Person Rhind; David William (1943 - 2025); geographer and earth scientist Rhind David William geographer and earth scientist 1943 - 2025 British England, United Kingdom 29 November 1943 19431129 England, United Kingdom 6 January 2025 20250106

Geographer and earth scientist Geomorphology Earth sciences Geography Education: Berwick Grammar School; University of Bristol 1965; University of Edinburgh PhD 1969 Career: Research Officer, University of Edinburgh (1968-69); Head, Applications Section, Experimental Cartography Unit, Royal College of Art (1969-73); Lecturer and Reader in the Department of Geography, Durham University (1973-1981); Visiting Fellow, International Training Centre, Enschede, the Netherlands (1975); Visiting Fellow, Australian National University (1979); Professor of Geography, University of London (1982-1991); Dean of the Faculty of Economics (1984); Vice President of the International Cartographic Association (c. 1984); Dean of departments of Computer Science, Maths & Statistics, Economics and Geography, Birkbeck College (1987-1991); Director General and Chief Executive, Ordnance Survey of Great Britain (1992-1998); Vice Chancellor, City University, London (1998-2007); chair of the Statistics Commission from (2003–2008); Non-executive director, Bank of England; Non-executive director, deputy chair (statistical system) UK Statistics Authority. Honours: CBE 2001 Memberships: FBA Pioneered the computer handling and analysis of the United Kingdom's cartographic and other geographical data. As the first scientific Director General of the Ordnance Survey, he completed the construction of the world's first entirely digital national topographic database. After compiling the first database on geological boreholes in the late 1960s, David became an extremely early adopter of digital mapping and related ‘Big Data’ (by the standards of the time). As an influential adviser to numerous national and international cartographic bodies, he assisted with the development of prototype automated data handling systems such as the European Union’s CORINE environmental information system. Council 2003-2004 Committees: Sectional Committee 10: Health and human sciences 2009-2012 Industry Fellowships Joint Panel 2005-2006 Fellow 13/05/2002 The Royal Society Fellows Directory, Professor David Rhind CBE FBA FRS, [URL: https://royalsociety.org/people/david-rhind-12166/; last accessed: 23/04/2025] Royal Geographical Society, Obituaries: Professor David Rhind CBE (1943-2025), 16 January 2025, [URL: https://www.rgs.org/about-us/our-work/latest-news/professor-david-rhind-cbe-1943-2025; last accessed: 23/03/2025] Richard Alldritt, Professor David Rhind CBE, FRS, FBA 1943–2025, Journal of the Royal Statistical Society Series A: Statistics in Society, Volume 188, Issue 2, April 2025, Pages 639–640, [URL: https://doi.org/10.1093/jrsssa/qnaf023; last accessed: 23/04/2025] International Standard Archival Authority Record for Corporate Bodies, Persons and Families - ISAAR(CPF) - Ottawa 1996 ISBN 0-9696035-3-3 National Council on Archives, Rules for the Construction of Personal, Place and Corporate Names, 1997 RCN R69440 RCN 1826 RCN R69936 The past Fellows entries are under continuous revision. If you have queries or additional information to contribute, please contact Library@royalsociety.org. Content in external sources is not controlled by the Royal Society and historical sources may include content that is now unacceptable. Reviewed on 23/04/2025 as part of the Name Authority Project update. NA8484 13/05/2002 Clara 09/09/2025 RS_NET\VidaM Yes 61ac68d3-eeee-4d50-9857-cf32e54f8aa4