My friend Rob Potter, who has died of cancer aged 64, was a talented human geographer. An innovative researcher, he was a pioneer in the interdisciplinary field of development studies and a physical planning adviser to the Barbados government. He was also an extremely effective university administrator and an understanding, highly approachable educator and mentor.
Brought up on a north-west London council estate, Rob went on to study geography at Bedford College, University of London, obtaining first class honours in 1971. Four years later he completed his PhD and was appointed lecturer in geography at Bedford College. Rob stayed there for 13 years before it merged with Royal Holloway College, where he was promoted to professor of geography in 1993.
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