What is a Research Group?
The Society has 32 Research and Working Groups, which bring together active researchers and those with a professional interest in a particular aspect of geography and related disciplines. Some Research Groups bring together individuals working on a particular theme, such as the Climate Change Research Group (CCRG) and the Geographies of Leisure and Tourism Research Group (GLTRG), while others bring together those interested in particular research methodologies such as the Participatory Geographies Research Group (PyGyRG) and the Quantitative Methods Research Group (QMRG). Other groups, like the Gender and Feminist Geographies Research Group (GFGRG) or the RACE Working Group (RACE), also advocate for equity, diversity and inclusion within geography.
View the full list of Research Groups and find out how to join.
Why join a Research Group?
The primary remit of the Research Groups is to support their area of geography. They do this through a range of activities, such as running events, awarding undergraduate and dissertation prizes, producing resources, and facilitating networks such as writing groups. By becoming a member of a Research Group, you can keep up to date with their activities, and find out about opportunities being circulated. Joining a Research Group is also a way to share ideas with those who share similar research interests, and to keep up-to-date with emerging research in your field. A number of Research Groups host speaker and seminar series, such as the work-in-progress series run by the Space, Sexualities and Queer Research Group (SSQRG).
Research Groups also provide an opportunity to develop networks that build upon those established within your institution, with groups running informal events such as Coffee and Chat Meetings organised by the Geographies of Children, Youth and Families Research Group (GCYFRG).
As a postgraduate or early career geographer, joining a Research Group will help you form new contacts and develop your professional skills. Research Groups organise activities aimed at supporting those in the early stages of their careers, like the Mid-Term Conference hosted by the Postgraduate Forum. Research Groups also benefit from having postgraduate and early career members who can provide feedback on what activities may support them.
In the video below, Dr Sophie Cranston of the Population Geography Research Group (PopGRG) speaks about the benefits of joining a Research Group as a Postgraduate.
How to choose a Research Group?
You may wish to take some time to consider which of the Society’s 32 Research Groups you would benefit most from joining. There is no limit to how many Research Groups you can join, so you can join several groups depending on your various interests and roles. Other helpful exercises may include asking others in your institution, such as your postgraduate supervisor, whether they are members of any groups, or taking a look at the research interests of Research Group Committee members. You may wish to explore events hosted by the Research Groups in our Research Group Roundup and determine which ones align most closely with your research interests.
Information on Research Group Committee members can be found on individual Research Group websites. If you are interested in a particular Research Group/s and would like to find out more, you may wish to join the group’s Annual General Meeting (AGM), most of which take place in August during the Annual Conference.
In the video below, Luke Green of the Postgraduate Forum speaks about choosing a Research Group.
Why join a Research Group committee?
As well as joining a group as a member, you can go a step further and take on an elected role on that group’s committee. Joining a Research Group committee is a way to get further involved into the activities of a Research Group. There are a range of roles available to get involved with and much to gain from committing some of your time, such as developing your professional skills and having a say in shaping your sub-discipline.
If you are interested in joining a Research Group committee, it is worth considering this ahead of the groups’ AGMs where new committee members are typically elected.
Hear more about joining a Research Group Committee from those involved.
In the video below, Dr Nina Willment talks about her experiences as a committee member of the Digital Geographies Research Group (DGRG) and the Economic Geographies Research Group (EGRG).
Keep-up-to date with the full range of activities from our 32 Research Groups through our Research Group roundup.
- Postgraduates
New York historical geography fieldtrip - Innes Keighren
Innes Keighren (Royal Holloway, University of London) talks about taking students to New York for a fieldtrip.
- Undergraduates
Landscape interpretation from historical OS maps
Briony McDonagh describes an activity she offers to third year students using historical OS maps to reconstruct the landscape and historical geography of Burton Agnes in the East Riding of Yorkshire.
- Postgraduates
Top ten tips for postgraduate students attending conferences
This resource offers advice for postgraduate students attending a conference for the first time. It was originally written by Maddy Thompson for the RGS-IBG's Postgraduate Forum.