Awardees

Author N.K. Jemisin Named AAG Honorary Geographer

Photo of author N.K. Jemisin by Laura Hanifin, copyright 2015
Author N.K. Jemisin; Photo by Laura Hanifin, copyright 2015

AAG has named its 2022 Honorary Geographer: Author N.K. Jemisin. Jemisin is the world-building sci-fi author of The City We Became, The Inheritance Trilogy, and The Broken Earth Trilogy. Her work is grounded in a keen geographical understanding of the world and of human societies.

Ms. Jemisin, a speculative fiction writer, is the recipient of numerous Hugo and Locus Awards, as well as a 2020 MacArthur Fellowship. She was named to the Time100 list in 2021. Of here work, AAG nominating member Julie Cidell of the University of Illinois Urbana Champaign, says “Her fiction encompasses multiple genres, always with an eye towards how place and space matter to her characters and their worlds. She considers human-environment relationships as fundamental in her writings, including how power relations unfold and are resisted, demonstrating a keen geographical understanding throughout her varied works.”

Raised in Mobile, Alabama and New York City, Jemisin has been writing since childhood, although she considered it to be “just a hobby” until her early thirties. After attending the Viable Paradise writing workshop, she began seeking publication in earnest. Today, she is the first author in genre history to have won the Best Novel Hugo three consecutive times. Her work has been translated into more than 20 languages.

Jemisin’s work is supremely conscious of place, climate, and culture. As described in her award citation:

Struggles against gentrification, white supremacy, misogyny, and the erasure of Indigenous people are all part of a greater battle against the homogenizing forces that seek to erase the unique strengths of the city and make it a bland space subordinate to capital. In her teaching on worldbuilding (creating believable worlds for speculative fiction authors), she. She begins with the physical environment in terms of climate, plate tectonics, natural hazards, and biogeography. She asks students to consider how this environment would shape social interactions, from economic development to architecture to religion. Finally, she asks what kind of social inequities and power imbalances would exist as a result of these physical and social systems, and how human capabilities might alter environments as well. In teaching authors to think this way, she also demonstrates the connections in our world between environment, society, and justice.

Every year the Association bestows its Honorary Geographer Award on an exceptional leader, to recognize excellence in the arts, research, teaching, and writing on geographic topics by non-geographers. Previous AAG Honorary Geographer awardees have included biologist Stephen J. Gould, architect Maya Lin, Nobel Laureate in economics Paul Krugman, sociologist Saskia Sassen, economist Jeffrey Sachs, and authors Calvin Trillin, Barbara Kingsolver, John McPhee and Barry Lopez, among others.

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Lisa Schamess
Lisa Schamess
President's Column

Pathways for Change: The 2022 Annual Meeting, AAG Council, and the Climate Action Survey

Photo illustration of directional signs labeled here, there, and everywhere by Nick Fewings, Unsplash
Credit: Nick Fewings, Unsplash

The in-person component of the 2022 annual meeting was planned to be large. New York is traditionally a popular destination for meetings, and when hotel contracts were signed over five years ago, they were made with the assumption that there would be 10,000 attendees. Last year too, after both the 2020 and 2021 meetings went virtual-only, and before the Delta and Omicron variants upended overly optimistic assumptions about the course of the pandemic in a world of vaccine inequity and hesitancy, AAG anticipated that geographers would flock to New York to satisfy the pent-up demand for seeing their colleagues face-to-face.  

Alas, COVID-19 had other plans. Even at its maximum, fewer than 3,300 participants signed up to come in person to New York, a far cry from the 10,000 for which the conference was budgeted through room and food contracts, while roughly 1,400 signed up to participate remotely. Then Omicron arrived. AAG members — and, importantly, AAG staff — were faced with concerns not only about getting sick themselves, but also about family members, particularly the elderly and those too young to receive vaccinations. AAG also faced the high likelihood that pandemic-induced staffing shortages in New York would result in an inability to provide promised conference services, such as childcare.  

