“I attended the 2012 Summer Institute in Zurich, and it continues to rank among the most important professionalization experiences I have ever had. Not only did I form enduring intellectual connections and personal friendships—often with economic geographers in other subfields whose work I would not have encountered otherwise—but I gained a far better sense of how my work might help advance the discipline as a whole. As an intensive, multi-day experience with a select group of scholars, the workshop spurred a depth of engagement and discussion not possible at most conferences—I have often referred to its design for ideas on how to facilitate more substantial, genuinely transformative academic exchanges.”

Sarah Knuth, PhD, postdoctoral fellow, University of Michigan

“As an alumnus of the first Summer Institute (2003), and a recent featured speaker (2014), I can say that it is one of the most significant and valuable professional events held regularly in the field of economic geography. Not only does the Institute provide participants with an opportunity to engage in intensive, stimulating, collegial, and highly substantive discussions about the field and emerging research agendas, it also serves a valuable role by helping current and recently graduated PhD students to understand the academic enterprise and the challenges of, among other things, navigating the publishing and professional worlds we work in. Several of the friendships and professional ties that began at the Institute I attended in 2003 have played a central role in my career development and I have seen many alumni emerge as leaders among the current and next generation of economic geographers. This is a vital initiative, one that strengthens and sustains the field by imbuing in its participants a sense of purpose, identity, and commitment to research and teaching that can deploy economic geography concepts and theories in ways that help us better understand the causes and potential solutions to pressing socioeconomic, political, and environmental issues worldwide.”

James T. Murphy, PhD, Associate Professor, Graduate School of Geography, Clark University

“The Summer Institute in Economic Geography is a truly enjoyable and valuable experience. The organisers bring together a remarkable group of early career researchers and established scholars with a planned diversity of personal, institutional and disciplinary backgrounds. This creates a wonderful environment for critical engagement and community building. As an ‘anti-conference’ with no pressure for immediate, measurable outputs, it’s hard to imagine a more re/productive event for participants and economic geography. Apply and attend!” 

Gareth Bryant, Lecturer in Political Economy, University of Sydney; now Senior Lecturer

“The Summer Institute has become a right of passage in economic geography. It’s the can’t-miss, traveling genius loci where young scholars in the field can forge connections across continents that produce conference panels, special issues and other collaborations for years to come. It’s been less than a year since I attended and it’s already responsible for one conference panel, and a special issue is in the works.”

Mark Kear, PhD, Assistant Professor, School of Geography and Development, University of Arizona

"The Summer Institute was a great opportunity to learn more about how economic geography has evolved and to debate the exciting directions in which it is going. There was real critical, productive engagement between very different approaches and areas of research—much more so than at many conventional academic events. In discussions of the challenges of working in academia today, I appreciated the open and supportive way that the group worked together, which looks set to continue in a lasting network."

Amy Horton, doctoral researcher, Queen Mary University of London