Department of Geography 2018 Newsletter DEPARTMENT HIGHLIGHTS Department size: 7 full-time faculty, 1 part-time faculty on administrative assignment, 5 adjunct faculty, 1 Professor Emeritus and 1 Administrative Assistant. 62.5% of faculty are GISP certified •Graduated a record 39 students: 19 GIS majors, 15 Geography majors, and 5 MS in Geospatial Science graduate students (excludes summer 2018) •Implemented a total of seven undergraduate curriculum proposals •Experiential learning: A total of 142 students participated in an experiential learning activity including but not limited to: Internships, co-ops, Faculty-led research projects (capstone projects, Student research presentations at professional meetings, domestic field experiences, International field experiences, and Alabama Geographic Alliance education activities. •Department was approved by ACHE to implement MS in Geospatial Science 100% Online •Application for STEM designation of MS in Geospatial Science program was approved by ACHE •71.4% (5/7) of fulltime faculty members published scholarly work in refereed journals or books. Geography faculty also made a total of 25 conference presentations and/or invited talks. •6 completed MS Thesis (includes summer 2018) – with 100% placement and one proceeding to a funded PhD assistantship at Michigan State University •22 undergraduate and 14 graduate student presentations at professional meetings •Offered 2 field experiences – one study abroad to Tanzania and one field course to Rocky Mountains involving 32 students and 5 faculty Contents members •Undergraduate Jessica Coffey was awarded Most Outstanding Student Involvement and Research award in the College of Arts & Sciences. Highlights..............................2-6 •Undergraduate Peyton Moran won College of Arts and Sciences 3-Minute Thesis competition Special Mentions.............................6-7 •Graduate student Roshan Mark Singh Matharu was awarded the Shoals India Endowed Scholarship •Graduate Abigail Smith served as an intern in the 2018 ESRI Faculty Features and International User Conference in San Diego, CA in June 2018 Other Important People.....8-12 •Undergraduate Audrieauna Beatty once again completed a fully- funded internship in the Geographic Information Systems and Our Programs....................................13 Technologies (GIST) division of the Science Education internship program at Oak Ridge National Laboratories, Oak Ridge, TN, in summer 2018. Alumni Spotlight..............................14 •Dr. Mario Mighty earned Geographic Information Systems Professional (GISP) honors Internship Highlights and •Dr. Michael Pretes awarded NCGE’s 2018 Higher Education Sabbatical Spotlight...............15 Distinguished Teacher Award •Dr. Lisa Keys-Mathews appointed Executive Director, Strategic Initiatives & Academic Success, Office of Enrollment Management Other Notes..................................16-17 •Dr. Francis Koti appointed interim assistant dean in the College of Arts and Sciences for 2017-2018 academic year •Hosted University of North Alabama Geography Alumni Association Conference in October 2017. front cover courtesy of Chandler White; inside cover courtesy of Chandler White MESSAGE FROM THE CHAIR Since the last time this newsletter was successfully changed the CIP codes for these published in fall 2017, a group of 20 has two programs. STEM designation has several completed a study abroad in Tanzania, 20 benefits to our students: Higher consideration students have spent 17 days in the American for graduates of federal agencies; greater Mountain West, at least 6 students gained starting salary for graduates by various professional work experience through organizations; Extension of Optional Practical internship opportunities, students have Training (OPT) for foreign Students from one completed a total of 30 faculty-mentored to three years of employment/practical training research projects, student research after completion of the program; higher presentations at professional meetings recognition of grads by the geospatial industry. exceeded 40, while more than 20 students These are just but a few of the benefits. To participated in a community event or respond to the demand for distance learning, partnered with Alabama Geographic the department has also been approved by Alliance to promote geography. What ACHE to implement the graduate program do all those activities have in common? 100% Online. This will begin in spring 2019 Experiential learning! Presenting semester. opportunities for students to develop Student research activity and conference knowledge, skills, and values from practical experiences outside presentation was perhaps one of the greatest highlights for 2017- a traditional classroom setting is nothing new to the department. 