While some geographers argued that the peak would soon be past and that late February would look very different from early January, others pointed to overwhelmed hospitals and uncertainty about the rate of decline of infections after their peak. Some members wrote to AAG to urge it to go online as soon as possible, noting that other large scientific organizations were doing the same, while others wrote to urge AAG to continue with an in-person meeting, pointing out other societies that are not changing their plans. (Notably, many of these are smaller organizations, for whom a significantly smaller number of attendees changes the risk calculation, and which are also more likely to lack the contractual means to cut financial losses). In the meantime, the survey sent out to all members in January indicated that over 60% were not planning to or discouraged from attending due to the pandemic. In the end, a preponderance of ethical, logistical, and financial factors led to AAG’s decision to change the conference from hybrid to virtual.  

For those who had been planning to attend in person, I share your disappointment that we will not be together in New York, but I remain excited about the conference. I hope many attendees will set aside time for many sessions, just as we would for an in-person event. To name just a few events to look forward to, Sheryl Luzadder-Beach will be delivering her Past President’s Address on “Science, Geography, and Human Rights,;” and Winona LaDuke will give a keynote address (planned as virtual from the start) on Water Protectors and the rights of wild rice. There will also be a presidential plenary on resurgent ethnonationalism, and a presidential plenary on climate justice.  

* * * 

Though I’ve laid out the reasons that the meeting will be all-virtual, I haven’t spelled out how the decision was reached. This relates to the more general question of how AAG operates and is governed, something I admit I was foggy on myself when I agreed to be nominated for this position, despite being a long-standing member of AAG. Here’s a brief primer.  

The AAG Council consists of six nationally elected at-large members, an international member, a student member, a member elected from each region, the president, vice president, the most recent past president, and the executive director serving in a non-voting ex officio capacity. Called a Council, this volunteer governing body acts as a board of directors for the Association. As such its tasks include voting to approve annual budgets prepared by the executive director, on any additional spending (such as for the COVID-19 rapid relief program), and on strategic plans; making decisions about editorial boards for AAG journals; deciding whether to adopt the recommendations of various committees and task forces; ratifying awards selected by committees; and approving slates of nominations for elections. The Council also reads and hears updates and annual reports from the regions, on the financial health of AAG, on journal operation, membership and communications, and more.  

Notably, regular Council meetings happen only twice a year. Packed agendas and infrequent meetings have led in the past to member frustration with Council for not moving quickly enough, for example, on decisions about task force or committee recommendations. Recently, AAG has been working with consultants to update its bylaws (you’ll see more communications about this soon) and operations, which will also include streamlining Council meetings to free up more time to discuss strategic issues, and adding one or two Council meetings a year so that major decisions can be made in a more timely fashion.  

A subset of Council is the Executive Committee, which consists of the treasurer and secretary, both elected from amongst councilors, the vice president, president, immediate past president, and again the executive director in ex-officio capacity. This committee meets more often, to prepare for Council meetings and discuss upcoming matters, but does not make any decisions requiring a formal vote. AAG elected officers have specific duties related to their posts. For example, the vice president attends regional meetings (along with the president and past president); the president chooses one or more themes for the annual meeting and writes this newsletter column; the past president delivers a past president’s address. They work with the executive director and the rest of Council to develop strategic plans and goals. But in terms of decision-making, they each simply vote as one member of Council.  

No elected board member is an executive of AAG; that is, they are not responsible for the operational management of day-to-day AAG business. That is the role of the professional staff, and in particular the executive director, who oversees the Council-approved budget and enters into contracts. The Council, in turn, evaluates the performance of the executive director.  

Returning, then, to the modality of our upcoming meeting in light of the Omicron wave, it was the executive director’s role to consult with staff members and Council, which was able to meet on short notice. After learning about and weighing the many relevant considerations, Council agreed that moving to an all-virtual 2022 Annual Meeting was the best option.  

