About

Image of Paul A Longley

Paul Longley (B.Sc., Ph.D., D.Sc., FAcSS) is Professor of Geographic Information Science at University College London, UK, where he also directs the ESRC Consumer Data Research Centre.

His research interests are focused around socioeconomic applications of GIScience, in geo-temporal demographics, retailing, genealogy and urban modelling, latterly often using Big Data analytics.

He teaches Geographic Information Science and Systems and is a co-author of the best-selling book of that name.

He has been involved in: 57 research grants (totalling £25,008,700) and 3 teaching grants (totalling £2,378,259); postgraduate supervision of 68 Ph.D. students (most funded by research councils). Publications include 3 books, 119 refereed journal articles and 79 contributions to edited collections. Academic and editorial duties have included past editorship of two journals and current membership of five editorial boards. He has held fifteen externally-funded visiting appointments. He has taken strategic roles in two centres of excellence in teaching and learning and made major commitments to administration in four leading university departments.

Curriculum Vitae – current to March 2024

Present Appointment

2014-present Director of the Consumer Data Research Centre at University College London
2000-present Professor of Geographic Information Science, UCL
(seconded to ESRC Advanced Institute for Management Research Senior Fellowship, 2003-4)

Previous Appointments

1996-2000 Professor of Geography, University of Bristol
1994-96 Reader in Geography, University of Bristol (including a period as an ESRC Research Fellow, 1994-95)
1992-94 Lecturer in Geography, University of Bristol
1984-92 Lecturer in Planning, University of Wales, Cardiff (UWIST prior to 1/9/88).
1983-84 Lecturer in Geography, University of Reading.

Education and Qualifications

Education

1981-83 Department of Geography, University of Bristol
1980-81 Geographisches Institut II, Universität Karlsruhe (TH), Germany
1977-80 Department of Geography, University of Bristol

Qualifications

1997 D.Sc., University of Bristol
1984 Ph.D. (Urban Geography), University of Bristol
1981 Certificate of Competence (German Language) to study at Karlsruhe/Stuttgart Universities; Grundstuffe II language examination (Grade 1)
1980 B.Sc. First Class Honours (Geography), University of Bristol

Special awards, honours and distinctions

2013 Royal Geographical Society Victoria Medal
2010 Visiting Professor, Tokyo University
2009 UCL Advances, award for best Knowledge Transfer Partnership
2008 Visiting Professor, University College Dublin
2007, 2009, 2011, 2013 Visiting Professor, Ritsumeikan University, Japan
2006 Principal Investigator of finalist ‘Research Project of the Year’, Times Higher Education Supplement Annual Awards
2002 Elected Registered Practitioner, the Higher Education Academy (previously the ILTHE)
2002 Elected Academician, Academy of Social Sciences (Academy of Learned Societies for the Social Sciences prior to 2007)
1980 University of Bristol Miller Barstow Prize for best undergraduate social science dissertation
1980 Walter Scheel Scholarship

Research and Scholarship

Research interests are grouped around the development and application of geographic information science and geographic information systems, latterly using Big Data analytics. Socioeconomic applications include: geo-temporal demographics; retail analysis; public service delivery (specifically health, education and policing); Internet GIS applications and e-social science; housing and retail market analysis; fractal analysis of cities; and social survey research practice. Contributions to the research literature have been funded by numerous research grants, including knowledge transfer/exchange funding.

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Professor of Geographic Information Science, University College London