It is with deep sadness that the United Nations University (UNU) has learned of the death of former UNU Vice-Rector Dr. Roland J. Fuchs.
Dr. Fuchs passed away peacefully at the age of 93 on 2 July 2026 in Sherwood, Oregon, surrounded by family. Born in 1933 in Yonkers, New York, he dedicated his career to scholarship, international cooperation and the advancement of knowledge on urbanization and global change.
Dr. Fuchs served as Vice-Rector of the UNU Development Studies Division from 1987 through 1994. A geographer by training, his fields of scholarship included population, urbanization and development in Asia, as well as the challenges posed by climate and environmental change to cities and regions. During his time at UNU, Dr. Fuchs contributed to the University’s research and publications on urban development, including Mega-city Growth and the Future, published by UNU Press in 1994.
Prior to joining UNU, Dr. Fuchs spent more than three decades at the University of Hawaiʻi, where he was an Assistant Professor, went on to chair the Geography Department, and retired as Professor Emeritus of Geography. For many years after, he continued his work at the University’s East-West Center.
Following his service at UNU, Dr. Fuchs became Director of the International Secretariat of the Global Change SysTem for Analysis, Research and Training (START). He also held senior roles in international scientific organizations, serving as Vice-President, President and Past President of the International Geographical Union, and as Secretary-General of the Pacific Science Association.
Dr. Fuchs received a bachelor’s degree from Columbia University and master’s and doctoral degrees in Geography from Clark University. He did post-doctoral work in Soviet urban geography and planning at Moscow State University, and was a Fulbright Research Scholar at Tribhuvan University (Nepal).
UNU extends sincere condolences to the family, friends and former colleagues of Dr. Fuchs, and to all those whose lives he touched.