* * * 

Meeting modality considerations will continue to be relevant in the future; thus, I would like to share a few preliminary results from the AAG Meetings and Climate Action survey conducted in December. There were 885 responses to the survey, of which 784 were complete; my numbers below refer only to the complete surveys.  

Roughly 94% of respondents stated that they believe it is important and meaningful for AAG to take a leadership role in climate change. In order of popularity, the actions these respondents felt AAG should undertake were to engage in climate advocacy/provide policy recommendations (84%); divest from fossil fuel companies in the investment portfolio (77%); significantly reduce CO2 emissions associated with travel to annual meetings (68%); reduce carbon emissions from day-to-day AAG office operations (60%); and lower carbon emissions from physical infrastructure at AAG (58%).  

The most popular top reason given for attending the annual meeting was to network with other geographers; this was followed by giving papers or participating in panels; then listening to papers or panels; and finally, meeting up with old friends. While giving papers and listening to talks are eminently possible through the virtual format, the virtual networking events and “office hours” that AAG put together for the online 2020 and 2021 conferences were less well attended, whether due to Zoom fatigue, lack of awareness, or the fact that people expect networking to happen more spontaneously or in person. Nevertheless, more than 60% of respondents said they could probably or definitely achieve their meeting goals if the conference alternated annually between virtual and in-person. This rose to 70% for the scenario of alternating between national in-person and a regional networked hub in-person meetings. Also good news is that just over 50% of geographers state that they already renew their AAG membership every year regardless of whether they participate in the conference. Moving forward, one of AAG’s goals is to provide more services to members year-round, so that the other 50% also see benefits of renewing membership, beyond the annual meeting. 

Distinct challenges remain vis-à-vis the cost of hybrid options. Understandably, panelists participating virtually in a hybrid panel want to pay the virtual rather than in-person costs of attendance. AAG staff, however, have calculated that the labor costs of staffing for hybrid sessions is 16 times that of in-person sessions. (In-person, 1 tech can staff 8 sessions; for virtual, 1 tech is needed for 3 sessions; and for hybrid, 2 techs are needed per session, one online and one in person). Perhaps these ratios can improve in the future as technology improves, but for now, to meet service expectations, hybrid panels are expensive. A second challenge concerns streaming of in-person sessions to a virtual audience, something that I personally feel strongly about (75% of respondents also thought it is “very important” or “somewhat important”) given that it integrates remote with in-person components. While this should be possible in the future, we’ve learned that there are cost challenges associated with internet service fees for already-contracted venues. 

The climate action task force is conducting further analyses on the survey results. What seems clear for now is that, overall, AAG members are committed to acting collectively to address the devastating current and future effects of climate change. This is heartening as I contemplate the most recent close-to-home effects of climate change for me: a catastrophic winter grassland fire in Colorado that destroyed more than 1000 homes and caused more than 500 million dollars in damage in the last days of December, just south of my neighborhood. Geographers are at the forefront of producing knowledge about the relationships between climate change, wildfire, and suburban development. With patience, goodwill, and commitment, our geographical association can also be at the forefront of developing pathways for scholarly societies to respond to climate change. 

DOI: 10.14433/2017.0106

Please note: The ideas expressed in the AAG President’s column are not necessarily the views of the AAG as a whole. This column is traditionally a space in which the president may talk about their views or focus during their tenure as president of AAG, or spotlight their areas of professional work. Please feel free to email the president directly at emily [dot] yeh [at] colorado [dot] edu to enable a constructive discussion. 

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Emily Yeh
Emily Yeh
News

AAG Welcomes Spring 2022 Interns

Two new interns have joined the AAG staff this fall! The AAG would like to welcome Bettina and Gillian to the organization.

Photo of Bettina Saradaroglu posing with flowers

Bettina Saraydaroglu is a junior at The George Washington University, pursuing a B.A. double major in Geography and International Affairs. Her points of interest are Cultural and Social Geography, as well as Urban Geography and Regional Planning. Although her studies for geography are recent, she is excited to explore the world of geography at an academic and professional level. Her love for geography started at a young age, when she would quiz her father on the capitals of countries and do puzzles on the states of America. When not at school or work, she loves exploring the city with Capital Bikeshare.

