83252_AAG_Jan05_ R6.qxd 12/28/04 11:01 AM Page 1 Volume 40, Number 1 • January 2005 In This Issue AP Human Geography: Trickle-Up Effects on Collegiate Geography n 1996, the College Board, a national non- The first APHG exam was administered in 2001, profit association dedicated to facilitating following a five-year period of teacher preparation I the transition from high school to college, and test development. The test has grown steadily added human geography to its Advanced Place- from 3,272 exams in 2001 to 5,286 in 2002, 7,320 From the Meridian..................2 ment (AP) program. The AP program offers in 2003, and 10,471 in 2004. Now, after four years President’s Column ................3 high school students the opportunity to take of administering the exam and eight years of Geographic Centers....................4 introductory college courses and receive college preparing teachers for and educating the discipline Grants & Awards......................7 credit if they score well on a national exam about APHG, we have a clearer picture of what this Quarter Century ......................7 administered each spring. The exam is made exam means for geography and of the challenges AAG Member Profile..............9 up by a committee consisting of high school that lie ahead as we seek to expand the program. AAG Washington Monitor ..11 teachers and college professors and is designed APHG has increased the cohort of students who Grants & Competitions ......14 to capture students’ ability to do college-level arrive at colleges and universities with high-level Specialty Group News ............15 academic work. AP Human Geography (APHG) geographic training (Bailey, 2003). For the first Call for Papers........................16 establishes geography as a core discipline time in several generations, geographers report Necrology................................16 in American higher education and exposes the existence of incoming majors and incoming New Members ............................18 some of the best and brightest students in the students who know and can use rudimentary geo- Award Deadlines ..................20 Books Received ....................21 nation to geography at an early point in their graphic ideas such as site versus situation, scale, educational careers. Members of Note ..................21 Continued on page 12 Jobs in Geography....................22 Events ......................................47 AAG Annual Meeting Field Trips s you make plans for the AAG National Ice Core Laboratory, and the Annual Meeting in Denver, don’t Rock Core Research Center, the nation’s A miss out on the unique opportunity largest single rock core depository, where to explore the region through field trips 1.5 million linear feet of granite, oil shale, and discover the rich historical, cultural, and other rock core are analyzed for earth and physical geography of the U.S. West. processes and energy research. This article describes a few of the incred- A four-day tour exploring Colorado’s ible field trips being offered. Full descrip- Ute Legacy (sponsored by the Indige- tions of each fieldtrip are posted at www. nous Peoples Specialty Group) will take aag.org/annualmeetings/Denver2005/ participants into the stunning southwest spevents.cfm, along with information on corner of Colorado and high into workshops and special events being held the San Juan Mountains, to provide a at the meeting. look at the physical geography, history, Learn about the world’s largest map culture, and current economic and social depository at the USGS Rocky Mountain challenges faced by the Ute Indians. Mapping Center. Over fifty million maps, Included in the tour are guest presenta- books, and CDs are housed in a seventeen- tions by Ute women famous for their tra- Annual Meeting field trip themes include the acre facility. And peek inside the USGS ditional crafts, visits to the Ute Cultural Garden of the Gods, Colorado’s Ute Legacy, Jack Spatial Data Production Facility, the Continued on page 7 Kerouac in Denver, and the Grand Canyon (above). Photo courtesy of the National Park Service AAG Annual Meeting Registration form. See page 6 www.aag.org AAG Newsletter 1 83252_AAG_Jan05_ R6.qxd 12/28/04 11:01 AM Page 2 January 2005 From the Meridian AAG Newsletter New Year’s Reflections…and of the Association of American Resolutions Geographers wo thousand four has been a registration and abstract submission system remarkable year for geography and infrastructures at the AAG, and new applica- Tthe AAG. We have celebrated our tions and benefits of these online system Douglas Richardson, Publisher Centennial Anniversary in high style and infrastructures are now being realized across and Managing Editor with scintillating substance all year long, the board, from specialty group listserves to Megan D. Nortrup, headlined by a most memorable centen- our large annual meetings, and from publi- Editor nial gathering of over 5,000 geographers cations to international outreach activities. AAG Voice 202-234-1450 from around the world in Philadelphia. Substantial cost savings and new efficiencies AAG Fax 