Royal Geographical Society Honours Professor Ron Martin

On August 29, as part of its annual international conference in London, The Royal Geographical Society, alongside the Institute of British Geographers, held a special session to celebrate Professor Ron Martin's (1974) 'formative and outstanding contributions to Economic Geography'. 

Four panel experts gave appreciations of Ron's work, and he responded with a presentation on the challenges and opportunities facing economic geographers in confronting a turbulent and worryingly unequal world. The Royal Geographical Society had previously awarded Ron its Victoria Gold Medal in 2016, in recognition of his outstanding academic achievements, joining a prestigious list of recipients including, David Livingstone, Alfred Russell Wallace, Captain R. Scott, Professor Diana Liverman, and Sir David Attenborough. 

In 2016, Nicholas Crane, President of the Royal Geographical Society (with IBG), said:

“Over four decades, Ron’s work has shaped the way that the crucial economic and urban agendas of the moment are theorised and responded to in policy circles. His research has fundamentally changed the way we think about the role of cities and regions in economic growth and prosperity. I am delighted that he has been awarded the Victoria Medal.”