Photo of Gillian Villarroel

Gillian Villarroel is a sophomore at The George Washington University, pursuing a B.A. in International Affairs and a minor in geography. Gillian has a big interest in migration and immigrations studies along with human geography. In her spare time Gillian likes to travel, read, and visit new coffee shops in DC

If you or someone you know is interested in applying for an internship at the AAG, the AAG seeks interns on a year-round basis for the spring, summer, and fall semesters. Currently, due to COVID-19 safety regulations in Washington, DC AAG interns are home-based employees.

Learn more about being an AAG intern

 

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AAG Staff
Newsletters

Newsletter – February 2022

Would you like to receive this newsletter in your email inbox? Sign up for a free AAG account now and select AAG Newsletter under your communication preferences.

PRESIDENT’S COLUMN

Pathways for Change: The 2022 Annual Meeting, AAG Council, and the Climate Action Survey

By Emily Yeh

With patience, goodwill, and commitment, our geographical association can also be at the forefront of developing pathways for scholarly societies to respond to climate change. 

Continue Reading.  

ANNUAL MEETING

Countdown to the 2022 AAG Annual Meeting

We are about 3 weeks away from the Annual Meeting! The completely virtual 2022 Annual Meeting, February 25 – March 1, will feature 1,000+ paper sessions and panels on a wide range of topics as well as 20+ poster sessions. Browse the updated  to plan your attendance. Attendees can search by session type, theme, curated track, and specialty group sponsors or can use the open search box to search by presenter names or keywords.

Haven’t registered yet? Registration remains open  until the end of the event. All registrants will have access to any recorded sessions for 180 days following the conclusion of the Annual Meeting. To learn more about the meeting and plan for your participation, please visit the . We look forward to seeing you online soon.

Now Recruiting: Employers and Job Seekers for AAG’s Virtual Career Fair

African-American woman looking at laptop with pen in handAre you searching for that perfect job candidate? Are you looking to land a great internship or find your dream job? For the first time, the AAG will be holding a virtual career fair during the Annual Meeting. Employers and Job Seekers will have the opportunity to connect on February 28th from 12-3 PM ET in private, one-on-one conversations. 

For companies and organizations, spots are filling up quickly, so reserve your booth today. 

For Job Seekers, register today for the AAG Virtual Career Fair. 

Register Today for the 2022 AAG Annual Meeting

#AAG2022 is only a few weeks away and has been shifted to a fully online meeting. The virtual meeting will be held February 25 – March 1 in Eastern Time. Here are a few links for quick reference.

PUBLICATIONS

NEW The Professional Geographer Issue with Special Focus on Rethinking Professional Geographical Practice in a Time of Climate Crisis

The most recent issue of The Professional Geographer has been published online () with 10 new articles on current geographic research and a special focus section containing 22 articles and dialogs. Growing out of a series of sessions at the 2020 AAG Annual Meeting organized by AAG’s Climate Change Task Force, the special focus on Rethinking Professional Geographical Practice in a Time of Climate Crisis is divided into two parts and two debate sections. The articles in this special focus will be open and freely available for the next six months.  

All AAG members have full online access to all issues of The Professional Geographer through the  page. In every issue, the editors choose one article to make freely available. In addition to the special focus, in this issue you can read  by Sunyong Eom,Minyoung Jang, and Nam-Seok Ji for free.

Questions about The Professional Geographer? Contact .

NEW Winter Issue of the AAG Review of Books Published

The latest issue of the AAG Review of Books is now available () with 12 book reviews on recent books related to geography, public policy, and international affairs. The new issue also holds three book review essays two of which are freely available:  by Peter Wagner and  by Laurel C. Smith and Jennifer Koch.

Questions about the AAG Review of Books? Contact .

