Awards and recognition

Medals and Awards

Each year we recognise excellence in geographical research through our prestigious Medals and awards.

Alfred Steers Dissertation Prize

This award is made for the best undergraduate dissertation in a UK geography department. The essay prize is named in honour of Professor Alfred Steers, who was Professor at the University of Cambridge for seventeen years and was Honorary Vice President, Honorary Fellow, and medallist of the Society.

How to submit:

• Send one dissertation submission per department by email to rhed@rgs.org, or by post to RHED, RGS-IBG, 1 Kensington Gore, London SW7 2AR

• Include the student's name and contact email address

• Each submission should be accompanied by a statement from the department of the weighting of the dissertation within the degree.

• Deadline: 15 October each year

• You can also view previous winners of the University and RGS Essay Prize (1965 - 1987) (PDF) and of the Alfred Steers Dissertation Prize Winners (1987 - present) (PDF). Winners are commended at the Society's Annual General Meeting in June each year.

Research Group awards

The Society's Research Groups offer a wide range of undergraduate and postgraduate dissertation awards, with various deadlines for awards.

Find out more

Quaternary Research Association (QRA) undergraduate dissertation award

The Quaternary Research Association, in association with the Society, recognise the achievements of undergraduates in Quaternary science by awarding a dissertation prize (£250) for a thesis demonstrating flair and originality. This prize is open to any undergraduate enrolled at a British or Irish university. Membership of the QRA or RGS-IBG is not a requirement for entry.

How to submit:

• Send one dissertation per department for that academic year to rhed@rgs.org, or by post to RHED, RGS-IBG, 1 Kensington Gore, London, SW7 2AR

• Entries must be submitted by departments and not by individual undergraduates

• Entries may be on any Quaternary theme

• Include the student's name and contact email address

• Nominations are welcome from all appropriate sources, including new universities or small departments

• Deadline: 15 September each year

• The winner will be announced at the QRA Annual General Meeting (held annually each January) and the abstract of their dissertation published in an issue of Quaternary Newsletter.

For more information, visit the QRA website.