BGI).

We caught up with Dr Suresh Paul, recipient of the Geographical Award to discuss Equal Adventure – the organisation he founded – and the fieldwork of the future.

Congratulations to the newest members of our Council, who were elected at our Annual General Meeting (AGM) yesterday.

A shortlist of 50 of the best environmental photographs and five films that document the Earth in all its diversity, have been selected for the Society’s Earth Photo competition.

We caught up with Isabella Tree, recipient of the Ness Award, to discuss the importance of rewilding, changing attitudes to conservation and her advice for getting involved in this work.

As part of our celebration of this year’s medals and awards recipients, we caught up with Professor Chris Philo, recipient of the Victoria Medal for his contribution to research in health, social and cultural geographies, to discuss his greatest achievement, advances in his field and his advice for those wanting to go into research in this area.

Each year, 30 April marks 'World Land Rover Day' - a celebration of the day in 1948 that the first Land Rover was revealed to the world.

Today marks one year since we launched a call for contributions on COVID-19 on the Society’s research blog, Geography Directions.

We are proud to have received a Highly Commended Award from the 2021 Geographical Association (GA) Publishers’ Awards for our educational resources Discovering the Weddell Sea – Education for Antarctic Conservation.

We are saddened to hear of the death of His Royal Highness The Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. Our thoughts are with his family at this sad time.

Ordnance Survey (OS) and the Society are delighted to have signed an agreement which extends OS’s corporate support of our activities for a further three years.

Join us on Friday 9 April for the International Night of Geography, or GeoNight.

We are delighted to be partnering with a number of geographers, leading UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) funded research projects, to further our understanding of the world, its people, places and environments.

The Society has become a member of the Locus Charter, a proposed set of common international principles that can guide responsible practice when using location data.

This month we caught up with Dr Alicia Colson and Dr Sherezade Garcia Rangel to find out more about their projects as part of the Wiley Digital Archive Research Fellowship.

As the time for choosing A Level options nears, we will be sharing material and information about the benefits of choosing to study geography at A Level and beyond, through our social media pages.

Throughout February, we have been sharing resources via our social media that highlight the geographies of LGBTQ+ groups, increase their visibility and better understand their history and experiences.

The Society is home to a remarkable collection of original photographic glass and celluloid negatives captured by Frank Hurley, the official photographer of the 1914-1917 Endurance expedition.

As part of our mission to undertake research on the Collections, in collaboration with Wiley, we have recently awarded 11 Research Fellowships for 2020-21 which provide researchers with access to the Wiley Digital Archive platform.

Following the cancellation of this summer’s exams due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the Department for Education and Ofqual have opened a consultation on how GCSE and A Level grades should be assessed and awarded in 2021. 

Congratulations to all of the geographers who were recognised in the 2021 New Year Honours list, many of whom are Fellows of the Society.

To satisfy the curiosity of your loved one this Christmas, look no further than the gift of Society membership.

We would like to thank all our Fellows and members for their support throughout this incredibly difficult year which is paramount to continuing our work across the breadth of sectors that rely on geographers and geography. If you are able, please do renew when your subscription becomes due.

The Society has 32 Research and Working Groups, covering a wide range of subdisciplines from historical or urban geography to the geographies of transport or gender, and many more.

The British Science Association (BSA) are looking for their next volunteer Geography Scientific Section Recorder to advise the organisation within the field of geography and develop relevant events for the British Science Festival. 

Every year we support over 60 fieldwork projects with our range of grants, many of which have application deadlines coming up over the next few weeks.

As part of Ada Lovelace Day, we asked five of our Chartered Geographers how using geographical thinking has supported them in their careers and why geography is important to them.

Congratulations to our Fellows who were awarded Chartered Geographer status by our Council in September.

Geographical knowledge and skills are vital to the UK private sector, according to a new report published by the Academy of Social Sciences.

We are delighted to announce that the call for proposals for AHRC collaborative doctoral projects to start in autumn 2021 is now open.

Do you have a journey you want to share with others? Can you inspire, entertain and engage a public audience? Have you always wanted to speak on the Society’s Ondaatje Theatre stage? If so, apply now to become one of 2021’s microlecturers.

WIREs Climate Change, a Wiley journal published in association with the Society and the Royal Meteorological Society, is celebrating 10 years of publishing.

A shortlist of 50 of the best environmental photographs and four films that document the Earth in all its diversity, have been selected for the Society’s Earth Photo competition, opening as a virtual exhibition today.

To celebrate the work of the Dudley Stamp Memorial Award, we have created an interactive story map to give an insight into the breadth of the award and a selection of the wide range of projects it has supported.

Over the last year our Geographies of Children, Youth and Families Research Group (GCYFRG) have been profiling researchers active in their part of the discipline, through their Researcher in the Spotlight series.

Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the Society's building is currently closed to everyone - including Fellows and members - and staff are working remotely.

We’re excited to announce that our 2022 Annual International Conference will be held at Newcastle University between Tuesday 30 August and Friday 2 September 2022.

The Society stands in solidarity with Black communities globally against racism and inequality, and joins the global calls to reaffirm that Black lives matter following the shocking and tragic death of George Floyd.

New data released by the Department for Education show that over 81% of master’s level geography graduates were in sustained employment, further study, or both, five years after graduation.

