Bio Summary
Ryan Gibson brings a deep commitment to understanding and supporting rural communities, with a research program that explores how rural places adapt and thrive amid global economic, demographic, and policy transitions. His work spans rural and regional development strategies, governance and collaboration, philanthropy and wealth, public policy, and rural immigration and mobility, with projects often grounded in community-engaged research and knowledge translation. Ryan’s scholarship intersects academic inquiry with practice and policy, contributing to a richer understanding of rural prosperity and revitalization both in Canada and internationally.
Education
- Bachelor of Arts (Honours), Brandon University
- Master of Rural Development, Brandon University
- PhD in Economic Geography, Memorial University
Affiliations and Partnerships
Research Impact
My research focuses on understanding how place-based approaches can enhance rural prosperity in Canada and internationally. Embracing an endogenous perspective of development, my research examines the specific assets, agencies, histories, and challenges of rural places. At the core of my research is deep intrigue for the futures of rural peoples, places, and environments. These futures are multiple, uncertain, and shaped by intersecting global challenges. My research is a catalyst to understanding and examining the influences of these intersecting challenges related to economic restructuring, demographic migrations, technological disruption, and shifting geopolitical dynamics.
My research is organized around five interrelated core areas: local economic development, immigration and migration, wealth building and philanthropy, governance and public policy, and knowledge mobilization. Details of current research activities and the impacts can be found on the Rural Development website.
Current Research
Graduate Student Information
Ryan is interested in working with graduate students in the areas of rural development, economic development, regional planning and public policy. Past graduate students are now working in a variety of sectors, including as policy analysts in provincial and federal governments, economic development officers, and the private sector.
Current Doctoral Students
- Natasha D’Sousza (PhD in Rural Studies)
- John Dale (PhD in Rural Studies)
- Louis Helps (PhD in Rural Studies)
- Melanie Lang (PhD in Rural Studies)
- Ela Mastje (PhD in Rural Studies)
- Shahrear Towhid (PhD in Rural Studies)
- Chris van Dyke (PhD in Rural Studies)
- Andy Veilleux (PhD in Rural Studies)
Current Master Students
- Jay Cote (Master of Science in Planning)
- Owen Curnew (Master of Planning)
- Haibo Hu (Master of Science in Planning)
- John Kawula (Master of Planning)
- Varinder Nandhra (Master of Science in Planning)
- Jeremy Parsons (Master of Planning)
Featured Publications
- Fontecha, M., Sarapura, S., & Gibson, R. (2026). Between illicit economies and having a dream: Exploring rural youth aspirations and life-courses in a rural municipality in Colombia. Journal of Rural Studies, 103944.
- Markey, S., Ryser, L., Halseth, G., Mateus, M., Barrett, J., Hallstrom, L., Vodden, K., & Gibson, R. (2025). Reluctant entrepreneurs or embracing marketization: The governance of municipal entrepreneurialism for community development in rural Canada. Community Development, 1–18.
- Breen, S., Gibson, R., & Main, H. (2025). Beyond the City Limits: Analysis of Federal Funding of Public Transit in Rural Canada. Canadian Public Policy, 51(2).
- Petric, A. & Gibson, R. (2025). Hidden treasures: estimating intergenerational wealth transfers in rural Canada. Regional Studies, Regional Science, 12(1), 270–286.
- Maloney, J., Markey, S., Gibson, R., & Weeden, A. (2024). Advancing Green Infrastructure Solutions in Rural Regions: Economic Impacts and Capacity Challenges in Southwest Ontario, Canada. Rural and Regional Development, 2(2), 10010.
- Abdulai, A., Gibson, R., & Fraser, E. (2023). Beyond transformations: Zooming in on agricultural digitalization and the changing social practices of rural farming in Northern Ghana, West Africa. Journal of Rural Studies, 100, 103019.
- Gibson, R. & Dale, J. (2022). Do more, with less: The realities of local government in rural Ontario. The Canadian Geographer.
- Petric, A., & Gibson, R. (2022). Embedding rural capital? Community Investment Programs in Canada and their Implications for Rural Communities. Community Development: Journal of the Community Development Society, 54(5), 1-20.
- Akimowicz, M., Weeden, A., & Gibson, R. (2022). Searching for a Conceptual Nexus? A Critical Analysis of Community, Place, and Territorial Approaches to Rural Development. Annals of Regional Science: An International Journal of Urban, Regional and Environmental Research and Policy.
For a full list of Ryan’s publications, please visit his Google Scholar page.
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