202-234-2744 There was something for everyone at that have also been achieved with these manage- [email protected] wonderful meeting—which is just the way ment systems. www.aag.org it should be in a discipline as 2004 also saw significant rich and diverse as ours. increase and re-orientation USPS 987-380 ISSN 0275-3995 The centennial meeting of our educational and encompassed so many international outreach The AAG Newsletter ISSN 0275-3995 extraordinary events that it is efforts, through expansion is published monthly with July/August hard to cite any one high- of the “My Community, combined, by the Association of Amer- light, but my own personal Our Earth—Geographic ican Geographers, 1710 16th Street favorite was the experience Learning for Sustainable NW, Washington, DC 20009-3198. of introducing back-to-back Development” project, during the opening session, through continued support The cost of an annual subscription is NSF Director Rita Colwell’s for and participation in the $25.00 The subscription price is Richardson excellent keynote presenta- International Geographical included in the annual dues of the tion, “The New Landscape of Science: A Union meetings and other international Association. Not available to non- Geographic Portal,” followed immediately exchange activities, as well as the AAG’s members. Periodicals postage paid in by the superb world premier performance innovative “Online International Educa- Washington, DC. All news items and by the Rittenhouse String Quartet of the tion” program, and an array of new NSF letters, including job listings, should be classical music piece, “Scenes From A and Department of Education funded sent to the Editor at the address below River” composed especially for the AAG’s projects and proposals, increasingly or to [email protected]. Centennial by David McKee. To me, this focused on higher education as well as All Newsletter materials must union of stellar science and exquisite music secondary education. arrive at the Association office by the encapsulated the dynamic range of our dis- A new AAG Office of Public Policy, 1st of the month preceding the month cipline and the creative and synergistic established this past year, also means that of the publication. This includes job integration that geographers can achieve geography now has eyes, ears and a voice listings. Material will be published on across that range. on Capitol Hill and within the federal a space available basis and at the dis- The year 2004 also marked major steps agencies whose policies can so directly cretion of the editorial staff. forward at the AAG in establishing a solid impact our future. The building and train- When your address changes, please financial and organizational foundation ing of a new AAG core staff with the notify the Association office immediate- needed to meet the challenges1 our disci- professional and technical skills necessary ly. Six weeks notice is necessary to pline faces in the years ahead as we for the 21st century has also progressed insure uninterrupted delivery of AAG work to create a more central place for well during 2004, and internal work flows publications. To assist the AAG office in geography in society and the university. continue to be carefully analyzed and your address change, include the address Financially, the AAG formally retired all defined to increase efficiency and to ensure label with your change of address. its debt in 2004 and posted the second continuity of operations as normal staff Postmaster: Send address changes consecutive year of very strong financial turnover occurs in the future. I am also very to AAG Newsletter, 1710 16th Street performance, while at the same time initi- pleased to report that our programs to ating many new programs. increase AAG membership have produced NW, Washington, DC 20009-3198, or Work has also now been completed on record membership in our association of [email protected]. the new computerized online membership management system and the online meeting Continued on page 5 2 AAG Newsletter www.aag.org 83252_AAG_Jan05_ R6.qxd 12/28/04 11:01 AM Page 3 President’s Column Volume 40, Number 1 We Are All the AAG have just completed my visits to the the scope of our AAG extends beyond the geography, and also to position us in insti- regional division meetings of the AAG, specific services we often think of, such as tutions and audiences beyond our disci- I which I greatly enjoyed. I have publishing journals and hosting our annual pline. For example, the Race/Ethnicity engaged in many conversations about our meeting. The AAG also continues its long- and Place Conference in September 2004 Association and have heard both your standing emphasis on supporting K-12 brought together over 300 scholars from a overwhelming appreciation for the many education and there are new efforts to range of disciplines to discuss geographies accomplishments of the staff in DC, as well strengthen post-secondary education of race/ethnicity (see Doug Richardson’s as constructive suggestions about what we through initiatives building from the Geog- column, November 2004).