Guest blog by Pauline Deutz
Our final 'WOW GESS woman' is Professor Dame Judith Rees. She was Professor of Geography at the University of Hull from 1989-1995, during which
time she was also Dean of the School of Geography and Earth Resources (as it was then) and subsequently Pro-Vice Chancellor. This followed a BSc in Economics and MPhil from LSE, and a PhD from the
University of London, undertaken whilst an assistant and subsequently lecturer
at LSE. After her time in Hull, Judith
returned to LSE, where she has held a number of senior leadership roles
including directing environmental research institutes and served as Interim
Director of the London School of Economics 2011-2012. Judith is currently Vice Chair of the Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change and the Environment and is the first
female President of the Royal Geographical Society.
Although a relatively brief interlude in a long and
distinguished career, Judith’s time in Hull has had a significant and ongoing
impact on her subsequent career. Her
research has focused on environmental issues, including the management of water
resources, environmental risk and adaptation to climate change. Coming from a social science background, it
was Judith’s experience in Hull’s Geography department that afforded the
opportunity to work with academics researching the physical science aspects of
environmental issues. Notably, Judith
says that this was her 'first encounter with people discussing and working on
climate change, not insignificant to my future career'.
Hull awarded Judith her first Chair, making her the first
female Professor of Geography at Hull. Sadly, after 20 years, we have only just appointed our third female Professor of
Geography. Judith was the first and so
far still the only female head of department. That leadership role, followed rapidly by a PVC appointment, unusually
for the time, was supported by management training. 'At Hull', Judith recollects, 'I learnt an
immense amount about dealing with people, making hard decisions, learning to
compromise and trying to be transparently fair. This Hull experience was very
important not only in being invited to become Pro-Director at LSE (first woman)
but also to doing the job itself. So Hull formed the basis of my subsequent
administrative career'.
A third aspect of Judith’s career has been working closely
with government and non-governmental bodies.
She comments that she 'will also always be grateful for the way that the
University allowed me to work one day a week for OfWat (the economic regulator
for the privatised Water Industry). Long before the impact agenda hit us all
Hull understood the importance of academics engaging with practitioners. The
OfWat experience then led to the Monopolies and Mergers (then Competition
Commission) and subsequently to being on the Technical Advisory Committee of
the Global Water Partnership and then The UN Secretary Generals Advisory
Committee in Water and Sanitation'.
Judith’s contribution to environmental research, engagement and university leadership has been recognised by the awarding of an honorary Doctorate from the University of Hull in 2012, and being made a Dame in
2013.
No comments:
Post a Comment