People Categories: Committee Member

Lewis Dijkstra is the deputy head of the Policy Development and Economic Analysis Unit of the Directorate-General for Regional and Urban Policy in the European Commission. He is the editor the Cohesion Reports, which analyse economic, social and environmental issues in EU regions and cities. His latest work and publications cover topics such as regional […]

Dr Stuart Dawley is a Senior Lecturer in Economic Geography in the Centre for Urban and Regional Development Studies (CURDS) at Newcastle University. His current research focuses upon the evolution of local and regional economies, particularly understanding the dynamics of path creation and development as part of the energy transition.  More broadly, his research previously […]

Abigail Cooke is Assistant Professor of Geography at University at Buffalo (SUNY). She is also a co-director of the Center for Trade, Environment, and Development (CTED, formerly CUSTAC). Her research focuses on the local and regional impacts of global flows. She has studied the impacts of low-wage country import competition in the US and the […]

Lars is an economic geographer and scholar in innovation studies. He joined the Melbourne Sustainable Society Institute at the University of Melbourne in January 2017 as the inaugural ‘City of Melbourne Chair of Resilient Cities’. Prior to this, he was full professor at CIRCLE, the Centre for Innovation, Research, and Competence in the Learning Economy […]

Michael Taster is a current PhD research student in the Department of Urban Studies and Planning at the University of Sheffield. His current research project is sponsored by the RSA and is entitled, “The Creation and Reproduction of Policy Relevant Spatial Knowledge and New Publishing Models, A Case Study of Regional Studies.” The project seeks […]

Frances is a post-doc researcher on the ‘What is Governed in Cities’ project, based at the Bartlett School of Planning, UCL. Her current research focuses on the governance of residential real estate investment in London, particularly around the housing crisis, risk strategies and the role of private sector norms. I completed my PhD at UCL, […]

Fulong Wu is Bartlett Professor of Planning at University College London. His research interests include urban development in China and its social and sustainable challenges. He has recently published a book, Planning for Growth: Urban and Regional Planning in China (2015, Routledge). He was awarded 2013 Outstanding International Impact Prize by UK ESRC. He is […]

Vanessa is a PhD candidate in Environmental Design and Planning at the College of Architecture and Urban Studies at Virginia Tech. She has consultancy experience at the Inter-American Development Bank and at The World Bank, in Washington D.C. She earned a master in Urban Planning at the University of Melbourne in Australia, and a bachelor […]

Alex de Ruyter is a professor at Birmingham City University and serves as Director of its Centre for Brexit Studies. He brings a wealth of research experience and academic engagement in the area of regional economic development and labour market issues. He has published over 60 academic outputs in leading national and international journals, including the International Journal […]

Joshua Barrett is Manager of Planning and Accountability for the Climate Change Branch in the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador. In this position, he oversees policy and strategy development initiatives related to climate change, including initiatives to raise public awareness engage the academic community and professional associations, manage and lead research and analysis initiatives, as […]

Weidong Liu is a full professor in Economic Geography and assistant director at the Institute of Geographical Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, China. His areas of study are regional development and policies in China, foreign direct investments, spatial impacts of new information and communication technologies, and the changing geography of automobile industry […]

Stephen is a Reader in Urban Studies and Planning at the University of Sheffield.  His research lies within the broad scope of urban and regional studies with a specific focus on applied spatial analysis, uneven spatial development and urban-regional policy and governance. He has recently published articles on recession and uneven spatial development, neighbourhood change, […]

Joan Fitzgerald is a Professor of Urban and Public Policy at Northeastern University. She focuses on urban climate governance and the connections between urban sustainability and economic development and innovation. Her third book, Emerald Cities: Urban Sustainability and Economic Development (Oxford Univ. Press, 2010), examines how cities are creating economic development opportunities in several green […]

Dieter F. Kogler is a lecturer in economic geography at University College Dublin. His research focus is on the geography of innovation and evolutionary economic geography, with particular emphasis on knowledge production and diffusion, and processes related to technological change and innovation. He is involved in several multidisciplinary and multi-collaborative research projects, and has recently […]

Dr Julie Tian Miao is a Senior Lecturer in Property and Economic Development in the Melbourne School of Design, Faculty of Architecture, Building and Planning. Her research and teaching interests cover the economics, planning and the built environment of the knowledge economy, knowledge workers, housing market dynamics and affordability, as well as innovative, informal and […]

Professor John Bachtler is Professor of European Policy Studies and a Director of the European Policies Research Centre. His research experience is principally in regional and industrial development in Europe, encompassing the economic development policies of the EU Member States and several other European countries, the structural and cohesion policies of the European Union, EU integration […]

Klára joined the RSA in August 2016. Her academic background is in European studies and European integration with a specialisation in Central and Eastern Europe. In previous roles, she worked in Brussels for the European Committee of the Regions and the representation of Prešov region. In addition, she has also worked at the EU-office of […]

Judy completed a BA (Hons) in Finance and Accounting at the University of East London. She then worked as a trainee accountant at an international freight forwarders, and then completed her examinations, qualifying as an ACCA accountant in 1996. She then worked for 14 years in various roles for The Emcor group, (which was a […]

Katharina joined the Regional Studies Association in November 2018, after having worked as an Events Manager for a private school at the South Coast of England. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Tourism Management (Kempten University of Applied Sciences, Germany) and is a University of Brighton graduate (Master of Science in International Event Management). […]

Alex joined as the RSA Communications and Membership Manager in March 2018. Prior to this, she had been a physics teacher for 17 years and an archaeological researcher/tech at UCL after completing her Masters in 1995.  She completed her Doctorate in Education in 2015. She would love to communicate your regional studies news and views […]

Daniela, a graduate in Cultural and Tourism Geography (VUW New Zealand, University of Trier and Bonn, Germany), worked previously in research and business development roles at HEI in Germany, New Zealand and the UK, as an events and tourism consultant, and tourism management lecturer. Daniela joined the RSA in 2013, bringing wide-ranging international conference management […]

Lesa has worked at the Regional Studies Association since February 2012; arriving with over 20 years of experience in events and conferences management for a variety of organisations in London and the South East, covering disciplines such as fashion and education as well as those concerned with important governmental issues. Lesa made an immediate impact […]

Suede joined the Regional Studies Association in May 2016. She holds a Bachelor of Languages and Bachelor of Laws (Hons I). She has worked as a solicitor in private practice in Australia and England, specialising in Immigration Law. Her job role is to assist with the development of the Centres Programme and the Territorial Networks. […]

Sally Hardy began her career at the Economic and Social Research Council where she worked as a Scientific Officer in the Industry and Employment Committee dispensing funding to UK based social science academics. Sally moved to the Regional Studies Association where she has been CEO for just over 30 years. She has developed the organisation […]