The establishment of geography as a sub-discipline within the Government Science and Engineering profession aims to put geography at the heart of policy design and delivery.
Recently appointed Deputy Head of Geography, Patrick Rickles, is committed to building a geography profession which showcases the wide variety of vibrant and successful careers, and the diverse range of individuals in geography roles.
Patrick first realised his love for GIS towards the end of his undergraduate studies, and his subsequent Master’s and PhD research in Geographical Information Science at University College London led him to being recognised as Esri’s UK and Ireland Young Scholar of the year in 2015. Keen to see the different applications of GIS, he worked in both the public and private sector before obtaining his current position as Head of Business Intelligence and Spatial Data Science at HM Courts and Tribunals Service, Ministry of Justice.
Now he and his fellow Deputy Heads are working hard to shape and encourage a vibrant profession. “For me, it’s really important to reach out more to those from diverse backgrounds – anyone who feels marginalised and doesn’t have the confidence in their own abilities, I want to show that the profession is here to support them to be successful in their jobs,” he said.
You can keep up to date with the latest Geographers in Government news by following the Head of Geography in Government, David Wood, @GovHeadGeog on Twitter.