Dr Mark Lang

Publication

• Date
• Type

Research

Current Research Projects

CSconnected Research and Evaluation

The CSconnected project integrates research excellence with the unique regional supply chains in advanced semiconductor manufacturing. As part of the WERU team, Mark helps develop economic data to support the project's overall outcomes and assist in evaluating them.

The UK Government announced the first wave of funding for the CSconnected project through UK Research and Innovation's flagship Strength in Places Fund. The major £43.74m project, which includes South Wales' compound semiconductor cluster, has been approved and is supported by £25.44m funding from Strength in Places.

More information about the project is available here.

Economic Intelligence Wales

As part of the team at WERU, Mark supports Economic Intelligence Wales in collating and analysing data to create independent, robust, and reliable insight. This insight helps better understand and improve the Welsh economy.

Economic Intelligence Wales is a partnership comprising WERU, The Development Bank of Wales, the Office for National Statistics, Bangor Business School, and the Enterprise Research Centre. Recent analysis and reports are available here.

Previous Project Reports

Prior to joining Cardiff Business School, and whilst working as an independent socio-economic researcher, Mark authored a wide range of project reports relating to his applied client-based research. The following are a short selection of these project reports:

Lang M (2022). A new deal for the self-employed: improving the financial resilience of low-income self-employed people in Wales. (Client: Bevan Foundation). The report is available here.

Lang M (2020). Can you get there from here? Post-16 education, social progression, and socio-economic resilience. (Client: Colegau Cymru). The report is available here.

Lang M (2018). 'Part of the mix, but no silver bullet', in: Barry M (2018), Metro and Me: Making Spaces, Going Places. Available here.

Henley A and Lang M (2017). Going solo: understanding self-employment in Wales. (Client: Federation of Small Businesses). The report is avilable here.

Deep Place Studies

During 2013/14, whilst working as Senior Researcher at CREW, Mark co-developed (together with Dave Adamson) the Deep Place approach to whole-place sustinable planning.

The culmination of this project work is found in: Adamson D, Axinte L, Lang M and Marsden T (2023). Sustainable Places: Addressing Social Inequality and Environmental Crisis. Abingdon: Routledge.

The programme of place-based research work informing this monograph was undertaken with various communities in the UK, Australia, and Vanuatu. The following are the UK based project reports that Mark has authored or co-authored:

Lang M (2019). The Llandovery Deep Place study: a pathway for future generations. (Sustainable Places Research Institute). The report is available here.

Adamson D and Lang M (2017). Lansbury Park: a Deep Place plan. (Caerphilly County Borough Council). The report is available here.

Lang M (2016). All around us: the Pontypool Deep Place study. (Sustainable Places Research Institute). The report is available here.

Adamson D and Lang M (2014). Towards a new settlement: a Deep Place approach to equitable and sustainable places. (CREW). The report is available here.

Biography

Qualifications

PhD Cardiff University

Pg. Dip Cardiff University

BSc Econ (Hons) Cardiff University

Career Overview

2023 - present: Cardiff Business School, Research Associate WERU

2023: Cardiff Metropolitan University, Lecturer Social Policy

2015 - 2023: Independent Socio-Economic Researcher

2014 - 2015: Centre for Local Economic Strategies, Associate Director (Policy)

2011 - 2014: Centre for Regeneration Excellence Wales, Senior Researcher

2008 - 2011: Cambrian Group, Director of Education

2003 - 2008: Senedd Cymru / Welsh Parliament, Researcher

Other Experience

2021 - present: Welsh Government, Volunteering Cross-Sectoral Leadership Group, Member

2013 - 2023: Cardiff University, Honorary University Associate

2018 - 2019: Institute of Welsh Affairs, Economy Policy Group, Member

2015 - 2017: Welsh Government, Future Landscapes Working Group, Member

2012 - 2016: Glandwr Cymru - The Canal and River Trust in Wales, Chair All Wales Partnership

2016: Welsh Government, Jobs Closer to Home Working Group, Member

2015: Coleg Gwent, Ebbw Vale Community Patnership, Chair

2013 - 2015: Welsh Government, First Minister's Advisory Panel on PPIW, Chair

2013 - 2016: Aneurin Bevan Community Health Council, Vice Chair