NEWS On November 20, Professor Dieter Müller passed away suddenly and unexpectedly. He was affiliated with the Department of Geography and served as Deputy Vice-Chancellor at Umeå University for nine years. His colleagues at the department have written an obituary in his memory.
Dieter Müller är professor i kulturgeografi och sedan den 1 juli 2016 vicerektor för forskning och forskarutbildning inom samhällsvetenskap och humaniora. I uppdraget ingår även samverkan och internationalisering inom området.
Image Mattias PetterssonIt is with deep sorrow and a profound sense of loss that we acknowledge that Professor Dieter K. Müller (1968–2025) is no longer with us. Dieter had been part of the Department of Geography at Umeå University since 1993. He first came to Umeå as an exchange student from Germany and graduated from Umeå University in 1992. He then began his doctoral studies in human geography, focusing his dissertation on Germans purchasing second homes in Sweden. He earned his PhD in 1999 and later became Associate Professor in 2004. In 2007, he was appointed Professor of Human Geography. Dieter went on to serve as Dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences from 2011 to 2016 and subsequently as Deputy Vice-Chancellor at Umeå University from 2016 to 2025.
Dieter had a rare ability to truly see people and care for others. As a supervisor, he was deeply committed to his doctoral students, always taking time to discuss, reflect, and talk about research—as well as life in general. He was humble in his work. Dieter possessed an exceptional drive as a researcher, with a keen interest in society at large and a strong desire to influence and improve it. In academia, he established himself as a respected name and earned significant international recognition for his contributions to the development of research on tourism and geography.
He served for eight years as Chair of the International Geographical Union’s Commission on Tourism, Leisure and Global Change. In 2018, he received the Roy Wolfe Award from the American Association of Geographers for his outstanding contributions to tourism geography. In 2003, he was elected as a member of the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences.
Dieter built a creative research environment around him and established the Department of Geography at Umeå University as one of the leading centers for tourism research in Sweden and the Nordic region. He always spoke highly of Umeå and Umeå University, becoming an ambassador not only for Umeå but for all of northern Sweden. His network within academia and beyond was extensive, and many will miss his simplicity, clarity, and sharp intellect.
Our grief is profound, but we are grateful for the time we shared. Thank you for everything you gave us as a colleague and friend.
Colleagues at the Department of Geography, Umeå University
A memorial gathering will be held on Thursday, December 4 at 16:00 in Rotundan, Umeå University. No registration is required. There will be an opportunity to share a memory during the event. If you cannot attend but wish to express your condolences with flowers or a telegram, please contact Sara Rambe, Secretary to the University Management.
Contact details:
sara.rambe@umu.se, +46 (0)90-786 63 78