In addition to the most recently published journal, read the latest issue of the other AAG journals online:

• Annals of the American Association of Geographers
• The Professional Geographer
• GeoHumanities
• The AAG Review of Books
•

New issue of African Geographical Review

The latest issue of the journal of the Africa Specialty Group of the AAG, the African Geographical Review, has recently been published. Volume 40, Issue 4 is available online for subscribers and members of the Africa Specialty Group. This issue contains eight research articles including one freely available piece,  by Olalekan John Taiwo.

Call for Abstracts: Special Issue of the ‘Annals’ on “Networks”

How and why do we perceive and represent geographic phenomena as networks? Do networked spaces challenge established geographic thoughts (e.g., the first law of geography)? Is there new knowledge emerging from networks that transforms how we perceive and represent spaces? We welcome theoretical, methodological, and empirical contributions to networks from a range of views, such as environmental/biophysical, social/economic, political/cultural, ethical/legal, behavioral, and ontological/cognitive perspectives to contribute to the 2024 special issue of the Annals of the American Association of Geographers.

Abstracts of no more than 250 words should be submitted by e-mail to  by March 31, 2022. Special Issue Editor Ling Bian will consider all abstracts and then invite a selection to submit full papers for peer review by June 1, 2022.

ASSOCIATION NEWS

2022 AAG Election Results

The AAG election wrapped up on January 27th and the candidates running for various AAG governance positions have been selected. Congratulations to all who will be assuming their new roles on July 1st. We thank the hardworking officers whose terms will be concluding later this year.

Meet the 2021 and 2022 Classes of AAG Fellows!

The AAG has named 23 individuals to the 2021 and 2022 classes of AAG Fellows. The AAG Fellows is a program, started in 2018, to recognize geographers in a variety of practice areas for their contributions to geographic research, advancement of practice, and careers devoted to strengthening the field of geography, including teaching and mentoring. The honorary title of AAG Fellow is conferred for life and, once designated, AAG Fellows remain part of this ever-growing advisory body. AAG Fellows serve the AAG as an august body to address, contribute to, and at times create initiatives to advance the discipline.

(announced a year later, as guidelines for the Fellows program underwent revisions by the AAG Council last year)

Author N.K. Jemisin Is 2022 Honorary Geographer

AAG has named award-winning speculative fiction writer N.K. Jemisin as its 2022 Honorary Geographer. .

Thank You for Supporting AAG in 2021

Our greatest thanks to the 104 donors who made gifts totaling $64,384 during 2021. Your donations provided resources to nineteen funds and are helping AAG achieve its mission to ensure the health and vitality of the geographic discipline. Together, we are making so much possible, and we would like to share with you some details of your support:

Donations to AAG’s unrestricted fund saw significant growth with 47 donors making gifts totaling $17,715. These donations helped AAG to convene fourteen state-wide panels to provide geographers with the tools and knowledge they need to contribute to their state’s redrawing of congressional districts, to produce a video to help 50 geography departments recruit students into their programs, and to expand our career development and research training webinar series allowing more than 2,600 individuals to participate. Gifts to AAG’s unrestricted fund are some of the most important, allowing AAG to direct this support to initiatives that are important and timely, and ensuring that AAG programs are appropriately supported.

Many of AAG’s awards and prizes received significant support including $20,465 to the Marble Fund for Geographic Science, $5,500 to the Wilbanks Prize for Transformational Research in Geography, and $5,500 to the Darrell Hess Community College Scholarship Fund.

With the 2021 Annual Meeting being held virtually, thirty-five members, who had purchased an in-person registration, chose to donate all or a portion of their Annual Meeting registration fees rather than take a refund. $6,069 was donated to help AAG enhance the virtual meeting experience that drew an audience of over 4,600 participants, with nearly 1,000 sessions and 3,000 abstracts presented.

Our student travel funds also garnered support with the Hess Community College Travel Fund receiving $2,000 and $1,285 being raised for the general student travel fund.

To our donors, members, and friends, thank you for all that you do to help AAG ensure that the geographic discipline and profession continues to move forward.

