Tony Champion (Br. 1959-63) has been made an Honorary Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society with the Institute of British Geographers (RGS-IBG). The award recognises a career spanning decades of influential work in population geography, internal migration studies, and his years of service to the discipline.
Speaking with characteristic modesty recently, Tony expressed deep gratitude for the recognition, attributing much of his career path to chance, mentorship, and long-standing collaboration.
“It’s thanks to the QMRG and PopGRG committees for nominating me,” he said. “I’m especially grateful for all the people I’ve worked with along the way. I didn’t plan to end up in population geography - it just happened through a series of accidents, really.”
In addition to his academic contributions, Tony has played a significant role in the governance and promotion of geography as a discipline. Over the years, he has served on several IBG Study Group committees - including Urban, Rural, and Population Geography - and acted as Honorary Treasurer of the IBG in the lead-up to its merger with the RGS, as well as Treasurer of the Council for British Geography. He has also contributed to working groups for international and national bodies including the IGU, IUSSP, ESRC, the UN Population Division, and the ONS.
Tony remains actively engaged in shaping how data is used in policy and research. His two current “campaigns” include advocating for the future of the Census and pushing for the establishment of an Upper Layer in the Super Output Area (SOA) geography - an effort to maintain meaningful data structures in light of the government’s planned abolition of certain English shire districts.
Reflecting on the recognition, Tony shared his appreciation for the honour: “I am delighted that my contributions to population geography and migration studies have been recognised in this way, along with my administrative inputs to the Institute of British Geographers earlier in my career.”, he said.
Throughout his reflections, Tony returned time and again to the value of mentorship, collaboration, and practical engagement. His career, shaped as much by interpersonal connections as academic inquiry, has left a lasting impact on the study of how and why people move - insights that remain crucial as populations continue to shift in response to economic, social, and environmental change.
Please accept our warmest congratulations on your outstanding achievement, Tony.