Nominate a geographer making an outstanding contribution in their field

Each year, the Society’s medals and awards recognise geographers who have made outstanding contributions to geographical research, fieldwork, teaching, policy, and public engagement, and celebrate excellence across the breadth of geographical endeavour.

Our medals and awards have a long and distinguished history. The first award, given just a year after the Society’s inception, was a gift of 50 guineas that was awarded with royal approval 'for the encouragement and promotion of geographical science and discovery’. Five years later, this monetary award was presented as a royal medal. By 1839, the single royal medal had been split into the Founder’s Medal and the Patron’s Medal, both of equal standing. These medals are among the highest honours of their kind in the world and are still approved by HRH the King. Previous royal medallists include Sir David Attenborough, Michael Palin and Lyndsey Hilsum.

We are delighted to be introducing two new awards for 2024 – the Professional Geography Award, recognising excellence in the use of geography in professional practice, and the Geographical Engagement Award, which celebrates outstanding public engagement in relation to geographical issues through the media, design or other means.

If you know someone who has demonstrated excellence in geography, celebrate their achievements by nominating them for an award. If you have someone in mind but aren’t sure which award might apply to them, take a look at our full list of medals and awards for 2024.

Any Fellow or Member of the Society may make a nomination. Nominees can be from across the breadth of the discipline and do not need to hold Fellowship or Membership of the Society. The call for nominations closes at 5.00pm on Monday 19 February 2024. 

For full details of the nominations process and to nominate a geographer, visit the webpage.