Fall04news FINAL

Latitudes ❖ Newsletter of the LSU Department of Geography & Anthropology Fall 2004 In Memory of Carville Earle (1942-2003) Carville Earle, years in school, earning his under- renowned graduate, master’s, and doctoral Earle Memorial scholar, former degrees. He married Mary Lou, and Fund Established chair, and they had two children, Rick and Jim. valued colleague Earle accepted his first teaching In recognition of Carville Earle’s service of the LSU job at Catonsville Community to the department, a memorial fund was Department of College while working on his disser- established in his name. We would like to Geography & tation, and after completing his take the opportunity to thank those who Anthropology, Ph.D. at the University of Chicago, have donated to this fund as of press time: passed away he left Catonsville for the University Mrs. Mary Louise Earle Carville Earle Thursday, of Maryland Baltimore County Gerald & Kathleen Earle October 9, 2003. (UMBC) and published his first Timothy J. Belanger Born in Baltimore, Maryland, on book, The Evolution of a Tidewater David & Melissa Breedlove December 11, 1942, to Doris and Settlement System. He and Mary Lou Doug & Beth Bruce Carville Earle, he was a graduate of had two more children, Randy and Neal & Catherine Carmichael Catonsville High School, where he Elizabeth. During Earle’s 16 years of Emmitt & Mary Cavalier Dr. & Mrs. Craig Colten was a catcher on the varsity baseball teaching at UMBC, he was much Lewis & Vera Curlett team and point guard on the unde- more than a college professor— Ralph & Dolores Donaldson feated varsity basketball team. He volunteering to coach CYO basket- Robert & Joanne Dusenberry then attended Western Maryland ball even before his children were old Dr. Paul Farnsworth College, leaving after six months to enough to participate in organized John & Barbara Fringer take a job at the Baltimore and Ohio sports. He later coached his kids in Greg Norman Golf Course Railroad. He returned to school after basketball and baseball, guiding the H. Glenn Hargett Jr. Edith R. Horst a year, enrolling at Catonsville VFW team to a perfect 20-0 season Frank & Barbara Horter Community College in Baltimore, and the Woodlawn Baseball Robert N. Hubbach where he met his future wife, Mary Championship. Ralph & Mary Kennedy Louise Curlett. He spent the next 12 In 1984, he and Mary Lou moved Dr. & Mrs. Anthony Lewis to Oxford, Ohio, where he served as Richard & Susan Lippert chairman of the geography depart- Gail F. Matzen ment at Miami University. While Norman Family Charitable Foundation On the Inside Dan & Catherine Osterhout expanding and strengthening the George A. Reter ❖ department, he found time to coach Marcia & Shawn Richard Phil Larimore is remem- Randy’s baseball team and volunteer Dick & Phyllis Schwegman bered on page 2. as the announcer for his high school Vivian E. Staisloff soccer games. He took an innovative Donald & Roberta Taylor ❖ Emergency weather staff approach in the booth by playing Richard & Carol Williamson garners praise. Read about music during the games, making the busy tropical season on them fun for everyone, and attracting Lou moved with Elizabeth to Baton record crowds—a difficult feat in the Rouge, Louisiana, and for four years, pages 6-7. football-crazed state of Ohio. he served as the chairman of the LSU ❖ After five years at Miami, Earle Department of Geography & An- Fundraising drive under- was offered another opportunity to thropology. After stepping down as way for the Alumni Semi- further his career, and for the first chair in 1994, he continued to teach, nar Room. See page 15. time in his life, he relocated south of research, and publish, and he also the Mason-Dixon Line. He and Mary (continued on page 4) 1 From the Chair It has now been a year since I took everything in this column or even one students before retiring in 1996. He was over as interim chair of the department, issue of the newsletter. That is why, also devoted to geographic education and it has probably been the busiest year starting this year we are going to produce and organized the Louisiana geography of my life! Trying to keep up with all of a second newsletter, one in fall and one bee for many years. I wonder how many the activities of our faculty, students, and in spring, to better keep everyone of the students he taught knew that Mr. staff is exhausting when we have such a informed of our activities. In addition, Larimore was the second-most decorated dynamic department. It seems like I we want to include more news from our U.S. Army soldier in World War II? The spend half my life signing paperwork alumni in the newsletter, so please keep department has created LSU Foundation because in the LSU bureaucracy me ([email protected]) or Charlotte accounts in each of their names to whenever anyone does something, I Cavell ([email protected]) who edits the provide student scholarships, and we have to sign one or more pieces of paper! newsletter, informed of your experiences would welcome additional donations in My signature has evolved to an even after LSU, and especially of your their memories. more illegible squiggle over the last 12 triumphs. Speaking of donations, the cam- months than it was before. The advan- Looking back over the last 12 paign to raise funds to restore the tage of such a system, however, is that I months there have been a number of Alumni Seminar Room got off to a great get to know about everything that is notable events in our G&A family. Early start, with many alumni responding with going on in the department and have in the year we organized a symposium to generous gifts. In addition to our alumni, come to realize that as a faculty member celebrate the publication of Carville the San Diego Chapter of the LSU I didn’t know the half of it! Grant Earle’s new book The American Way: A Alumni Association sent us a very proposals; travel for research, to confer- Geographical History of Crisis and Recov- significant donation, and the Korean ences, or to make presentations at other ery and Miles Richardson’s new book alumni sent a generous donation in departments or agencies; field trips; Being-in-Christ and Putting Death in its Chan Lee’s name (another of our programs of study; applications for Place: An Anthropologist’s Account of alumni). At this time we are about degrees; thesis and dissertation de- Christian Performance in Spanish America halfway to our goal, so keep those fenses—the list is endless, but each time and the American South. It was a great contributions coming! I have to sign, it represents one more way to start the new academic year, but The Alumni Seminar room is part member of our department doing sadly Earle was too ill to attend and of a complex of rooms that had been something exciting. So while I would passed away in early October. Earle was, occupied by the Southern Regional rather be doing my research than signing of course, a world-renowned scholar, and Climate Center prior to their move to my name, I have come to appreciate it as a former chair of the department, and he the newer portion of Howe-Russell. a means of learning of all the things that is sorely missed. Another sad loss to our Another part of the complex was go on in our department. family was the death of Philip Larimore reopened this year as the Spatial Labora- Unfortunately, with so much going at the end of October. Mr. Larimore had on it is impossible to tell you about taught cartography to generations of our (continued on page 13) In Memory of Phil Larimore (1925-2003)

