David William Rhind facts for kids
David William Rhind (born 1943, died January 6, 2025) was a smart British geographer. He was really good at something called geographic information systems (GIS). Think of GIS as special computer tools that help us understand maps and places better. He also used to be the head of City University, London.
Contents
David Rhind's Life and Work
Early Life and Education
David Rhind studied geography and geology at the University of Bristol. He finished his first degree there in 1965. Later, in 1969, he earned a special advanced degree called a PhD. He got this from the University of Edinburgh for his work in geomorphology. Geomorphology is the study of how Earth's landforms are made and changed.
Working with Maps and Information
After his studies, Rhind taught at several universities. These included Edinburgh, the Royal College of Art, and Durham University. In 1982, he became a professor of geography at the University of London.
He played a big part in the Chorley Committee. This was a UK government group that looked at how geographical information was used. Their findings were shared in 1987.
Later, he became the Director General of Ordnance Survey. This is the national mapping agency of Great Britain. He made sure that all their old paper maps were turned into digital computer files. This was a huge project!
Awards and Achievements
Because of his important work with GIS, the University of London gave him a special science degree (DSc) in 1991. Many other universities also gave him honorary doctorates. These are special awards that recognize a person's achievements.
In 2002, David Rhind was chosen as a Fellow of the Royal Society. This is a very old and respected group for top scientists. He also became an Honorary Fellow of the British Academy. This group honors people who are excellent in the humanities and social sciences. It was very rare for someone to be part of both!
Other Important Roles
David Rhind held many other important jobs. He led the Statistics Commission, which helps make sure government statistics are reliable. He also worked with the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority, looking at how their work affected local communities. He was even a member of the court of directors for the Bank of England.
In 2001, he received a CBE award from the Queen. This honor was for his great contributions to geographical and social sciences. He also wrote several books about geography and Earth sciences. David Rhind passed away on January 6, 2025, at the age of 81.
Academic and Other Positions Held
- Research Officer, University of Edinburgh 1968–69
- Head, Applications Section, Experimental Cartography Unit, Royal College of Art 1969–73
- Lecturer, then Reader, University of Durham 1973–1981
- Visiting Fellow, International Training Centre, Enschede, the Netherlands, 1975
- Visiting Fellow, Australian National University 1979
- Professor of Geography in the University of London 1982–91
- Dean of departments of Computer Science, Maths & Statistics, Economics and Geography, Birkbeck College 1987–91
- Director General and Chief Executive, Ordnance Survey of Great Britain 1992–98
- Vice-Chancellor and President, City University London 1998–2007
- Chairman, the Statistics Commission 2003–08
- Chairman, Universities UK, Employment Business and Industry Policy Committee
- Non-executive director, Bank of England
- Non-executive director, deputy chair (statistical system) UK Statistics Authority
