Research and innovation

Leeds at COP28

Research and innovation from the School will contribute to important discussions at COP28

Discover our climate research
PIc of a windmill to illustrate free energy
Discover our climate research

School celebrates success at REF 2021

Read more
Exterior shot of School of Geography building with sustainable garden in foreground
Read more

Urban analytics

Our urban analytics experts work with key decision makers, public bodies and businesses to drive a smarter future for urban life

Find out more
Connected cities
Find out more

Research highlights

Our School has delivered impactful, challenge-led research to transform lives and the world we live in

Find out more
Two researchers writing chemical formulas on a transparent screen
Find out more
Scroll down

Research and innovation

Our researchers work at the forefront of global agendas, leading the way in finding solutions to major social and environmental challenges. Through interdisciplinary research, our expertise influences key decision-makers shaping environmental protection, public health and the economy. 

We have a strong track-record of collaborations with academic institutions, businesses, NGOs and governmental bodies around the world. Our researchers have leadership roles in major international initiatives and projects, such as ForestPlots.net, Rainfor, PeatDataHub, BESTMAPEuro-FLOWContested Cities network, Contested Territories, and CongoPeat.

We also have leadership roles in national excellence centres including the Yorkshire Integrated Catchment Solutions Programme (iCASP), the ESRC Consumer Data Research Centre, the Alan Turing Urban Analytics programme, the Methane Observations and Yearly Assessments (MOYA) project, SIPHER consortium, and the Sustainable Microgrids project.

We work extensively with other schools and centres across the University, steering cross-faculty initiatives such as the Priestley Centre for Climate FuturesLeeds Institute for Data Analyticswater@leeds, the Global Food and Environment Institute, and Cultural Institute. We also have strong links with the Leeds Social Sciences Institute and Leeds Migration Research network.

93%

'world-leading' or 'internationally excellent'

Submitted research - REF 2021

11th

in the world for Geography

ShanghaiRanking's Global Ranking of Academic Subjects 2021

Over 80

academic and research staff

working with over 60 PhD researchers to deliver high-impact research

Our research

We develop innovative ways of looking at the world to understand business, society and the environment at different spatial scales and by providing applied or policy-related analyses of geographical behaviour.

More on Centre for Spatial Analysis and Policy

We aim to understand the complexities of social (in)justice and citizenship at different geographical and temporal scales and contribute to efforts at achieving a radically fairer world.

More on Social Justice, Cities, Citizenship

Working in biomes across the world from tropical rain forests to Arctic tundra, we aim to determine the nature of environmental change at a range of temporal and spatial scales.

More on Ecology and Global Change

We provide leadership in understanding and managing environmental processes and feedbacks that control and link water, sediment, solute and biotic dynamics in river basins, estuaries and marine systems.

More on River Basin Processes and Management

Collaborate with us

We are committed to sharing our world-leading knowledge, facilities, expertise and technologies with external academic and industrial collaborators.

We work alongside forward-thinking external partners looking to research and develop exciting new projects. Our aim is to make it as easy as possible for you to access our specialist expertise.

More on Research collaboration

Benefit from our wide range of facilities, from controlled environmental chambers to specialist laboratories dedicated to microscopy, physical soil analysis and tree ring analysis.

More on Access our facilities