Retired faculty member Phil William Bruce and Karen Larimore, Larimore, former director of the Philip Wilson Larimore and Jennifer Louisiana Geographic Educational Erin Cantwell, and Richard Byron Larimore Memorial Alliance (LaGEA), and valued friend Larimore; and seven grandchildren, of the LSU Department of Geogra- Katherine Lee and Scott Bonham Fund Established phy & Anthropology, passed away Larimore, Kristine Lucille Larimore, Friday, October 31, 2003. and Philip Jacob, Bradford William, In recognition of Larimore’s service to A longtime resident of Baton Kolbie Marie, and Holden William the department, a memorial fund was Rouge, he was a native of Memphis, Parker Larimore. He was preceded in established in his name. We would like Tennessee, and was a highly deco- death by his parents, Philip Bonham to take the opportunity to thank those rated U.S. Army veteran of World Larimore and Ethyl McClanahan who have donated to this fund as of press War II. He retired from the Army at Larimore. time: the rank of major. A military He was a member of St. Alban's graveside service was held for him at Chapel, a graduate of the University Mrs. Maxine Larimore Port Hudson National Cemetery just of Virginia and a retired Boy Scouts north of Baton Rouge. of America scoutmaster for Univer- Dr. Craig Colten Larimore is survived by his wife sity United Methodist Church Troop Dr. Paul Farnsworth of 54 years, Maxine Wilson Larimore; 50 and St. Margaret's Episcopal Dr. & Mrs. Anthony Lewis four sons and two daughters-in-law, Church Troop 505. Tony & Barbara Mergist Walter Lee and Barbara Larimore, 2 New Spatial Analysis Lab Dedicated On the opening day of the new study the low spatial lab, Provost Risa Palm and birth weight other representatives from across problem here in campus celebrated the new equip- Baton Rouge.” ment donated by the Center for Changes in Computation & Technology. the environment LSU professor Nina Lam and her can be mapped as group of researchers have recently well. For ex- acquired a new lab for their studies in ample, urban spatial analysis and geographic temperature information science. increases could be The Center for Computation & from pollution, Technology (CCT) funded the high lack of trees, or tech facility that allows researchers to another factor. use mapping science to study the Areas such as earth’s geography. The lab’s focus is these can benefit On the opening day of the new spatial lab, Provost Risa Palm on discovering how a culture’s from more trees and G&A Interim Chair Paul Farnsworth, both center, Dr. surroundings can have an effect on and lighter Nina Lam, right, and other representatives from across social problems. colored rooftops. campus celebrated the new equipment donated by the Center Lam’s research aims to detect These improve- for Computation & Technology. environmental factors that affect ments can save health. She studies the geography of energy for a city. said Ed Seidel. “Geographic informa- areas with possibly dangerous condi- Department of Geography & tion science is an interdisciplinary tions, and uses mapping systems to Anthropology classes have studied form of technology research that can search for connections between these these issues of geographic informa- be used to study disaster management, areas and the health problems of tion science and remote sensing since homeland security, economic condi- those who live within the region. the early 1980s. Students who have tions, and other social problems.” She has used this type of technol- studied these issues at LSU are now Lam agreed that the science was ogy to map cancer mortality rates in part of the IT workforce in govern- interdisciplinary. She spoke of com- China. She then used the maps to ment agencies, private industry, and puter scientists, engineers, anthro- find clusters of the disease and show academia. Lam proudly recalls the job pologists, and even marketing re- possible problem areas. offers her students have received. searchers who have used the technol- “Residents in Qidong, China, “One works for the software company ogy. “I like to be innovative. I like to north of Shanghai, live in poor that produces GIS, one went to a look at different areas of importance conditions and drink water from NASA consulting company, one is to society to see how this type of shallow ditches,” said Lam. “This working for a federal agency in D.C., research can be applied,” said Lam. area has a very high rate of liver and some went to private compa- Other LSU labs that offer similar cancer.” The researcher is quick to nies.” equipment are the Computer Map- add that although the connection Now that the new spatial lab is ping Science Laboratory, the Global seems apparent, it doesn’t always available, these courses and instruc- Laboratory, the Remote Sensing prove that the environment was the tion are more efficient. The lab, Laboratory, the Cartographic Informa- cause of the health problems. More which contains 27 computer stations tion Center, and the CADGIS research must be done to prove a and a multimedia instructional Laboratory that is jointly operated relationship. Once a relationship station, allows students to explore with the College of Art & Design. between the disease and a geographic information online while receiving CCT is funded by the Louisiana condition is proven, environmental instructions from their professor. Legislature’s I.T. Initiative. The center change can be pursued. “The new equipment and the was founded in 2001 to advance This visualization is of a “fractal.” new lab have doubled capacity for education, research, and economic Fractals are used to describe the the students. Now they don’t have to development in Louisiana through the complexity of spatial features. This share computers during lab hours,” use of information technology. theoretical fractal pattern allows the said Lam. “I’m grateful to CCT to get this researcher to zoom in and continually CCT director Ed Seidel com- spatial lab,” said Lam. “We are get the same pattern. mented on the lab. “The CCT makes starting from ground zero, and the Another of Lam’s projects studied it a point to support programs that students love it. They go to the lab all the spread of AIDS in rural America. are using technology in innovative the time.” “You can apply the information any ways. This is especially true for those way you like,” said Lam. “You could programs that are interdisciplinary,” 3 Department Establishes the H.J. Walker Geomorphology Research Laboratory The Department of Geography & iment sampling devices, sediment Anthropology recently established a analyses equipment, GPS and survey geomorphology laboratory in honor of gear, as well as a range of dedicated Boyd Professor Emeritus H. Jesse computing and support hardware and Walker. software. Professor Patrick Hesp and While Hesp and Namikas are Assistant Professor Steven Namikas experts in coastal beach and dune received a substantial Louisiana Board geomorphology, the lab’s resources will of Regents grant to set up and equip be used primarily for research in the this geomorphology laboratory named areas of dynamics and management. In to honor Walker’s substantial past and addition, the new laboratory will provide present contributions to geomorphol- a research and teaching base from which ogy research at LSU. to conduct fluvial, hydrological, land- The grant enables the department scape evolution, and Quaternary studies. to significantly upgrade existing Colleagues interested in collaboration facilities and also purchase a range of and students interested in graduate The new H.J. Walker Geomorphology Research new equipment for field and laboratory studies at LSU are encouraged to Laboratory will be used to study such areas as studies including a research vessel, contact Hesp or Namikas at coastal dynamics. Photo courtesy of NOAA. sonic anemometers, water and sed- [email protected] or [email protected]. LSU Hosts Forensic Science EARLE Conference for Teachers (from page 1) returned to the coaching ranks with The three-day conference Elizabeth and her YMCA basketball provided cutting-edge forensic teams. In 2001, Elizabeth graduated science knowledge and expert from high school and began attend- assistance to middle- and high-school ing LSU. science teachers. Special attention During his highly esteemed was given to the applicability of the career, Earle made significant contri- material to the secondary school lab butions as a scholar, writing four environment. The program consisted books, including his most recent of lectures, roundtable discussions, work, The American Way. He also and hands-on workshops presented published more than 50 articles in by AAFS forensic scientists from a scholarly journals and books on the variety of disciplines, including Mary historical geography of the United Manhein, director of the LSU States from the colonial period FACES Lab. through the 20th century. He was a Scheduled lectures and work- Charles Warren Fellow at Harvard shops included impression evidence, University, a distinguished visitor in Mary Manhein odontology, chemical and biological the department of geography at presumptive testing, DNA, physical Cambridge University, and the past The LSU FACES Lab, in con- matching and physical patterns, editor of the Annals of the Association junction with the American Acad- entomology, questioned documents, of American Geographers. His students emy of Forensic Sciences (AAFS), fingerprints, blood spatter pattern greatly benefited from the depth of and Court TV, hosted the Forensic analysis, toxicology, pathology, his vast knowledge and unparalleled Science Educational Conference anthropology, forensic engineering, expertise in his subject matter. November 5-7 on the LSU campus. firearms, death investigation, arson, Earle’s legacy of dedication to his The goal of the conference was and crime scene processing. family and friends will live forever in to increase science teachers’ knowl- More than 100 teachers regis- the hearts and minds of all who knew edge of the forensic sciences so they tered for the conference, the majority and loved him and whose lives he can enrich or develop challenging, of whom came from throughout touched with his unique kindness, innovative curricula. Louisiana. wisdom, integrity, and strength. 4 CADGIS Lab Anticipates Trends in Technology

