European Regional Science Association
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European Regional Science Association
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The first European Prizes in Regional Science have been awarded by the European Regional Science Association (ERSA) to professors Peter Nijkamp, of the Free University of Amsterdam, and Jean Paelinck, formerly of the Erasmus University of Rotterdam.
The European Prize in Regional Science was created to recognize the outstanding contribution of scholars to the advancement in regional science and in related spatial area studies. The first European Prizes in Regional Science were awarded based on the recommendation of an independent jury of six eminent regional scientists from all over the world. The awarding ceremony will take place on the 28th of August at the annual European Congress of Regional Science in Jyväskylä in Finland.
Both winners have had a long and prolific career expanding several decades. Peter Nijkamp has been since 1975 Professor of Regional and Urban Economics and Economic Geography at the Free University, Amsterdam. His research interest is wide-ranging and has published dozens of books and monographs, written hundreds of articles for both high-ranking, international, scientific journals and more popular magazines. For over a decade, Peter Nijkamp played a leading role as President first of the European Regional Science Association (l979-l989) and then of the Regional Science Association International (l990-l992) and has also been a visiting professor at several universities in Europe, Asia and America. He holds Doctorates Honoris Causa from the Free University of Brussels and the Technical University in Athens. In l996, he was awarded the most prestigious Spinoza Award in the Netherlands. Peter Nijkamp is also past Chairman of the Dutch Social Science Council and past Vice-President of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Sciences. Since June 2002, he has served as president of the governing board of the Netherlands Research Council (NOW).
Born in Belgium, Jean Paelinck has held a professorship at several universities; among them: Lille, Paris, Namur, Louvain, Erasmus University of Rotterdam, and now George Mason University in Virginia. He has published more than 55 books and over 300 papers in well-known refereed journals as his early research in economic modelling evolved more toward spatial econometrics in the l970s. His presidential address at the French- speaking Regional Science Association in l982 and his book with Leo Klaasen on "Spatial Economics" are now considered classics in regional science. By presenting the general principles of interdependence, asymmetry, topology, allotopy and investment-functioning and applying them to regional research in many countries the world over, Jean Paelinck has become one of the world's most well-known regional scientists. He is the holder of seven Honorary Doctorates, and has been honoured by the President of the Regional Science Associations. Humanist, musician and linguist-he speaks more than l0 languages-Jean Paelinck composed the "march" for the Western Regional Science Association. Respected by his colleagues, appreciated by his students, Jean Paelinck is a real leader, not only in regional science, but in life in general.