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Regional Science Association International facts for kids

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Regional Science Association International
Rsailogo.jpg
The old logo for the RSAI.
Abbreviation RSAI
Formation 1954
Type Professional association
Legal status Non-profit
Purpose To support and share knowledge in the field of regional science.
Headquarters Washington, D.C., United States
Region served
Worldwide
Membership
Experts like regional scientists, economists, geographers, and city planners.
President
Hans Westlund (as of 2024)
Main organ
Council
Website www.regionalscience.org


The Regional Science Association International (RSAI) is a worldwide organization for experts who study regional science. Regional science is the study of how specific areas, like cities or states, grow and change. It looks at things like the economy, population, and environment of a region.

How It All Started

A New Idea

In the 1940s and 1950s, an economist named Walter Isard had a big idea. He wanted to bring together smart people from different fields to study regions. These regions were areas smaller than a whole country.

He gathered experts in economics (the study of money and trade), geography (the study of places), city planning, and other subjects. He called this new field of study regional science. Because it mixed so many different subjects, there was no single club or organization for these experts to join. So, they decided to create their own!

Creating the Association

They formed the Regional Science Association and held their first meeting in December 1954. The group was a place for these experts to share their ideas and research about how regions work.

The idea quickly became popular. By 1961, the association had almost 1,000 members. The first local group, called a "section," was started in the western United States. This allowed experts in that area to have their own meetings.

A Global Network of Experts

Growing Around the World

After the first section in the U.S., new groups started to form all over the world. In 1963, a section was created in Japan. Soon after, more groups appeared across Europe, India, Argentina, and Brazil. The association was becoming truly international.

By 1990, the organization had grown so much that it needed a new structure. The main group became the Regional Science Association International (RSAI). The RSAI acts as an umbrella organization for other large regional groups.

How the RSAI is Organized

The RSAI oversees three major groups that cover different parts of the world:

  • The Pacific Regional Science Conference Organization: This group includes associations from countries around the Pacific Ocean, like Australia, Japan, Canada, and Mexico.
  • The North American Regional Science Council: This group covers associations in the United States and Canada.
  • The European Regional Science Association: This group brings together experts from associations in countries like Italy, Germany, Spain, and the United Kingdom.

Each of these major groups is also an umbrella for even more specific national or local associations. This structure helps experts connect with others both in their home country and around the globe.

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Asociación Internacional de la Ciencia Regional para niños

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