Inside the Computer Aided Design landscape architecture, interior design of Art and Design and the Department and Geographic Information Systems, and geography and anthropology. of Geography & Anthropology, we or CADGIS, Research Lab, a few The lab also provides specialized service more than 2,500 user accounts pieces of machinery from the early days support to other academic and research that include folks from the new of the lab still exist. units at LSU, state and federal agencies Disaster Science and Management They sit in corners like old family and private organizations. Some of the Program, the LSU School of Veteri- heirlooms, no longer used but too projects CADGIS is, or has been, nary Medicine, the College of Engi- valuable to throw away. And on the involved in are neering, partner institutions, and state walls, a couple of geographical line-art • The LSU Campus Map—The agencies like the Louisiana Oil Spill renderings show the odd visitor what it CADGIS Lab is home to a Consortium.” was like in the days of old, or the 1980s database-driven map of the Part of the reason for CADGIS’s as it might be more commonly known. campus. Kalyan Koppineedi began efforts to extend its resource base, is The geographer and the architect development of the map in 2001 Kennedy’s desire for students to learn have replaced their drafting boards as a CADGIS student worker. The how to use information technologies in with digital boards. Field notebooks map is live and searchable, includ- ways that will help them break out of have been replaced by digital note- ing a search by campus buildings. the traditions of the studio or class- books with cellular ports and global There are also a number of panora- room environment. As a result, those positioning system capabilities. Even mas created by students from the students with experience in the those aforementioned line-art render- Department of Geography & CADGIS lab have a decided leg-up in ings seem like crude caveman Anthropology and the College of their professional careers after college. scrawlings on the wall next to 3-D Art and Design showing various “We are exploring how the images and maps of entire geographical locations on campus. The map can increasing mobilization of these areas. be viewed at maps.cadgis.lsu.edu/ technologies helps in the professional “It’s kind of like comparing a clay campusmap. field,” Kennedy said. “We have tablet and a stick to the typewriter,” • Mayan Archaeology and GIS— capabilities that many of our peer said CADGIS director Barrett CADGIS has provided GIS and institutions cannot provide for their Kennedy. “Even the technology that technical assistance to Terry students. The professional marketplace we were using in 1990 is primitive by Winemiller’s research into the is looking for graduates with fresh today’s standards. settlement patterns of the Maya. perspectives, who can find cost- “We’ve come a long way from an As a Ph.D. student in geography effective technology applications in ability to generate two-dimensional and anthropology, Winemiller the work-environment. This is the line art, to three-dimensional modeling constructed a database of more edge that starts to put our students in a rendering and animation. And we’re than 2,500 archaeological sites to better position after college. always looking for ways to push the identify factors that might have “A lot of our work is about antici- envelope, and to find the match influenced ancient settlers to pating trends in technology and in the between the needs of the project and occupy certain areas, and those workplace. We’re trying to ensure that the needs for advancing our under- that caused them to avoid others. LSU students and faculty up have the standing of the graphics applications. • The Ascension Parish Landuse computing resources that we feel they We’re trying to create opportunities for Map—The Landuse Map was need to explore the future. This faculty and students to test the limits.” compiled over a six-month period enables them to hone the skills that The CADGIS lab of today was by the IS/GIS Unit of Ascension improve their marketability and founded in 1984 as a collaboration Parish with the guidance of Farrell competitiveness. More importantly, it between the College of Art and Design Jones, associate director of gives them an opportunity to develop a and the Department of Geography & CADGIS, and four graduate sense of vision that will enable them to Anthropology after both realized they students. The map is currently become leaders in their respective could not afford the costs of the being used by the Parish Planning professions.” sophisticated computer systems that and Zoning Department to assist their teaching and research demanded. property owners in understanding In addition to supporting the teaching how the Parish Landuse Plan and research of areas like computer- affects future property uses. aided design, geographic information “(These projects) offer a rare systems, remote sensing and image opportunity for melding the interests of processing, CADGIS assists with a a variety of disciplines,” Kennedy said. broad variety of specialized computa- “While CADGIS is heavily utilized by tional applications for art, architecture, the faculty and students of the College

5 G E O G R A P H Y & A N T H R O P O L O G Y Department’s Hurricane Experts Beneficial to Citizens Hurricane experts in the LSU Department of Geography & Anthropology are part of one of the largest groups of hurricane experts in the nation. These researchers study all aspects of the dangerous storms as part of a comprehensive hurricane-research effort to benefit the citizens of Louisiana and the entire Gulf Coast region. Departmental experts are specialists in a variety of fields, and their areas of expertise include hurricane forecasting and tracking; evacuation and emergency preparation; waves, wind and storm surge; water and environmental issues, including coastal land loss; and the history and societal effects of hurricanes. Hurricane Ivan courtesy of NOAA.

Researchers Examine Hurricane Hits Hurricane Ivan as rough on coast as Camille Emergency Weather Three LSU researchers have ated to higher ground causing massive Support Staff examined more than 100 years of data on traffic jams statewide. Hurricane Ivan hurricane strikes from the coast of Texas passed within 70 miles to the east of the Garners Praise to New England and they’ve found that, mouth of the Mississippi River, and historically, the “hottest” region for hits within 125 miles of the city of New is South Florida, followed by North Orleans before making landfall near My sincere thanks are extended to Carolina and the Northern Gulf Coast, Mobile, Alabama. all of you that contributed to the suc- from East Texas to the Florida panhandle. Keim explained that, despite major cess of our support to the Office of LSU Assistant Professor of Geogra- strikes like Hurricane Andrew in 1992 Homeland Security and Emergency Pre- phy & Anthropology Barry Keim, LSU (and the 2004 storms), the last 50 years Professor Emeritus Bob Muller, and James were relatively benign to the South paredness. Things went smoothly and P. Morgan Distinguished Professor Greg Florida coast, with fewer major storms our support was greatly appreciated. Stone, examined 45 points along the hitting the area directly. Despite the trend, Col. Brown spoke with me last Gulf and East Coasts, from South Padre Keim said things could easily change and Island, Texas, to Eastport, Maine. South Florida could once again become night and offered his continued appre- Keim said that storm frequency in the the primary “hot spot” for strikes. ciation of our services during Hurricane region has been the subject of previous “When you look at the frequency of Ivan. He had a FEMA regional director research, but there has been no large-scale tropical storms and hurricanes, Louisiana in tow and declared that, with support examination of hurricane strike trends ranks right up there with Key West, and how they vary geographically. Florida—each having 36 hits between from the Southern Regional Climate “Data for the Northern Gulf Coast 1900 and 2000,” said Muller. Center, Earth Scan Laboratory, Hurri- showed high frequencies, but no trends According to Stone, director of cane Center, and Paul Witsaman of the whatsoever,” said Keim. “However, of the LSU’s Coastal Studies Institute, this is NWS Southern Regional Headquarters, two ‘hot spots’ on the East Coast, South particularly problematic for Louisiana, Florida has seen a dramatic decline in given the rapid coastal land loss that the he had the best weather support capa- activity, while North Carolina has seen a state is experiencing, and the increased bilities of any OEP in the nation—and dramatic increase since 1900.” But, in vulnerability of the coast to storm surge it's even better that what FEMA has! 2004, four separate hurricanes have and storm wave damage. impacted the Sunshine State—Bonnie, “These data show a definite cluster- Praise doesn't get much better than this. Charley, Frances, and Ivan. ing of storms around certain parts of the Thanks again for your preparation Stone noted that Hurricane Ivan country that could have very important before the event and your professional was as rough on the Northern Gulf Coast societal implications,” said Stone. “For execution of weather support during the as Hurricane Camille was in 1969. example, despite no long-term trend in Hurricane Ivan, which grazed Northern Florida, frequencies have been hurricane. southeastern Louisiana, ventured into high since 1994, which has resulted in the Gulf of Mexico on September 14 and dramatic beach erosion and the subse- —Kevin Robbins, Director Gulf Coast residents began preparations. quent need for widespread beach LSU Southern Regional Many inhabitants of coastal Louisiana, nourishment. Such projects have cost Climate Center including the New Orleans area, evacu- taxpayers tens of millions of dollars.” 6 W E A T H E R S B U S Y T R O P I C A L S E A S O N New State Climatologist Discusses Job Aspects

