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Harm de Blij is a
professor of geography at the University of Miami (FL) and holds
a professional appointment with the National Geographic Society. |
| Born in the Netherlands,
the son of professional musicians, de Blij received his early
education in Europe, undergraduate education at the University
of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa, and his
doctorate in physical geography from Northwestern University,
Evanston, Ill. |
| He has conducted field
research in several areas of the world, but most of his work has
been in Africa. He has written, co-authored or edited 32 books,
including several widely adopted college textbooks in the fields
of cultural, physical, and political geography. He also has
written more than 80 articles for professional publications and
journals. |
| Dr. de Blij taught at
Michigan State University, where he also wrote produced two
television series on geography aired nationally and in Canada.
Since 1970 he has served as professor of geography at the
University of Miami. |
| Dr. de Blij serves as
editor for the National Geographic Society's "National
Geographic Research: A Scientific Journal" and has served on the
editorial boards of various publications. He was a central
figure in the so-called "Miami Exposure" of geographic
illiteracy in America which led to Senate hearings and a joint
resolution of Congress designating Nov. 15-21 as "Geography
Awareness Week." |
| In November 1989, he
appeared on "Good Morning America" everyday for a one week to
discuss geography and geographic illiteracy in America. |
| Harm de Blij has received
many awards and honors for his work, including the Outstanding
Service Award from the Association of American Geographers. He
is a Honorary Fellow of the American Geographical Society and a
life member of the Royal Geographical Society of Australia. |
| At the University of
Miami, de Blij has served as chairman of the Geography
Department and associate dean of the College of Arts and
Sciences. |
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Dr. de Blij has been a
visiting professor at such universities as Northwestern, Hawaii,
and George Washington, and was the Presidential Professor at the
Colorado School of Mines, 1981-82. In 1989 he was appointed an
Honorary Fellow of the American Geographical Society, New York,
and one year later was appointed Distinguished Professor of
Geography in the School of Foreign Service, Georgetown
University. |
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In 1980 de Blij was
elected to membership of the Research and Exploration Committee
of the National Geographic Society. Also at National Geographic,
he was appointed founding editor of the journal National
Geographic Research. He is a former editor of The Journal of
Geography. |
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Dr. de Blij also is an
accomplished musician and a past board member of the Chamber
Music Society of Greater Miami. |