AAG Welcomes Spring 2022 Interns

The AAG is excited to welcome two new interns coming aboard our staff for the Spring 2022 semester! Joining us this semester are Bettina Saraydaroglu, a junior at The George Washington University, and Gillian Villarroel, a sophomore also at The George Washington University.

Interested in interning with the AAG for Summer 2022? The AAG is accepting  until March 1, 2022. Interns at the AAG are provided a weekly stipend and participate in most AAG programs and projects such as education, outreach, research, website, publications, or the Annual Meeting.

 

POLICY CORNER

New Geography-Related CIP Code Becomes STEM Eligible, but More Needed from DHS

Photo of U.S. Capitol building dome

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) maintains a list of degree programs eligible for what is called an optional practical training (OPT) extension to a foreign student visa. This two-year visa extension is available to those degrees in STEM fields as determined by the  of specific program CIP codes. Degree programs included in this exclusive group are often far more attractive to foreign students applying to study in the States, meaning most department chairs and degree program heads are very familiar with this list.

Last month, the OPT STEM designation list saw the addition of a , including “Geography and Environmental Studies” (CIP code 30.4401). This degree program joins a small group of existing STEM geography-related CIP codes including GIS & Cartography, Signal/Geospatial Intelligence, and Environmental Geosciences. While the inclusion of “Geography and Environmental Studies” in DHS’s STEM list is encouraging and welcomed news, recent AAG fact-finding indicates that the majority of geography degree programs will not see the benefits. Geography departments using a different array of CIP codes find themselves struggling to compete when recruiting foreign students who must weigh the practical differences between programs offering the best opportunities to stay and work in the country.

Not every geography degree program fits a classic STEM definition. But the interdisciplinary curricula offered by a geography degree produces capable, well-rounded graduates prepared to succeed in many industries, including science and tech. More geography degree programs deserve consideration for this DHS list as departments strive to attract the best and brightest students. The AAG is tracking this issue and has already led productive meetings with representatives from DHS. We will continue collecting degree program data from departments and welcome our Department Chairs to offer their comments and experience.

In the News:

  • The AAG is hosting a . Register now and join us Feb 26th at 3:40pm ET as we share success stories and discuss remaining barriers for geographers aiming to stay involved in the redistricting process.
  • The US Department of Interior is seeking geographers to join a special Advisory Committee as part of a broad effort to review and replace derogatory names of the nation’s geographic features.  on how to nominate yourself or others.
  • Last month, the White House’s Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) released its first report on .
  • On January 4, the  for the Convergence Accelerator for fiscal year (FY) 2022, applications for which are expected to open in the coming months. NSF’s Convergence Accelerator aims to promote research in areas of strategic and societal importance through a three-tiered process: ideation, and two convergence research phases. The tracks for FY 2022 are Enhancing Opportunities for Persons with Disabilities, Sustainable Materials for Global Challenges, and Food & Nutrition Security.
Member News

February Member Updates

Cultural geographer Dr. Aretina Hamilton took on a new position as Director of Equity and Inclusion for the City of Raleigh on January 31. .

Geographer Katherine McKittrick has been named a Canada Research Chair (CRC) in Black Studies. The prestigious honor recognizes outstanding Canadian researchers who are acknowledged by their peers as world leaders in their fields. .

The American Association for the Advancement of Science named three AAG members as Fellows in November: Marcellus M. Caldas, Kansas State University; Harvey J. Miller, The Ohio State University; Shaowen Wang, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. .

RESOURCES AND OPPORTUNITIES

AAG Calls for Nominations for Standing and Awards Committees

The AAG Council will make appointments to several of the AAG Standing Committees during the spring of 2022. These appointments will replace members whose terms will expire on June 30, 2022. If you wish to nominate yourself or other qualified individuals for one or more of these vacancies, please notify AAG Chief Operations Officer  on or before March 7, 2022. Please make sure that your nominee is willing to serve if appointed. Include contact information for your nominee as well as a brief paragraph indicating their suitability for the position.