This was originally released by the LSU In addition, Keim did testify in a big- Louisiana. Keim says he hopes to do some News Service at the beginning of the money case against a contractor running work on the wetland loss issue, particularly behind on a large pipeline project. Lawyers examining how much is related to “extreme 2004 hurricane season as part of their were arguing over whether or not inclement events,” such as hurricanes, in relation to faculty and staff focus. weather had played a role in the delays, so everyday occurrences and processes. experts were called for both sides. During the “New England was fascinating, but court proceedings, Keim faced off against Louisiana is more so—particularly with the The state another scientist who just happened to be an sub-tropical climate and hurricane season,” police are on the old friend and fellow LSU alumnus. They he says. phone. They’ve ripped into each other on the stand, he says, Indeed, hurricane season holds a found blood near and then enjoyed a friendly ride to the particular fascination for Keim. Growing up the site of a recent airport together once it was all over. in Chalmette, he says one of his earliest homicide and they While interesting anecdotes, Keim says memories is of his family preparing for the need help deter- these experiences also serve to illustrate the arrival of Hurricane Betsy, which struck on mining if it’s related broad range of responsibilities held by his second birthday. Now, Keim gets to bring to the crime. someone in the state climatologist position. this interest into his work, as he tries to fulfill Meanwhile, local “The mission of a state climatologist is the last major requirement of a state officials are doing Barry Keim to serve as the focal point for anything and climatologist: outreach. legal battle with a everything relating to the state’s climate,” he As head of Louisiana’s Office of State contractor over a major project that has says. Climatology, he is part of a team from LSU fallen behind schedule. More than $70 First, Keim explains, state climatologists that works with Louisiana’s Office of million is at stake, so attorneys are beating must archive and maintain climatological Homeland Security and Office of Emergency down the door, looking for an expert witness data for the state. This means that he must Preparedness when hurricanes form in the to appear in court. make sure that decades of data are at his Gulf. Just another day in the life of a state fingertips should someone want to know, say, “We are on-call 24/7 to help make climatologist. the temperature on a particular day in Baton decisions,” he says. “We try to take the Well, okay, perhaps that would be a Rouge 100 years ago. Being able to provide technical forecasts from the National rather extraordinary day, but LSU Assistant such answers is important, he says, because it Hurricane Center and make the information Professor of Geography & Anthropology isn’t only the curious who request such data. easy to understand and meaningful to the Barry Keim uses the scenario to make a point. For instance, a lawyer or insurance adjuster planners.” Being a climatologist is about more than investigating the details of a traffic accident According to Keim, hurricane season answering questions like “Will I be able to get may need information on weather to requires him to pay close attention not only in a round of golf on Saturday?” or “What’s determine if it may have played a role. to the latest weather conditions and activity the annual rainfall in Baton Rouge?” Next, Keim says that state climatologists in the Gulf, but to his personal schedule. For Keim is now the state climatologist for must do their best to “educate the public.” instance, Keim says he is planning a trip to a Louisiana, replacing Jay Grymes, who stepped This may involve interacting with the media national convention of state climatologists in down late last year to take over the role of to help them ensure that stories are correct or New York in August, the “heart” of hurricane chief meteorologist with a Baton Rouge providing weather data to other outlets that season. It was essential, he says, that he television station. For Keim, it’s his second inform the public. For his part, Keim writes a remain flexible with his plans, so he could stint in such a position. After earning his column titled “Louisiana Weekly Weather” return to Louisiana quickly if something doctorate at LSU in the early 1990s, he that summarizes the previous week’s weather popped up in the Gulf. accepted a job at the University of New in the state and is distributed to television In addition, hurricane season is also a Hampshire. With the post came the “state stations and news outlets across Louisiana, as time for Keim to delve into research related climatologist” designation. well as National Weather Service offices. to the catastrophic storms. This year, he and “As a means of survival both physically State climatologists are also charged two other LSU professors are wrapping up a and professionally, I learned very quickly with conducting and promoting research. project on hurricane strikes along the East about New England weather,” says Keim, a Despite the fact that New England’s and Gulf coasts since 1900 (see page 6). Louisiana native. “It was a great growth notorious winters wore on him, Keim says he Whether it’s a relatively calm season or experience.” found the region’s weather interesting a busy one, Keim knows that, at some point, It was during his time in New Hamp- enough to explore from a scientific stand- he will have to leave the confines of his lab shire that Keim actually did aid police in a point. In fact, he is still involved in some and move like the wind to help Louisiana homicide investigation. He explains that research projects he began while in New officials make ready for a possible hit. detectives called him to ask whether blood Hampshire, including a book titled New “Given the relatively high number of they had discovered on a bridge could have England Weather, New England Climate, that hurricanes experienced in the state, it’s only a been left behind from a murder they were was recently published by University Press of matter of time before we find ourselves down looking into, or whether any blood from that New England. at the Office of Emergency Preparedness crime would have been washed away by rains Now, he says, he is jumping into work again,” he says. in the area. on weather issues that directly relate to —Rob Anderson 7 Craig E. Colten was named the Carl O. Sauer Distinguished Professor in geography. He assumed the professor- ship on September 1, 2004. The professorship is named after the longtime University of California-Berkeley geography professor who was one of the leading figures in American cultural and historical geography.

Dydia DeLyser has joined some 50 other prominent geographers on the Editorial Board of geography’s most respected journal, the Annals of the Association of American Geographers. In addition, she received the BP Award for Outstanding Undergraduate Teaching. The Association of American Publishers awarded Carville Earle’s book, The American Way: A Geographical History of Crisis and Recovery, an Honorable Mention in its 2003 Professional DeLyser and Scholarly Publications, History Division. It also was honored at a symposium hosted by the LSU Department of Geography & Anthropology in September 2003.

Jay Edwards’ book, A Creole Lexicon: Architecture, Landscape, People, was recently released by LSU Press. This is the fifth book in the Fred B. Kniffen Monograph Series and joins such titles as Historic Louisiana Nails and Plantations by the River, which won the 2003 Louisiana Endow- ment for the Humanities’ Best Book in the Humanities Award.

Joyce Marie Jackson, who was appointed by the governor to serve on the Louisiana Folklife Edwards Commission, has been elected chair of that organization. She also has been invited to be an associate editor of the Encyclopedia of American Gospel Music (Routledge Press.)

Nina Lam received the 2004 AAG Remote Sensing Specialty Group (RSSG) Outstanding Contributions in Remote Sensing Award. The award is given to recognize leadership in remote sensing research, educa- tion, and service. She was presented with a medal at the AAG centennial meeting in Philadelphia in March. In February, Lam was elected as the next president of UCGIS (University Consortium of Geographic Information Science) and will assume the presidency in February 2005. UCGIS is a consortium of universi- ties that have significant research and educational capabilities in geographic information science. It cur- rently has about 77 university members from the U.S. and 12 affiliate members from professional organiza- tions, corporate entities, governments, and international organizations. In addition, Lam was awarded a grant of $19,890 from the Louisiana Board of Regents for her research “An integrated spatial data mining system for change and anomaly detection for decision support and risk assessment.”

