Michael John Wise

Michael John Wise CBE, MC (17 August 1918 – 13 October 2015) was a British academic who served as a professor of geography at the University of London.

Michael John Wise

CBE, MC
Born17 August 1918
Died13 October 2015
AwardsGill Memorial award,
Founder's Medal,
Alexander Körōsi Csoma Medal
Academic background
EducationSaltley Secondary School
Alma materUniversity of Birmingha
InfluencesGordon Warwick
Academic work
Disciplinegeographer
InstitutionsLondon School of Economics

Early life

Michael Wise was born in Stafford in 1918, son of Harry Cuthbert Wise and Sarah Evelyn Wise.[1]

Education

After attending Saltley Secondary School, Birmingham, he attended the University of Birmingham where he gained a BA in Geography in 1939. After war service he returned to Birmingham as an assistant lecturer and lecturer, gaining a PhD in 1951. It was at this point that he met Gordon Warwick, a fellow assistant lecturer, who became a lifelong friend, with Wise being godfather to the latter's daughter. They later collaborated on the British Association Handbook for the Birmingham meeting.[2]St Barnabas, Erdington church register.

War service

During the second world war Wise served in the British Army in Europe and the Middle East, reaching the rank of Major in 1944. He was awarded the Military Cross.

Career

On completion of his PhD in 1951, Wise moved to the London School of Economics as lecturer, becoming Sir Ernest Cassel Reader in Economic geography in 1954 and Professor in 1958. During the student disturbances of 1968 he defended the treasures of the LSE Map Room and negotiated their exemption from occupation during a sit-in.

Wise served as member, president etc. of many learned societies including the British Association for the Advancement of Science, the Transport Studies Society, International Geographical Union, Geographical Association and Royal Geographical Society.

He died on 13 October 2015 at the age of 97.[3]

Honours

Wise received the RGS Gill Memorial award (1958) and Founder's Medal (1977) and also the Alexander Körōsi Csoma Medal of the Hungarian Geographical Society (1980), the Tokyo Geographical Society Medal (1981) and the Lauréat d’Honneur of the IGU (1984). He received the CBE in 1979. The University of Birmingham awarded him an honorary DSc in 1982. In 2008 his 90th birthday was marked by a gathering of colleagues and former students at [LSE].[4]

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References
  1. "Wise, Michael John (1918–2015), geographer | Oxford Dictionary of National Biography". www.oxforddnb.com. doi:10.1093/odnb/9780198614128.001.0001/odnb-9780198614128-e-109817. Retrieved 7 October 2019.
  2. "WISE, Prof. Michael John". Who's Who 2009. A & C Black; online edn, Oxford University Press. 2008. Retrieved 1 August 2009.
  3. WISE
  4. "Wise @ 90". Newsletter 31. Joint School of Geography Society (KCL/ LSE). 2009. Retrieved 1 August 2009.


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