Oct. 5, 2017

This week we begin with great departmental news. First, Dr. Kevin Law delivered a colloquium talk for the Geography Department at Ohio University. His talk was titled: What is a State Climatologist? Taking a Look Inside the Role and Responsibilities of a State Climatologist. He discussed the responsibilities of a State Climatologist and the “1,000 year” flood that occurred in West Virginia in June 2016.

Also, after a long arduous process Dr. James Leonard was able to advance the 2+2 articulations to its final stage where it awaits official approval. This agreement will transfer GIS students from Columbia State Community College in Tennessee to our Geography online program. This is one of Dr. Leonard’s new initiatives as chair of the department. He has been in pursuit of 2+2 articulations with community colleges across the nation for more than two years.

Academic Competitions

As the conference season and call for papers (CFPs) kicks into high gear, the number of opportunities for current students abound.

1) Starting with the Remote Sensing Specialty Group of the Association of American Geographers, the CFP for the 2017-2018 Students Honors Paper Competition is already out. Students from all academic levels are invited to submit original research papers on all topics that advances the field of remote sensing and GIS. Students selected as finalists will be placed in a special paper session at the Annual Meeting to be held April 10-April 14, 2018 in New Orleans, Louisiana.

Important Dates

October 25, 2017-deadline for submitting extended abstract (different than the regular AAG abstract, instructions below).

January 26, 2018-deadline for submitting the full completed paper.

Awards

First, second, and third place awards will be determined following the competition sessions. The prizes are:

First place-$500

Second place-$250

Third place-$100

For specific submission details, please click here.

2) The Remote Sensing Specialty Group of the Association of American Geographers also has a CFP for the 2018 Student Illustrated Paper Competition. Students from all academic levels are invited to submit illustrated papers that advance remote sensing and/or GIS. Research must have been completed within the past academic year as part of the applicant’s undergraduate or graduate studies. Illustrated papers must be created entirely by the applicant. While papers may include co-authors, the applicant must be primarily responsible for the research presented. Students selected as finalists will be placed in a special illustrated paper session at the Annual Meeting to be held April 10-April 14, 2018 in New Orleans, Louisiana.

An illustrated paper is a poster accompanied by a short (3‐ to 5‐minute) oral summary of the research problem, data, methods, and findings, followed by a one‐on‐one or small group discussion at individual posters. All oral summaries will be given at the beginning of each illustrated paper session before participants disperse to the poster boards around the room. Oral summaries must be given without the use of additional AV equipment (e.g., laptops and projectors). Each presenter will be provided a 4′ tall x 8′ wide board on which to display their poster and materials. The deadline for abstract submission to this competition is the same as the final AAG abstract submission deadline (Oct.25 2017). Up to 10 finalists will be chosen.

First, second, and third place awards will be determined immediately following the competition sessions and awarded at the Awards Luncheon. The prizes are: $300 for the first place illustrated paper, $200 for second place, and $100 for third place. The first place award will be presented at the AAG Annual Awards Luncheon and the luncheon fee will be covered for the first place winner. For specific submission details, please click here.

3) The Population Specialty Group (PSG) of the American Association of Geographers is sponsoring a student paper competition at the 2018 AAG meeting in New Orleans. Students are encouraged to submit a paper (between 2500 and 8000 words excluding references) on any topic of population geography.

The competition is open to current undergraduate and graduate students who have not previously won the award. Papers must be based on original work, completed as an undergraduate or graduate student. Note that both journal-length and ‘short,’ form papers are welcome to give students the chance to present work that is still in development or reporting preliminary results. To be eligible for the award, the student must be first author and present the paper at the AAG.

The PSG Student Paper Award will be made in the amount of $300. Honorable Mention prizes of $100 may also be awarded. Winners will be announced at the PSG Business Meeting (time and location TBD).

The Deadline for submission of a paper is Monday, March 26, 2018. Submit your paper by email to Chris Fowler csfowler@psu.edu.

4) The Health and Medical Geography Specialty Group (HMGSG) of the AAG is accepting submissions for the Jacques May Thesis Prize. Since 1985, the prize has been awarded to Master’s and doctoral theses addressing themes in health and medical geography broadly defined, as judged by a panel of reviewers. Theses will be judged on their contribution to the field, their methodological approach, organization, and written composition. Both awardees receive an official certificate and a cash award of $200.

Eligibility: Master’s or doctoral theses officially completed during the 24 months prior to the submission deadline are eligible, provided that they have not been previously considered for the prize. Theses should also directly address a topic central to health and medical geography.

Submission and Review: Submissions should be sent to Jerry Shannon (jshannon@uga.edu) and Xiang Chen (chenxiangpeter@gmail.com). Only electronic submissions will be considered. Submission Deadline: November 30, 2017.

5) The student representatives of the Ethnic Geography Specialty Group (EGSG) want to organize a session that explores the utmost contemporary issues and methodologies in ethnic geography. We are especially interested in the work of students at the graduate or undergraduate level. Submissions from all fields and specializations that fit within the broad theme of ethnic geography are welcome.

Examples of suitable topics include but are not limited to:

– Immigrant or Refugee Experiences in the Age of Trump

– The Rise of Ethno-Nationalist Political Parties or Movements in the U.S. and/or Europe

– Global Migration Patterns and Conflicts

– Persistence of Racial/Ethnic Segregation and/or Discrimination

– The Role of Social Institutions

– Ethnic Variances in Health in Urban, Suburban or Rural Areas

– Settlement Patterns and Processes in the U.S., Canada and Europe

– Policy Implications

Participants should submit abstracts to John Ponstingel (Jmp282@txstate.edu) and Scott Markley (scott.markley@uga.edu) by October 25th. Notification of acceptance will be communicated to participants by the 31st of October.

Job Opportunities

Last but not least, here are the most recent job opportunities for our recent and soon to be graduates:

Paid GIS/Planning Internship, Franklin County, OH

Paid Internship in Transportation/Planning, Mid-Ohio Planning Commision, Columbus, OH

Data Analytics Intern, JPMorgan Chase, Columbus, OH

Restoration Ecology Apprentice, Society for Conservation Biology, Cumberland, OH

Crime Analyst, Cincinnati Police Department, Cincinnati, OH

GIS Database Administrator, State of Ohio, Columbus, OH

Environmental Specialist, Stantec, Cincinnati, OH

Transmission Forestry Specialist, FirstEnergy, Ravenna, OH

GIS Management Consulting Manager, Accenture, Cleveland/Columbus/Cincinnati, OH

GIS Technician II, Akron, OH