Tony Lewis was named the Fred B. Kniffen Professor in geography. He earned this distinction after many years of service to the department, the state, and the field of geographic education. The Kniffen Professor- ship is named for one of the founders of the LSU Department of Geography & Anthropology.

Kam-biu Liu recently received the LSU 2004 Distinguished Faculty Award. The award is given annually to recognize faculty members with sustained records of excellence in teaching, research, or service. In addition, he recently received a new National Science Foundation (NSF) research grant in the amount of $125,081 for his two-year project “Holocene Climatic Changes in the Mongolian Plateau.” This is a collaborative project with three other co-PIs at Montclair State University and University of South Caro- lina, with a total award amount of $370,641. This new grant will allow him to build upon the success of his Tibetan Plateau research (which has been supported by two NSF grants over the past 10 years) and extend his paleoclimatic research to the Mongolian Plateau, where influences from the Asian monsoon, the westerlies, and the Siberia High converge. This is his 15th NSF grant as PI or co-PI since 1990.

F A C U L T Y H I G H L I G H T S Mary Manhein recently received the George H. Deer Distinguished Teacher Award. 8 Kent Mathewson was recently named an American Association for the Advancement of Science Fellow for his notable research in historical biogeography in Latin America for exceptional service mentoring young scholars. Mathewson is one of 348 people awarded the distinction of Fellow this year.

Heather McKillop’s latest book, The Ancient Maya: New Perspectives, was published in August 2004 by ABC-CLIO as both a paper and e-book. Her previous book, Salt: White Gold of the Ancient Maya (University Press of Florida) was selected by CHOICE as an Outstanding Academic Book of 2003, and her forthcoming book, In Search of Maya Sea Traders (Texas A&M University Press) will be released in January 2005. As a Sigma Xi National Distinguished Lecturer (2003-05), McKillop has been invited to give lectures at many universi- ties. She continues fieldwork on the coast of Belize, with 33 new underwater Maya sites discovered in a peat bog in 2004.

Bob Muller was awarded a 2003 Lifetime Achievement Award from the Climate Specialty Group of the American Association of Geographers. Muller, whose specialty was geographical climatology, was one of the founding members of the Climate Specialty Group in the 1970s, and served as the group’s first chair from 1979-82. He established the Louisiana State Climate Program at LSU and was the state climatologist from 1978 to 1991. He also established the Southern Regional Climate Center at LSU and was its director during its first nine years of operation.

LSU Provost Risa Palm delivered the 2004 Evelyn L. Pruitt Lecture when she spoke on “The Geography of International Telecommunication.”

Helen Regis received the Honors Faculty Award for her guidance in anthropology undergraduate student Michelle Ashton’s paper, “The Reach of Rai: The Modernization and Globalization of Algerian Popular Palm Music.” Ashton, who graduated summa cum laude from the LSU Honors College, received the June Martin and Walter Rudd Honors Thesis Award for this paper in the humanities and social sciences category.

Miles Richardson’s book, Being-in-Christ and Putting Death in Its Place, was honored in September 2003 at a symposium hosted by the LSU Department of Geography & Anthropology. The work, which was pub- lished in 2003, reflected years of labor and scholarship. In addition, Richardson received the LSU 2004 Distinguished Faculty Award in recognition of his sus- tained record of excellence in teaching, research, or service, as well as the Brij Mohan Distinguished Richardson Professor Award for his commitment to peace, equality, and social justice.

Andrew Sluyter received the 2004 James M. Blaut Award of the Cultural and Political Ecology Specialty Group of the Association of American Geographers in recognition of his recent book, Colonialism and Landscape. He received the award from the AAG president at the 2004 national meeting in Philadelphia.

He also edited a special issue of Agriculture and Human Values (vol. 21, pp. 101-261) with Alf Seimens. The articles are based on an international symposium they organized for the Interna- tional Congress of Americanists/Congreso Internacional de Americanistas meetings in War- saw, Poland.

H. Jesse Walker, Boyd Professor Emeritus, was recognized in 2004 by a festschrift entitled The Coastal Zone: Papers in Honor of H. Jesse Walker, which appeared as volume 38 in the Geo- science and Man Series; by having the geomorphology lab at LSU named after him as the H. Jesse Walker Geomorphology Laboratory; and by being awarded the Lauréat d’honneur by Sluyter in Guatemala the International Geographical Union at its 30th Congress in Glasgow, Scotland. Walker is during summer 2004. only the fourth American ever to have received this top international award in geography. In Photo by Paul Hudson. March 2005, he will be giving the keynote address at the 50th anniversary celebration of the Department of Geography at Taiwan National University in Taipei. 9 Graduate Degrees Summer 2003 Jeramé Joseph Cramer, M.A. • “Logs, Labor, and Living: An Archaeological Investigation of African-American Laborers at the Upper and Middle Landing Sawmills at Natchez-Under-the-Hill” (Farnsworth) Nicole Marie Dufour, M.A. • “Dialogic Dogs and Phatic Felines: Speaking To and Through Our Pets” (Brody) William F. Fagan, Ph.D. • “From Lime Kilns to Art Galleries: A Historical Anthropogeography of the Maine Coast City of Rockland” (Richardson) Elizabeth Ann Fraser, Ph.D. • “Conservation Versus Survival: A Cultural Ecological Study of Changing Settle- ment Patterns, Cultures, and Land Use in the Rio Platano Biosphere Reserve of Northeast Honduras” (Richardson) Benjamin S. Goodwin, M.A. • “Remote Sensing at the Broussard Mounds Site: A Prehistoric Multi-Mound Site Located in the Lower Mississippi River Valley” (Saunders) Marcie Anne Kimball, M.A. • “The Social Context of Norse Jarlshof” (Saunders) Susan Elizabeth Probasco, M.A. • “Delta Memories and Delta Days: Facets of Ladies’ Lives as Revealed to a Southern Daughter” (Brody) Carl Andrew Reese, Ph.D. • “Pollen Dispersal and Deposition in the High-Central Andes, South America” (Liu) Xiongping Zhang, Ph.D. • “Design and Implementation of an Ocean Observing System: WAVCIS (Wave- Current-Surge Information System) and Its Application to the Louisiana Coast” (Leitner/Stone) Fall 2003 Marion P. Holt Colquette, M.A. • “Graceful Death: The Use of Victorian Elements in Grace Episcopal Church- yard, St. Francisville, Louisiana and St. Helena’s Episcopal Churchyard, Beaufort, South Carolina” (McKillop) Leah Wood Jewett, M.A. • “The Body Politic: Burial and Post-War Reconciliation in Baton Rouge” (McKillop) Wendy Michelle Jones, M.A. • “Using Trabecular Architecture of the Proximal Femur to Determine Age at Death: An Accuracy Test of Two Methods” (Manhein) Paul Ronald Watts, M.A. • “Revisiting the 1992 Los Angeles Riots: An Analysis of Geographical Perspectives” (DeLyser) Terance Lynn Winemiller, Ph.D. • “Water Resource Management by the Ancient Maya of Yucatan, Mexico” (McKillop) Spring 2004 Toni Ann Alexander, Ph.D. • “From Oklahomans to ‘Okies’: Indentity Formation in Rural California” (DeLyser) Helen Virginia Bouzan, M.A. • “Assessing Increases in Violence: An Analysis of Homicide Cases from Orleans Parish, Louisiana” (Manhein) Samantha Teresa Euraque, M.A. • “’Honduran Memories’: Identity, Race, Place, and Memory in New Orleans, Louisiana” (Richardson) Kurt Lee Johnson, M.S. • “Estimating Impervious Surfaces from a Small Urban Watershed in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Using LANDSAT Thematic Mapper Imagery” (Leitner) Deborah Jean Miller, Ph.D. • “‘Walking the Queen’s Highway’: Ideology and Cultural Landscape in Northern Ireland” (Earle and Richardson) Dominica Dominquez Ramirez, M.A. • “Travels in Louisiana: Journeys into Ethnicity and Heritage by Two Hispanic Groups” (Richardson) Ellen Ruth Salter-Pedersen, M.A. • “The Myth of Eternal Preservation: Patterns of Damage in Egyptian Mum- mies” (Manhein) Timothy Michael Schilling, M.A. • “Excavations at the Bayou Grande Cheniere Mounds (16PL159): A Coles Creek Period Mound Complex” (Saunders) Jennifer Speights-Binet, Ph.D. • “The Road to Redevelopment: New Urbanism, Nostalgia, and the Process of