2018. A total of 22 undergraduate and 18 graduate research paper What’s different this year however, is that the department went or poster presentations were made at professional meetings while the extra step to formallu incorporate experiential learning into geography faculty mentored 6 completed MS theses or projects. the curriculum as a requirement for both the Geography and GIS Notable this year was a 31% increase in conference activity by majors. What this means is that to graduate with a bachelor’s degree graduate students compared to 2016-2017 academic year. The in Geography or GIS, a student must participate in a class activity papers and posters were presented at 4 major professional meetings where more than 80% of course credit derives from experiential and funded from 8 different sources. This does not just happen. It learning. This can be an internship, co-op, Geography capstone takes vision, investment in time and resources, a dedicated team of project, undergraduate research, domestic field experience, study faculty mentors and most importantly – highly motivated students. abroad, independent study, service learning, and other Geography- Other notable accomplishments for 2017-2018 include but are not related professional work experiences. Geography faculty believe limited to: a record graduation of 39 students: 19 GIS majors, 15 that requiring experiential learning as part of our academic Geography majors, and 5 MS in Geospatial Science graduate students programs will give students a chance to reflect on their learning, (excludes summer 2018); seven undergraduate curriculum initiatives; take initiative, make decisions, be accountable, fail, succeed, learn 5 faculty publications and 25 faculty conference presentations and from mistakes, and creatively immerse themselves in the “messy” invited talks; 6 completed MS Thesis (includes summer 2018) – with world - emotionally, intellectually, and socially. 100% placement and one proceeding to a funded PhD assistantship There are important things in professional life that we can’t teach in at Michigan State University; while geography excelled: Dr. Mario the classroom. With an understanding of the diversity and global Mighty earned Geographic Information Systems Professional (GISP) outlook of the 21st Century workplace where our students are about honors; Dr. Michael Pretes awarded NCGE’s 2018 Higher Education to enter, the department has made bold moves to prepare them for Distinguished Teacher Award; Dr. Lisa Keys-Mathews appointed that reality. Whether it is through recruitment of faculty, staff, and Executive Director, Strategic Initiatives & Academic Success; and students, curriculum programing, study abroad opportunities, Dr. Francis Koti appointed interim assistant dean in the College of international and domestic research, domestic field experiences, Arts and Sciences for 2017-2018 academic year. conference travel, or just conversations and interactions in the Looking forward into 2018-2019, the department focus will hallways of Wesleyan Hall, we have created a learning and social be the implementation of the Online MS program, revision environment that exposes students to a global perspective and also and restructuring of the GIS major and graduate programs to cultivates an appreciation for diversity. Just this morning on my match their STEM designation, expansion of academic offerings, way to my 10:00AM class, I spotted six nationalities in the hallway: addition of cutting-edge geospatial science initiatives, explore the American, Kenyan, Korean, Chinese, Jamaican, and Indian – all at implementation of graduate certificates, and faculty development. If once – with the mix comprising two females and four males. While you haven’t yet, consider connecting with us on Facebook, following this may represent just but a sliver of diversity based on national us on Twitter and Instagram, and joining our LinkedIn network for origin, our perspective and definition of diversity is much broader. the latest and most exciting news about our activites. Let’s put 2017-2018 year into perspective. Our GIS major and the MS in Geospatial Science are now Science, Technology, Engineering, Dr. Francis T. Koti and Math-designated programs. Through separate applications to Professor and Chair Alabama Commission on Higher Education, the department has UNA Department of Geography Newsletter Page 1 inGRADUATES Geospatial Science FALL 2017 Master of Science Bachelor of Science Bachelor of Science in Geospatial Science in Geographic Information in Geography White, Chandler S. Thesis Title: “Phyloge- Science netic Patterns of Invasive Macrophytes in Geography Freshwater communities.” Supervisor: Dr. Clemmons, Christian J. Jonathan Fleming Dodson, Samuel A. Bishop, Pamela