Open committees include: Committee on the Status of Women in Geography, JEDI Committee, Finance Committee, International Research and Scholarly Exchange, Membership Committee, Publications Committee, AAG Awards Committee, AAG Fellows Selection Committee, AAG Globe Book Award Committee, AAG Harm de Blij Award Committee, AAG Meridian Book Award Committee, AAG Marcus Fund for Physical Geography Committee, AAG Program Excellence Award Committee, AAG Research Grants Committee, AAG Harold Rose Award Committee, AAG Student Award and Scholarship Committee. 

In addition to volunteers and nominations for AAG Standing Committees, we are currently seeking members with experience working with corporate programs and foundations to serve on the Development Advisory Group. This group meets periodically to provide insight into AAG development and fundraising initiatives. Please contact , Director of Development for more information.

Symposium on Hurricane Risk in a Changing Climate – Registration Open

Join scholars and practitioners in Key Largo, FL June 5-9, 2022 for the Symposium on Hurricane Risk in a Changing Climate. The main objective of this symposium is to foster communication among scientists, engineers, and practitioners in order to increase understanding of and better ways to deal with tropical cyclone risks. This Symposium differs from a traditional conference in that there is greater time allocated for each speaker to present and have Q and A in order to obtain greater depth to the discussion and there is a greater emphasis on networking to bring participants together for future collaborations.

Geography Education National Implementation Project (GENIP) CHAIR SEARCH

The Geography Education National Implementation Project (GENIP) is a committee to support communication and collaboration regarding K-12 geography education by the four national geography organizations (American Association of Geographers; American Geographical Society; National Council for Geographic Education; and National Geographic Society). GENIP is conducting a search for a new Chair of the committee.

The Chair is responsible for coordinating and administrating the activities of the GENIP. Nominees should be knowledgeable about issues related to geography education, especially at the K-12 level. Preferred candidates will have experience with geography education, related policy issues, state and national standards, curricula, and assessments, and other cognate non-profit, educational organizations. This is a paid position lasting for a two-year term, which may be renewed. For a full description, responsibilities, and details on how to apply, .

Request for Proposals for Entrepreneurship Researchers Opening Jan. 18, 2022

This January, the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation will launch the 2022 Kauffman Knowledge Challenge Request for Proposals (RFP). The goal of this RFP is to support research that improves our understanding of entrepreneurship and generates practical, actionable, and rigorous evidence to inform decision-making and change systems. There are two focus areas that applicants will be asked to choose from: Systems and structures to support inclusive prosperity, which will explore the infrastructure needed to support entrepreneurs and entrepreneurship, and Equitable opportunities and the future of work, which will explore how entrepreneurial activity might be structured as the economy emerges from the COVID-19 pandemic. Research findings will be shared with entrepreneurs, entrepreneurial support organizations, community leaders, and policymakers. The RFP opens Jan. 18, 2022 and closes Feb. 28, 2022.

GEOGRAPHERS IN THE NEWS
EVENTS CALENDAR

Submit News to the AAG Newsletter. To share your news, email us!

 

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Journals

Call for Abstracts: Special Issue of ‘Annals’ on “Networks”

Call for Abstracts for Special Issue 2024

Annals journal coverThe Annals of the American Association of Geographers is seeking contributions for a Special Issue on the topic of Networks to be published in 2024.

Networks represent connections between people, things, ideas, and events in physical, digital, or hybrid spaces. They facilitate the dynamic flow of geographic phenomena and interactions between them. The concept of networks is pertinent to a range of actively pursued topics in geography, including, but not limited to, those in environmental/biophysical, health, social-economic, political, cultural, transportation/mobility, communication, organization/collaboration, conflict, crime, and cyber/sensor geographies.

