About
David was a member of staff in Geography and Environmental Science at the University of Southampton from 1992-2023 and he continues as Emeritus Professor, involved in Population24/7 projects and the Southampton Geospatial initiative. His research covers many aspects of geospatial data science applied to human populations. He originated the current system of census output areas and statistical zones used by the Office for National Statistics in England and Wales and he has developed methods for gridded population mapping and spatiotemporal population estimation.
David has served as Head of Department and leader of the Population Health and Wellbeing research group. He was Coordinator of ESRC's Census Programme from 2002-12, Deputy Director of the UK Data Service from 2012-22, the Administrative Data Research Centre for England from 2013-18 and the National Centre for Research Methods from 2004-2023. From 2010-16 he was a member of ESRC Council. He was awarded an OBE in the 2019 New Year Honours for services to Geography and Population Studies.
Research
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External roles and responsibilities
Biography
Prizes
- Officer of the Order of the British Empire (2019)
- Back Award of the Royal Geographical Society (2015)
- Officer of the Order of the British Empire (2019)
- Back Award of the Royal Geographical Society (2015)