Prof. Cracknell graduated in Physics from the University of Cambridge in 1961, took his DPhil from the University of Oxford in 1964 on the determination of band structures and Fermi surfaces of metals.   He worked in University of Dudee in 1970,and retired in the Department of Applied Physics and Electronic & Mechanical Engineering in 2002.

His early research work was concerned with the study of group-theoretical problems related to solid-state physics with results published in about 80 papers in the 15-year period from 1965-1980.   In the mid 1970s he started to become involved in remote sensing (Earth observation) work, a field that was then in its infancy.   A substantial group of academic staff and support staff was created in remote sensing concerned both with satellite data reception and with the analysis and interpretation of satellite data for geophysical and environmental applications research work.

Prof. Cracknell has had published about 200 research papers and several books on remote sensing.   He has been the Editor of the International Journal of Remote Sensing since 1983 and during this time the Journal has grown from quarterly publication with an annual page budget of 400 pages to a publication with 24 issues per annum and an annual page budget of over 5,000 pages.