Vernon Henderson

Dr. Vernon Henderson is a Professor of Economic Geography at the London School of Economics (LSE) since 2013, previously holding the Eastman Professorship at Brown University. He specializes in urbanization dynamics in developing countries, focusing on infrastructure, land policies, and spatial economics. His research integrates historical, geographical, and institutional factors to analyze urban systems, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa and China.

Education: Terminal degree in Economics from the University of Chicago (1972). Key roles include co-editor of the Journal of Urban Economics and Handbook of Regional and Urban Economics, and founder of the Urban Economics Association.

Research interests span urban sprawl, colonial legacies in city design, climate change impacts on urbanization, and political distortions in land markets. Notable contributions include analyzing China's urban land policies, sub-Saharan Africa's city growth patterns, and the use of satellite data to measure economic activity.

His recent work emphasizes policy-relevant insights for sustainable urban development, collaborating with institutions like the World Bank and DFID. Awards and recognitions are not explicitly listed but include significant academic leadership roles.