On 14 November Prof. Dr Ian Masser received the UK Association for Geographic Information Past President's Award for lifelong achievement in the field of geographical information. When presenting the award, Past President Robert Barr paid tribute to Prof. Masser's key roles in managing the Economic and Social Research Council's ground-breaking Regional Research Laboratory initiative from 1987 to 1991 and in leading the European Science Foundation's highly successful GISDATA scientific programme from 1992 to 1997. He also drew attention to the part that Prof. Masser had played in establishing the Association of Geographic Information Laboratories in Europe between 1997 and 1999, and to the immense contribution he had made over the last four years as president of the European Umbrella Organisation for Geographic Information. Past President Barr wished Prof. Masser every success in his new position as the first president of the Global Spatial Data Infrastructure Association and then presented him with a brass clock and barometer mounted on an inscribed wooden plaque. The award came as a complete surprise to Prof. Masser, who - for once almost for once lost for words - could only say: "Thank you very much!"