Farewell to Professor Philip Morrison
Staff and students from across the University gathered to farewell Professor Philip Morrison, who has retired after 37 years with the School of Geography, Environment and Earth Sciences.
More than 70 people attended the farewell event on Thursday 28 March, to celebrate and acknowledge Professor Morrison’s dedication to the field of geography, the high standard of his research, teaching and leadership initiatives.
Master’s graduate, Pascarn Dickinson, spoke of his former supervisor’s constant presence and dedication to anyone studying Geography at Victoria University.
"I had the privilege of having Phil as a lecturer in undergraduate and as a supervisor in postgraduate studies. That experience, combined with my work tutoring for Phil, clearly demonstrated to me the high level of care and respect that he has for his students and for their learning.
“I want to thank Phil for all the work that he has done for me as well as for all Geography students and wish him all the best for his retirement and future endeavours."
The other speakers were current and former colleagues from the School—Professor James Renwick, Associate Professor Sara Kindon, Professor John Overton, Dr Richard Willis, and Professor Warwick Murray–and Provost Wendy Larner.
“This gathering of former colleagues and friends was a wonderful opportunity for me to share some of the history of human geography at this University, and the on-going legacy which our founding professors have left,” says Professor Morrison.
Professor Morrison’s association with the University began as an undergraduate in 1967, where he studied Geography and Economic History. After a PhD and lectureships overseas, he returned to Wellington to work at the School in 1982.
His primary research has been in the local housing and labour markets, residential mobility and migration, aspects of demography and most recently the relationship between wellbeing and place. He served as Head of School between 2002 and 2006, played a leading role in placing human geography at this University ahead of the rest of the country in the 2006 and 2012 Performance-Based Research Fund rankings and has been the supervisor for 64 postgraduate students.
In 2013, Professor Morrison was recognised for his contribution to Geography with a Distinguished Geographer award from the New Zealand Geographical Society.
“If I have brought a point of difference to Geography it has been my passion for the creative application of statistical methods to the survey data that is now available worldwide," says Professor Morrison.
"Our ranking success, the fact that our lecturing staff has almost doubled since 2011, and that our undergraduate classes remain in high demand, is a great testimony to the relevance and international reach of our discipline. Human geographers have a valuable role to play in the growing body of policy relevant knowledge. It is heart-warming to have witnessed the growth of such a vibrant branch of geography since our establishment at this University in the early 1950's.”