Prof Mark Whitehead

BSc Geography (Aberystwyth) PhD (Aberystwyth) PGCHE (Bangor)

Mark Whitehead is a Professor of human geography whose research interests span urban studies, sustainability, the impacts of the psychological sciences on public policy, and the social implications of smart technology. Mark has authored and edited 11 books, and written for The Guardian and Western Mail newspapers. His work has been featured on BBC Radio 4, The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, BBC Radio Wales and in The Economist. Mark holds an Award for Teaching Excellence from Aberystwyth University (2004), and in 2017 was named Lecturer of the Year by Aberystwyth University students. Mark's research has been funded by the Economic and Social Research Council, the Arts and Humanities Research Council, the Leverhulme Trust, the Independent Social Research Foundation, the British Academy, HEFCW, and the Royal Geographical Society. 

Mark is a member of Natural Resources Wales' Evidence Advisory Committee and the ESRC Peer Review College. He is also external examiner for the BA Geography programme at the University of East Anglia and Editor of the Routledge Introductions to Environment book series. Mark is a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society.  

Contemporary Research

Mark's current research is exploring connections between human geography and the digital world. He is working with Joram Feitsma (Utrecht University) on emerging governing cultures surrounding AI and the political use of AI generated imagery. He is also developing a geo-ethical perspective on AI with Thomas Dekeyser (University of Southampton). Mark's most recent research is exploring tensions between questions of efficiency and abundance within various social, political, and economic contexts. Mark has supervised over 20 PhD. students and welcomes inquiries regarding relevant research proposals.   

Current and Former PhD./DProf. and Post Doc. students

Greg Edwards, Shaima Alhosani, Sandy Stevens, Rachel Lilley, Chandra Kumar, James Robinson, Kerhsuan Chien, Julie McLeavey, Chris Yeomans, Anna Bullen, Ruth Stevenson, Kelvin Mason, Marcus Welsh, Katherine Phillips, Martin Burgess, Philip Conway, Matthew Melas, Neil Waghorn, Cery Jones. William Collier. Siobhan Maderson. Katherine Stewart.