S T U D E N T H I G H L I G H T S Downtown Revitalization in Baton Rouge, Louisiana” (DeLyser) 10 Jaime A. Suskewicz, M.A. • “Estimation of Living Body Weight Based on Measure- ments of Anterior Superior Iliac Spine Breath and Stature” (Manhein) Virginia J. Ochoa-Winemiller, Ph.D. • “Places to Live: A Multidisciplinary Ap- Award Winners proach to Modern Maya Houses in Yucatan, Mexico” (McKillop) Robert C. West Summer 2004 Award Ann-Marie Lejeune Cain, M.A. • “A Spatial Analysis of the Smallpox Epidemic in Sheffield, United Kingdom, 1887-1888” (Curtis) Fall 2003 Yi-Chia Chen, Abigail Gremillion, Daniel Richard Culli, M.S. • “‘Never Could Read No Road Map’: Geographic Marsha Hernandez, Kevin Pemberton, Perspectives on the Grateful Dead” (Mathewson) Rebecca Sheehan, Bretton Somers, Miranda J. G. Dickerson, M.A. • “I-tal Foodways: Nourishing Rastafarian Bodies” Amy Sumpter (Regis) Jason Thomas Knowles, M.S. • “Coastal Lake-Sediment Records of Prehistoric Spring 2004 Hurricane Strikes in Honduras and Turks and Caicos Islands of the Caribbean Basin” Dominique Duval-Diop, Sarah Hinman, (Liu) Kevin B. Hugnagl, Felicia C. Madimenos, Hyeon Ju Lee, M.A. • “Being Korean and Being Christian: Identity Making in the Jaime B. Petenko, Suzanne T. Price, Korean Baptist Church of Baton Rouge in the U.S. Deep South” (Richardson) Shirisha Shankar, Nicole D. Truesdell, Paul R. Watts Michelle Marie Russo, M.S. • “Extreme Precipitation Events in East Baton Rouge Parish: An Areal Rainfall Frequency/Magnitude Analysis” (Keim) Summer 2004 Charles Casey Shamblin, M.A. • “An Application of Geographic Information (“Enhanced” Ph.D. Geography) Systems (GIS): The Utility of Victim Activity Spaces in the Geographic Profil- Frances Currin, Sarah Hinman, Rebecca ing of Serial Killers” (Manhein) Sheehan, Yuanda Zhu

Recent Student Accomplishments Richard J. Russell The following students graduated with honors in anthropology at the spring 2004 Award commencement ceremonies: Lisa Michelle Knudson, Michelle Ashton, Ashley Nicole Boycher, Elizabeth Regina Sherwood, Holly Alease Middleton, Jaclyn Fall 2003 N. Winter, Jennifer Dorothy Eustis, and Tessa Lynn Landry. Amit Kulkarni, Lawrence Kiage In addition, Ashton graduated summa cum laude from the LSU Honors College and received the June Martin and Walter Rudd Honors Thesis Award for her Spring 2004 paper, “The Reach of Rai: The Modernization and Globalization of Algerian Jason K. Blackburn, Melissa L. Cotton, Popular Music,” directed by Helen Regis in the humanities and social sciences Frances H. Currin, Brandon L. Edwards, category. Jason T. Knowles, Terrence A. McCloskey Departmental honors were awarded to spring 2004 geography graduates Stanley Max Howard, who received his B.S. in geography with a grade-point average of 3.692, and Elisa Dian LeJeune, who received her B.S. in geography with a grade- William G. Haag point average of 3.666. Paper Award Dominique Duval-Diop’s paper, “Tales of Two Deltas: Catfish Fillets, Globaliza- Jason Knowles (Ph.D.) tion and High-Value Foods” was recently published in Economic Geography. She also Bretton Somers (M.A.) was selected to participate in the 2005 Greater Baton Rouge Chamber of Commerce Leadership program. Brandon Edwards, who is studying with Steven Namikas, was awarded a 2004 Sigma LSU Dissertation Xi grant in support of his master’s research. Fellowship Abbie Gremillion, a master’s student in anthropology studying with Mary Manhein, Rebecca Sheehan was awarded a spring 2004 internship for research and training with the FBI. Jenny Hammett, an undergraduate majoring in anthropology, was recognized as the 2004 Outstanding Sophomore. LSU Distinguished Larry Kiage, another Ph.D. student in biogeography studying with Professor Liu, has Dissertation Award recently received two national grants for his dissertation research project entitled Carl Andrew Reese (Ph.D. 2003) “Vegetation Change and Land Degradation in the Lake Baringo Ecosystem, Kenya, (continued on page 14) 11 Master’s and Ph.D. Placements Ann-Marie Lejeune Cain • GIS Specialist, Louisiana Office of Public Health, Bioterrorism Preparedness & Emergency Response Marion P. Holt Colquette • Instructor, Southeastern Louisiana University Jeramé Joseph Cramer • PI, Coastal Environmental, Baton Rouge, LA Samantha Teresa Euraque • VA/Washington, D.C. Benjamin S. Goodwin • NASA Kellie Marie Gordon • FBI Agent, Washington, D.C. Corey David Hotard • GIS Specialist, Lafayette, LA Leah Wood Jewett • Director, LSU Civil War Center, Baton Rouge, LA Kurt Lee Johnson • Department of Environmental Quality, Baton Rouge, LA Deborah Jean Miller • Tallahassee Community College, FL Virginia J. Ochoa-Winemiller • Visiting Assistant Professor of Geology & Geophysics, Auburn University Michelle Marie Russo • Research Assistant, LSU Office of State Climatology, Baton Rouge, LA Caiming Shen • Postdoctoral Research Associate, SUNY – Albany Charles Casey Shamblin • Homeland Security Elizabeth Vaughn • Ball State University Ke Xiao • Information Technician Project Coordinator, Medical Informatics, LSU Health Science Center, New Orleans, LA Xiongping Zhang • Research Associate, Coastal Studies Institute, LSU, Baton Rouge, LA Recent Alumni Accomplishments Kit Anderson (Ph.D. ‘97) recently had her book, Nature, Culture, and Big Old Trees: Live Oaks and Ceibas in the Landscapes of Louisiana and Guatemala, published by the University of Texas Press. Peter Herlihy (Ph.D. ’86) recently received a W.T. Kemper Fellowship for Teaching Excellence worth $5,000 when University of Kansas Chancellor Robert Hemenway walked into his classroom unannounced and surprised him with this prestigious honor. Last spring and summer, he conducted field research in eastern Peru and eastern Nicaragua, where he contracted dengue fever. He will be in Mexico on a Fulbright- Garcia Robles grant next spring and summer. Laura Hobson Herlihy (M.A. ’90) preceded husband Peter to Bilwi, Nicaragua, where she taught on a Fulbright grant at the indigenous college there. Soe W. Myint, (Ph.D. ‘00) a tenure-track assistant professor at the University of Oklahoma, received a grant of $99,315 from the National Science Foundation (NSF) for his research on “An exploration of frequency-based multi-scale multi-decomposition techniques for effective urban mapping.” He was selected as the runner-up for the Early Career Award by the AAG Remote Sensing Specialty Group, and his article, co-authored with Nina Lam, will be published in Photogrammetric Engineering and Remote Sensing. Carl “Andy” Reese (Ph.D. ‘03) was selected to be a winner of the Warren Nystrom Award for his Ph.D. dissertation in geography at the 100th AAG annual meeting in Philadelphia in March 2004. Reese also won the 2003 LSU Distinguished Dissertation Award in the Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences—a campus-wide competition. He received his doctoral degree from LSU in August 2003 and has since been teaching as a tenure-track assistant professor in geography at the University of Southern Mississippi. Reese’s dissertation, “Pollen dispersal and deposition in the high-central Andes, South America.” had been supported by several dissertation grants from NSF, the AAG, GSA (Geological Society of America), and Sigma Xi.

