Cardiff University academic receives top honour

A Cardiff University academic has received a prestigious award in recognition of his research on rural and environmental policy making.

Professor Terry Marsden of the Sustainable Places Research Institute (PLACE) picked up the Back Award from the Royal Geographical Society (with the Institute of British Geographers) for his outstanding contribution to the development of national and international rural planning and the development of public policy.

Over the past 30 years, Professor Marsden has published wide ranging work on the socio-economic restructuring of agriculture; theorisations and empirical investigations of rural development; analysis of agri-food chains and networks; and critical commentaries in the emerging fields of environmental sociology and environmental planning. The work has extended from the UK to Europe, Brazil, the Caribbean and now China.

Professor Marsden said: “As the world becomes more urbanised, and we face increases in resource and bio-diversity depletion, as well as climate change, the pressure to not only protect but indeed to equitably restore 'nature' has never been greater. How to do this is the big question; and so this involves co-producing our research with policy makers and a variety of 'place-based' stakeholders. In so doing it has been a privilege to work with great colleagues across Cardiff University, PLACE and the School of Geography and Planning on tackling these issues.

“I am delighted and honoured to receive this prestigious award. Over my career, these areas have become more critical with regards to sustainability and policy and I look forward to continuing to contribute to these fields with the endorsement this award provides.”

This year the Society’s medals and awards recognise 23 different people or organisations for their outstanding contributions to geography.