Richard Morgan

Professor

BSc(Lond) PhD(B'ham)

Contact Details

Department of Geography
University of Otago
PO Box 56
Dunedin
New Zealand

Location

Room 4C8
Richardson Building.
85 Albany St
Dunedin

Tel 64 3 479 8773 (Secretary)
Fax 64 3 479 9037
Email rkm@geography.otago.ac.nz

Background

Richard joined the staff of the Geography Department in 1979 to teach biogeography. He trained in the UK and specialised in the effects of human activities on contemporary vegetation communities, particularly forests. Over the years his biogeographical interests broadened to include the investigation of human activities on soil systems; at the same time he developed an interest in the management of human activities, to avoid or reduce impacts on the environment. For almost a decade, through to 1991, Richard helped to run the Masters programme in Regional and Resource Planning, and still maintains a strong interest in the programme. More recently he has developed a strong research and teaching interest in environmental impact assessment (in all its forms and varieties), and in environmental management generally. His is the director of the BAppSc Environmental Management major, and chair of the University-wide Environmental Studies Academic Advisory Committee.

Richard is currently the Past President of the International Association for Impact Assessment, having already served as President (2003-4) and President-Elect (2003-3). In June 2005 he will step down from this position, and from the Board of Directors of IAIA, but will still be closely involved with the Association and its work worldwide in advocating for, and supporting capacity building in impact assessment. His work with IAIA has taken him to meetings in all parts of the world, and involvement in workshops, training courses, and research undertakings on a variety of themes and issues, including health impact assessment in developing countries, certification of environmental professionals in Sub-Saharan Africa, and environmental management processes in refugee settlements. Richard served as national convener of the New Zealand Association for Impact Assessment (NZAIA, a affiliate of IAIA) from 1999-2002, and has maintained an active role in the development of impact assessment in New Zealand.

Together with his research students and collaborators at Otago and elsewhere, Richard established the Centre for Impact Assessment Research and Training (CIART) to act as a focal point for IA research and the dissemination of research findings of staff and student work. Richard is on the editorial boards of the Journal of Environmental Management, (Elsevier/Academic) and Environmental Sciences (Swets, Netherlands).

Research

Publications

Teaching

Supervision

 

Inagurual Professorial Lecture

Richard's Inaugural Professorial Lecture, "From Orange Boxes, to tsunamis and climate change: realising the potential of impact assessment", is available as a video and audio file. Please follow the links below.

 

IPL Audio Podcast (mp3)

IPL Video Pocast (mp4)