Michael Steinberg (Ph.D. ‘99) was recently hired by LSU Press as its new geography and environmental studies acquisitions editor. A L U M N I H I G H L I G H T S (continued on page 14) 12 Alumni Focus: Terry Winemiller Since receiving his Ph.D. from the LSU Department of Geography & Anthropology in the fall of 2003, alum Terry Winemiller took a teaching position as assistant professor of anthropology and geography at Auburn Univer- sity Montgomery. At AUM, he initiated the “first-ever” geographic information systems program at that university with grants provided by Intergraph Corporation and ESRI. These grants totaled nearly $1 million and will be used to provide software, teaching aids, support, and licenses. These grants were awarded in part as a result of his ongoing GIS research, which qualified AUM as a registered research laboratory. He presented a paper detailing his research in the Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico and the use of GIS to understand ancient settlement decisions at an international GIS users convention in Miami. In addition, Winemiller received permission from the Carnegie Institution in Washington, D.C., to convert maps and information published by the institution from 1920 to 1962 into digital format. The institution also has authorized AUM to establish a Web site where scholars and interested persons can download the reformatted Carnegie data for their own research projects. These data will be available on the AUM Library website sometime this fall. The Carnegie Institution plans to establish a link from its website to AUM. Recently, Alabama Governor Bob Riley ordered the formation of a commission to study, and improve the quality of life for residents of Alabama's Black Belt, an area that historically has experienced the highest rates of unemployment, illiteracy, poverty, teen pregnancies, and economic stagnation. Winemiller was appointed as a technical advisor to the commission and will advise the commis- sion on the implementation of a Black Belt GIS to identify specific problem areas within the 12 Black Belt counties, as well as monitor progress toward established goals. And he will make the opening presentation for the UAM School of Liberal Arts’ 2005 Weil Series, which will offer perspectives on Alabama’s Black Belt. He was the only junior faculty member selected to teach in the series and will be teaching two courses. Winemiller’s primary research interests include Maya archaeology, settlement pattern research, cultural geography, mapping methods, and the application of remote sensing technology and geographic information systems in the study of archaeology. His major advisor while at LSU was Heather McKillop. FROM THE CHAIR (from page 2) tory. This state-of-the-art computer promoted from assistant to associate master’s research, while Abbie Gremillion classroom is equipped with 27 computer professor this year, and Tague was pro- was awarded an internship for research stations and a multimedia instructional moted to professor. Colten was named Carl and training with the FBI in support of station. The laboratory is designed for O. Sauer Professor in Geography. Many of her anthropology master’s research. At teaching and research in GIS and computer our other faculty were also recognized for the doctoral level, Andy Reese scooped a cartography. The laboratory was created their achievements in various ways, but number of major awards, including an primarily from a grant obtained by Nina space doesn’t allow me to mention them LSU Dissertation Fellowship, the LSU Lam from the LSU Center for Computa- all. In 2003, our faculty authored or co- Distinguished Dissertation Award, the tion and Technology. We had a formal authored at least nine books, 30 articles in AAG Warren Nystrom Award, and a opening in March 2004 by Provost Risa refereed journals, 15 book chapters and 21 tenure track job at the University of Palm that was attended by various other other publications, and had a similar Southern Mississippi! Dan Weir was a dignitaries from around campus. Immedi- number of publications in press! The total runner-up for the AAG Nystrom Award ately following the opening, Palm gave the dollar amount of active grants last year was and Rebecca Sheehan was awarded an annual Evelyn Pruitt Lecture entitled just over $2 million! I told you there is a LSU Dissertation Fellowship for this year. “Look Who’s Talking! The Geography of lot going on here. Larry Kiage was awarded a Geological International Telecommunication.” As always, our students did well this Society of America dissertation grant and Both our faculty and students contin- year. Space (and the editor) won’t permit also a Sigma Xi dissertation grant. Finally, ued to earn recognition for their efforts. me to mention everyone, but here’s a Terry McCloskey was awarded a very Among the faculty, Kam-biu Liu won the sample. Michelle Ashton graduated in May prestigious National Science Foundation LSU Distinguished Faculty Award and with a B.A. in Anthropology and Interna- Graduate Research Fellowship, a first for Dydia DeLyser won the BP Award for tional Studies with College Honors, Latin our department as far as I am aware. Outstanding Undergraduate Teaching. Honors, and won the June Martin and There were many other students who Helen Regis won the June Martin and Walter Rudd Honors Thesis Award. Lisa deserve to be included here, and I’m sorry Walter Rudd Honors Faculty Award, Mary Michelle Knudson and Tessa Lynn Landry I can’t mention them all. But I hope this Manhein won the George H. Deer Distin- also graduated with B.A. dual degrees and sampling will give you an idea of the guished Teaching Award, while Miles Latin Honors, while Amber Michelle vibrancy of our department and the great Richardson won both the LSU Distin- Varnado graduated with a dual degree. things going on around here. guished Faculty Award and the Brij Mohan Jenny Hammett, an anthropology major, Distinguished Professor Award. Richardson was named the Outstanding Sophomore was also honored at the 2003 Southern this year. At the graduate level, Brandon —Paul Farnsworth Anthropological Society meetings with a Edwards was awarded a Sigma Xi Graduate Interim Chair session organized in his honor. Regis was Student Grant in support of his geography 13 Department Featured on LSU Web Site In an effort to showcase the The LSU Department of Geogra- www.lsu.edu and click on LSU research efforts of its many professors phy & Anthropology has been Highlights. Current and archived and the many University programs featured regularly in the LSU High- stories are available for access. found both on and off campus, LSU lights since 2002. Some of the created a section on its Web site research and programs featured called LSU Highlights. include Dydia DeLyser’s research on As first seen in 2002, the high- ghost towns, Daniel Weir’s cultural lights chosen for a particular semester geography dissertation research, the are featured on the LSU home page LSU FACES Laboratory, the and fall under one of several catego- CADGIS Laboratory, the new ries including research and academic Spatial Lab, and Kam-biu Liu’s work excellence, community partnerships, on the history of storms. profiles, beyond LSU, science and To view the department’s fea- Dan Weir’s cultural geography research technology, and LSU campus. tures, visit the LSU home page at was featured on the LSU Web site. STUDENTS (from page 11) the prestigious NSF fellowship this year. Supreme Court Justices for the opening McCloskey received his bachelor’s ceremony of the Louisiana State degree from Princeton University and Supreme Court Building (400 Royal St. East Africa: Evidence from Paleoecol- was attracted to LSU due to our in New Orleans). A copy is to be placed ogy and Remote Sensing.” He received nationally distinguished research in the Law Library of the Louisiana $3,300 from the Geological Society of program in paleotempestology. His State Supreme Court. The members of America, and $607 from the national dissertation research focuses primarily Mince’s committee were Jay Edwards Sigma Xi Committee on Grants-in- on the Holocene history of catastrophic (major professor), Miles Richardson, Aid. Both are highly competitive hurricane strikes in Central America. and Bill Brockway (LSU Department of awards. For example, only approxi- A copy of Sylvia Mince’s 2002 Anthro- Architecture). mately 20 percent of applicants receive pology master’s thesis, “New Orleans’ Rebecca Sheehan was awarded the any level of funding from Sigma Xi. Squares 39 and 40: Three Centuries of LSU Dissertation Writing Fellowship in Terry McCloskey, a Ph.D. student in Change: An Anthropological Look at the amount of $15,000 and the AAG biogeography studying with Professor the Social, Economic and Political Cultural Geography Specialty Group Kam-biu Liu, recently received a four- Effects on Architecture,” was requested Research Grant in the amount of $500.. year Graduate Research Fellowship by the Williams Research Center for She is studying with Dydia DeLyser. In from the National Science Foundation. their library on the Vieux Carré. And addition, she co-authored along with He is one of only four graduate students this summer, copies were requested as DeLyser and Andrew Curtis, an article in geography nationwide who received gifts/presentations for each of the for the Journal of Historical Geography entitled, “eBay and Research in Histori- cal Geography: Some Thoughts and Experiences.” ALUMNI (from page 12) Latitudes, the newsletter of the LSU Department of Geography & Anthropology, is published each fall and spring. Correspondence relating to the newsletter may be submitted to: A Spanish translation of Ben Latitudes Tillman’s (Ph.D. ‘99) dissertation on c/o Charlotte Cavell the “Moravian Influences on Land- Department of Geography & Anthropology scapes in Eastern Honduras” is being Louisiana State University published this fall by Guaymuras Baton Rouge, LA 70803 Phone: 225/578-6245 ❖ FAX: 225/578-4420 Press in Tegucigalpa, Honduras. He is E-mail: [email protected] an assistant professor at Texas Chris- ❖ ❖ ❖ tian University. Interim Chair: Paul Farnsworth Daniel Weir (Ph.D. ‘02) was a Editor/Designer: Charlotte J. Cavell runner up for the AAG Warren Nystrom Dissertation Award. 14 Fundraising Drive Underway Alumni Room Help Create New Alumni Seminar Room Renovation Fund We recently sent out an appeal for ogy, carrying the name of LSU to the donations to renovate Room 254 in far corners of the globe, and earning We would like to take the opportunity to the Howe-Russell Geoscience Com- the respect of their peers. This reflects thank those who have made a donation to- plex into a shining new seminar room. well on our department and we seek ward renovation of the Alumni Seminar This room was the scene of seminars to honor our alumni who have served Room as of press time: taught by Professors Kniffen, Russell, their alma mater well. and Haag. Former faculty like Walker, By designating this room as the DeWitt Braud West, Muller, Hilliard, Newton, Alumni Seminar Room, current and Dr. Craig Colten Vermeer, Davidson, and others taught future students will be reminded of countless classes there as well. Some those who came before them, who John H. Cornish of our more senior current faculty labored through their classes and Jerome Fournier such as Richardson, Kesel, Edwards, exams, and sweated through the San Diego Chapter and Lewis also have trained many writing of their dissertations and of the LSU Alumni Association alumni there. During the 1990s the theses. We hope they will find inspira- Thomas Jones Southern Regional Climate Center tion knowing that others have converted the room into its offices, completed the same difficult chal- Darrell P Kruger and following a recent internal lenges that they face. Korean Alumni in Memory of Dr. Chan Lee relocation, they have vacated the To recognize our generous donors Youngeum Choi, Jeon Lee, space. Although there has been a we will mount a plaque in the room to Kemsoo Hong, Heesun Chung, lengthy hiatus since classes have chronicle the many alumni who have Dr. Hyuck Kwon & Dr. Hyoun-Young Kwon taken place in old 254, we hope to passed through the department and J. Walter LeBon change that soon. continue to support it. The names of It is our wish to recreate a vital those who donate $500 will be Taylor Mack learning atmosphere in this fine old inscribed on the plaque as Alumni Michael & Lisa Mahady classroom and to revitalize its function Patrons—those who led the way Jeanne Meeker as a place for spirited discussion and toward the renovation. Those who intellectual debate. We also want to contribute $250 will be designated as Klaus J. Meyer-Arendt establish a place where students and Alumni Sponsors, and those who Joann Mossa faculty can congregate outside of class contribute $100 will be classified as to have those all-important informal Alumni Contributors. All other donors Dr. & Mrs. Miles Richardson discussions that are key to a quality will be identified as Individuals. Randy Rosenfeld graduate experience. We thank those of you who Ron Terry We will honor our former stu- already have donated. We are confi- dents, from multiple generations, by dent that together we can raise the Lynn C. Waelde naming it the Alumni Seminar Room. $30,000 needed to make the Alumni John J. Winberry Our graduates have gone on to be Seminar Room the pride of the leaders in geography and anthropol- department and the university. If you didn’t receive the brochure sent in early fall, or would like an additional donation form, please feel free to use the one printed here. Thank you! Alumni Seminar Room Donation Form Name ______Address ______City ______State ______Zip ______Telephone ( ) ______Fax ( ) ______E-mail ______Donation Level Please make your check payable to the LSU Foundation and (check one) send to: ❒ Patron ($500 and up) Alumni Seminar Room Drive ❒ Sponsor ($250 to 499) Department of Geography and Anthropology ❒ Louisiana State University Contributor ($100 to 249) Baton Rouge, LA 70803 ❒ Individual (under $100) For proper credit, please specify G&A Alumni Seminar Room in the memo portion of your check. 15 News from Geoscience Publications Geoscience Publications, the publishing section of the LSU Department of Geography & Anthropology since 1970, recently released several new titles in 2003-04. Here’s a closer look: Geoscience and Man Series

