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Now about Ronald

The Expatriate

The book centres on my and my young family's experience in Malawi. However, the first part gives insights into life as a private soldier in the British Army. It culminates in Aden when the British were being pushed out. For many, the army can be a salvation.  

 

The book moves to the fight to enter, and the subsequent experience of, university education: in my case the five-year town planning programme at Heriot-Watt University.

 

The book includes a tribute to a truly magical corner of the country; north-west Cumbria (Chapter10). I was too young (late 20s) when working there. I declared that if I had discovered that corner of England a decade later, I suspect I would have stayed. It inspired my first journal paper. 

 

 

But wanderlust took hold!

Next, the Urbanist

Leadership – team leading and nurturing: helping communities in problem-solving and planning.

Performance budgeting (PB): output accountability to HQ and local clients. PB exposure in China and Iran.        Urban – GIS supported environmental / infrastructure threshold analysis for spatially efficient town plans.

Integrated urban development (policy and budgetary) strategies, with community engagement.

Institutional (policy & legal context; organisational structures; planning processes) analysis.

Capacity assessments and resulting building: design and delivery through ‘learning-by-doing’ training.

Research – latest, 2023: journal papers on ‘green urban development’ and the ‘science of town planning’.

Finally, more about the Author
Plus the June 2024 picture of a spirited farewell from my
Global Green Growth Institute colleagues in Uganda.

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