This year our medals and awards recognise 22 different people or organisations for their outstanding contributions to geographical research, fieldwork and teaching, artwork, and public engagement.

Following on from a discussion forum that explored the challenge of financing net zero, the Society has published a briefing report summarising the actions required to meet the scale and pace of change needed to reach a net zero economy.

Society medal recipient Professor Mark Birkin is leading a key workstream of The Rapid Assistance in Modelling the Pandemic (RAMP) initiative.

The latest episode of our Ask the geographer podcast, features East Londoner Victoria Ayodeji and her remarkable journey from Hackney to the University of Cambridge.

Last month, Jisc, the UK’s research and education not-for-profit organisation, and publisher Wiley signed a four year ‘read and publish’ agreement that extends to many UK universities and research institutions.

Congratulations to the six geographers who were elected as Fellows of the Academy of Social Sciences last week.

We are very pleased to have received funding from the Flotilla Foundation to build on our work as educational partner for the Weddell Sea Expedition.

Join us for our next Geographical lates event on Britain’s stunning landscapes on Friday 20 March.

Recipient of the 2019 Neville Shulman Challenge Award, Antonia Bolingbroke-Kent, will be sharing tales from her travels to the remote Nagalands of India and Myanmar in an episode of Costing the Earth on BBC Radio 4.

The Society’s four leading international journals, Area, Geo: Geography and Environment, The Geographical Journal and Transactions of the Institute of British Geographers, cover the full spectrum of geographical research. And as the latest issues go to print, here is a preview of some of their content.

The deadline for this year’s Fieldwork Apprenticeships is fast approaching.

Applications are now open for a PhD studentship on the Society’s Collections, as part of our Collaborative Doctoral Awards programme.

To mark the centenary of Eric Newby’s birth, an exhibition of stunning photographs from his lifetime of travels is now on display in our Pavilion.

We are delighted that our Migrants on the margins educational resources were finalists in the Free Digital Content or Open Educational Resources category of the 2020 Bett Awards.

The deadline for this year’s Environment and Sustainability Research Grants is fast approaching.

In celebration of the 200th anniversary of the first sightings of Antarctica, the UK Antarctic Heritage Trust (UKAHT) has launched Antarctica in sight, a year-long cultural programme to explore the first two centuries of human endeavour in this fascinating continent, and reflect on what the future might be.

The RGS-IBG book series turns 20 this year, and to date it has published 57 titles spanning the full range of geographical research topics.

The deadline for applications to the Frederick Soddy Schools Award has been extended to Monday 3 February.

Our new membership card for 2020 is now available, with some interesting changes. 

Our spring events programme is full of topical issues and themes - book now to avoid missing out.

Every year we support the Society’s 31 Research and Working Groups through the Research Groups grants scheme, and we are delighted to be supporting a range of activities over the coming year.

As part of our recently relaunched 'Environment and Society Forum' series, in early December we are hosting policymakers, professionals and geographers to explore investment solutions to the challenge of decarbonisation.

We are delighted to announce the appointment of five new Editors for two of the Society’s academic journals and the RGS-IBG book series, alongside the appointment of a new Managing Editor for the Society’s academic publications.

We are delighted to welcome our newest Collaborative Doctoral Award student, Alice Oates, who has started her PhD project exploring the governance of Antarctica.

This month’s issue of Geographical features a deep dive into ocean ‘jellification’.

Our popular Monday night lecture series kicks off again next week with a diverse range of topics, mixing far-flung travels with scientific rigour, and exploring some of the most topical issues facing society today. 

After this summer’s successful exam season, the next generation of geographers are currently enrolling on their GCSE and A Level courses.

Every year the House of Lords opens up the chamber and invites people from across the UK to take part in a lively, topical debate. As a partner in this year’s debate, the Society has a limited number of places available for Fellows and members.

The Society took over the Forum stage for a day at the Wilderness Festival entertaining and inspiring festival-goers with geography.

If you’re a Fellow or member and haven’t yet had a chance to visit our Earth Photo exhibition, why not join us for a member-only introduction on Wednesday 7 August?

The Migrants on the margins team were at the Hargeisa International Book Fair last week to present their research to the local community.

Congratulations to the Chartered Geographers who were approved by the Society’s Council in June.

Professor Laura Hammond presented findings of the Migrants on the margins research team to members of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office at a meeting at the Society last month.

We are delighted to have received funding for the third round of the Collaborative Doctoral Partnerships scheme.

A parliamentary debate held earlier this week about teaching migration in the school curriculum highlighted the Society’s school resources about this issue.

To mark Refugee Week, we’ve worked with Professor Heaven Crawley, to produce educational resources for geography teachers at GCSE and A Level.

With over 750 Chartered Geographers now accredited, we caught up with two of our CGeog assessors, Angela Baker and Dr Stephanie Davidson.

We are delighted to announce the recipients of our 2018 Excellence Awards, and congratulate the pupils who achieved the highest marks nationally in last summer’s geography examinations.

This month's issue of Geographical features a look at the way in which the Earth's natural geography has shaped human societies throughout history.

The deadline for early bird registration for this year’s Annual International Conference is fast approaching.

The first Ron Cooke Award has been awarded to Gregory Pearson for his A Level Independent Investigation An investigation into the form and nature of scree slopes on the North side of the Ogwen Valley.