The Coastal Zone Culture, Land, and Legacy: Perspectives on Carl O. Sauer and Berkeley School Geography, edited by Kent Mathewson and Martin Kenzer. Geoscience and Man 37. The Coastal Zone: Papers in Honor of H. Jesse Walker, edited by Donald W. Davis and Miles Richardson. Edited by Miles Richardson and Don Davis Geoscience and Man 38. The Wonderful World of Geographic Names: the writings of Meredith (Pete) F. Burrill (Toponymist Extraordinaire), compiled by R.A. Detro and H.J. Walker. Geoscience and Man 39. Historical Geography

Volume 32 • 2004 — Historical Political Ecology Volume 31 • 2003 — The Louisiana Purchase Territory Volume 30 • 2002 — Indigenous Peoples: Contested Lands, Contested Identities Still Available

Historical Maps of Louisiana, Plantations by the River, and Historic Louisiana Nails in the Kniffen Monograph Series, plus many more titles in the Geoscience and Man Series, back volumes of Historical Geography, digital files, and more.

For more information on these or any of the titles available through Geoscience Publications, please visit the department’s Web site at http://www.ga.lsu.edu and click on Geoscience Publications, or call 225/578-6245.

Non-Profit Org. U.S. Postage LOUISIANA STATE UNIVERSITY PAID Department of Geography & Anthropology Permit No. 733 227 Howe-Russell Geoscience Complex Baton Rouge, LA Baton Rouge, LA 70803-4105

LSU IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY/ACCESS16 UNIVERSITY