IOC Director Loretta Lees Awarded Royal Geographical Society’s 2026 Patron’s Gold Medal

We are delighted to announce that Loretta Lees, Director of the Initiative on Cities and Professor of Sociology at Boston University, has been awarded the prestigious 2026 Patron’s Medal by the Royal Geographical Society.

Recognition of Groundbreaking Scholarship

The Patron’s Medal, one of the Society’s two highest honours and requiring approval by His Majesty, King Charles III, recognizes Professor Lees’ groundbreaking contributions to urban geography and her leadership in the study of gentrification, housing, and urban inequality. Her writings and publications are among the most comprehensive works on gentrification and displacement in cities throughout the world.

Throughout her distinguished career, Professor Lees has employed a range of methodologically rigorous approaches to track displacement and housing inequality, from ethnographic biography to tracking consumer and administrative records. Her work has achieved significant policy and public impact, including comprehensive reports on housing and displacement for the Greater London Authority, published good practice guides and anti-gentrification handbooks, and her tenure as chair of the London Housing Panel from 2020 to 2022.

Global Leadership and Impact

Professor Lees is recognized as one of the top five most-cited urban geographers globally, and she continues to shape the future of her field through her mentorship of early-career researchers and her influence on a generation of scholars.

Past recipients of the Royal Medals include Sir David Attenborough, Dame Fiona Reynolds, Neil Armstrong, and many other distinguished geographical scientists and explorers.

Director Lees with colleagues and mentees in Rome, Italy. Photo courtesy of Loretta Lees.

Reflecting on this honor, Professor Lees noted:

“Geography is the discipline of the 21st century. It taught me critical thinking and how to address social justice challenges in cities. I am deeply honoured to receive this medal. It would not have happened without all the amazing people I’ve worked with over the years; it is for them as much as me.”

Dame Jane Francis said:

“Professor Lees has defined an entire sub-field of geography for decades and continues to do so. Her methodologically rich, varied and wide-ranging research has been pivotal to the study of urban geographies, gentrification and displacement. She has made an indelible contribution to the future of the field, both through researchers she has mentored and the global body of scholarship that has cited her work. The Patron’s Medal is a richly deserved recognition of all she has accomplished.”

The medal will be presented at a ceremony at the Royal Geographical Society in London on Monday, June 8, 2026.