Accolades

Professor Rachel Pain and Professor Anoop Nayak, in the School of Geography, Politics and Sociology, have received awards from the Royal Geographical Society.

Professor Rachel Pain, Dean of Social Justice, has received the Victoria Medal for her world-leading research on disasters, violence, and recovery; on urban trauma, citizenship, and interpersonal violence; and on participatory action research approaches and methods.

Professor Pain said: "I am delighted and humbled to receive this award, for doing a job I love with incredible students and colleagues."

Anoop Nayak, Professor of Social  and Cultural Geography, received the 2026 Murchison Award, which is awarded to "publications judged to have contributed most to geographical science in preceding recent years."

Professor Nayak said: “I’m thrilled to receive the Murchison Award, which came as a genuine surprise to me. The prize is for publications deemed to have contributed most to geographical science in preceding recent years, it’s therefore a real accolade to have my published work in geography recognised by the Royal Geographical Society."

Outstanding scholars

Professor Pain and Professor Nayak are among 27 people recognised for their outstanding contributions to geography.

Professor Joe Smith, Director of the Royal Geographical Society, said: “It is our great privilege to recognise such an outstanding group of scholars, researchers, explorers and conservationists for our 2026 medals and awards.

“This year’s recipients are recognised for deepening our understanding of our world, its people, and the processes that shape it. We celebrate their contribution to geographical science and we know that such recognition inspires further achievement and sparks curiosity”.