Our colleague Roger Stough died recently. Prof. Stough was University Professor at the School of Policy, Government and International Affairs at George Mason University (GMU). He has been president of the Regional Science Association International for the 2007-2008 term, and greatly contributed to the further expansion of the Association both in terms of new country sections as well as individual members. He also actively participated in the launch of our policy journal, Regional Science Policy & Practice, and gave countless contributions to the successful activities of the North American Regional Science Council (NARSC) and the Western Regional Science Association (WRSA). He also served as Co-Editor in Chief of The Annals of Regional Science, greatly contributing to the growth of this journal, among the top in our discipline.

In 1964, Roger obtained a BSc in International Trade at the Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio; in 1971, he obtained an M.A. in Economic Geography from the University of South Carolina, Columbia, South Carolina; and in 1978 he obtained a Ph.D. in Geography and Environmental Engineering from the Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland.

For his outstanding scientific contributions, in 2006 he has also been granted a Doctorate Honoris Causa from the University of Jonkoping, Sweden, while in 2008 he was appointed Fellow of the Regional Science Association International.

Roger has been an outstanding scholar. He has published 45 books published (authored and/or edited); 85 journal articles; and 90 chapters in books.

On top of these achievements, Roger was a wise and decent man. We dare anyone to find a memory of Roger angry at anyone. He would be always ready to listen and give advice to both young and more experienced colleagues, and his smile would often ease the tension in complicated meetings.

The regional science community will miss Roger a lot, and would like to present its condolences to Roger’s family.