David R. Marples

David Roger Marples (born October 17, 1952) is a Canadian historian and Distinguished University Professor at the Department of History & Classics, University of Alberta. He specializes in history and contemporary politics of Belarus, Russia and Ukraine.

Education
Marples was born October 17, 1952, in Chesterfield, Derbyshire, United Kingdom, and grew up in Bolsover, a town about 6 mi away. Marples initially attended Shirebrook Grammar School (subsequently Shirebrook School, now Shirebrook Academy, and later Keele University, studying English and Sociology, but transferred after one year to Westfield College, which was part of the University of London. He received his BA honours from the University of London in 1975, his MA in History from the University of Alberta in 1980, and Ph.D. in Economic and Social History from the University of Sheffield in 1985. The title of his Ph.D. dissertation was Collectivisation of agriculture in Western Ukraine 1944-1951.

Career
Marples is a former President of The North American Association for Belarusian Studies (2010–15) and was formerly Director of the Stasiuk Program on Contemporary Ukraine at the Canadian Institute of Ukrainian Studies (2004–14), University of Alberta.

He is regarded as one of the leading Western authorities on the Chernobyl nuclear catastrophe (social and political aspects). and as well as the contemporary history and politics of Belarus and Ukraine. He is honorary president of the Belarusian Academy or Arts and Sciences in Canada, and retired Hon. Lt. Colonel, 6 Int Coy, Canadian Armed Forces (2006-14).

Personal life
Marples is married and has four children. He lives in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.