Rebecca Madgin

Rebecca Madgin (PhD) is Professor of Urban Studies at the University of Glasgow. Since 2021 Rebecca is also Programme Director for the UK Research and Innovation/Arts and Humanities Research Council’s Place-Based Research Programme, a long-term strategic investment that brings academics, industry, and communities together to advance people-centred, place-based approaches. This Programme develops new conceptual frameworks, devises innovative methodologies, and conducts comparative empirical work in an UK and international context to help tackle place-based challenges.

Rebecca works across disciplines to understand the role of emotion and felt experiences within placemaking and has published widely in these areas including her most recent book: Why Historic Places Matter Emotionally which was published by Cambridge University Press in October 2025. Rebecca retains an active role with the wider built environment sector through a number of advisory roles including being a member of the UK Government’s Department for Culture, Media and Sport’s College of Experts, Historic England’s ‘Places Panel’ and the Key Cities Innovation Network’s Advisory Group.