How and why do we perceive and represent geographic phenomena as networks? Do networked spaces challenge established geographic thoughts (e.g., the first law of geography)? Is there new knowledge emerging from networks that transforms how we perceive and represent spaces? Would the knowledge collectively foster new policies? A plethora of researchable questions allows us to explore rich and complex networks to advance the discipline and meet societal needs.

We welcome theoretical, methodological, and empirical contributions to networks from a range of views, such as environmental/biophysical, social/economic, political/cultural, ethical/legal, behavioral, and ontological/cognitive perspectives.

Abstracts of no more than 250 words should be submitted by e-mail to Jennifer Cassidento (jcassidento [at] aag [dot] org) by March 31, 2022. Special Issue Editor Ling Bian will consider all abstracts and then invite a selection to submit full papers for peer review by June 1, 2022.

Papers will have a target maximum length of 5,000 words (including abstract, main text, references, tables, figure captions, etc.). First draft of papers will be due (via ScholarOne) by December 1, 2022 and final papers will be due by October 1, 2023 for publication in 2024.

For questions about this Special Issue, please contact Annals Editor, Ling Bian (lbian [at] buffalo [dot] edu). For questions about the abstract submission process, please contact the Managing Editor, Jennifer Cassidento (jcassidento [at] aag [dot] org).

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News

AAG Among Eighty Geography Societies Worldwide Calling for Climate Action

October 21, 2021…The American Association of Geographers is among 80 geography societies and organizations worldwide who have signed a Joint Declaration of International Geographical Societies on the Climate and Biodiversity Emergencies. Citing the “unique opportunities and responsibilities” of geographers, the letter urges the geographic community to go beyond analysis of the challenge of climate change, to pursue the “kinds of thought and action that can deliver a better tomorrow for every person on Earth.”

The statement highlights the series of consequential global meetings in October and November–the UN Biodiversity Conference and UN Climate Change Conference–addressing the world’s biodiversity crisis, habitat loss, and loss of species; and considering ways to stem the compounding impacts of climate change–expressing the expectation and hope that the world’s leaders will place the highest priority on the protection of nature and a livable climate, establishing ambitious targets for 2030.

“Geographers, whether as students, researchers, educators, writers, explorers, practitioners in business or policy, or as engaged and curious travelers, encourage our leaders to make ambitious commitments to place the protection of nature and a livable climate at the centre of the world’s economics and politics at this critical juncture. Accordingly, we pledge that our institutions will redouble our efforts to apply the unique attributes that are the hallmark of the learning, teaching, and practice of geography to the global environmental challenges that have drawn together the world’s governments to these vital meetings this year. We commit to doing all that we can to apply geography’s potent capabilities to the task of making the coming decade one of hope and of positive action.”

Please share and retweet using the hashtag #Geo4Earth.

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News

AAG 2022 Goes All Virtual

aag 2021 virtual image-44AAG has been closely monitoring the latest information surrounding COVID-19, and considering its effect in relation to our annual meeting scheduled for February 25 – March 1, 2022. After conferring with AAG Council, leadership and staff, we have made the decision to convert AAG2022 to an entirely virtual event. We based our decision on the best information we have now, given the repeated variant outbreaks, transmission rates, and on-going safety and service disruptions that present insurmountable challenges to running a safe, successful in-person meeting. In addition, our registration patterns and the recent membership survey confirm that the majority of our members are not comfortable returning to large, in-person meetings at this time.  

Fortunately, a streamlined process is in place to help session and activity organizers bring their programming to the virtual environment. AAG staff will convert any in-person or hybrid sessions or abstracts to virtual sessions. If you are already presenting virtually or organizing a virtual session, nothing will change for your presentation.  

We are also prepared to seamlessly provide a refund for the difference in in-person and virtual registration rates to all in-person participants. No action is needed on your part.  

While we were looking forward to gathering in person, we are confident that the virtual experience will deliver robust content and networking opportunities. We want to thank you for being part of the AAG community. Your presence and support mean the world to us, and we look forward to engaging with you at AAG2022. 

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Emily Frisan

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Lisa Schamess

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Becky Pendergast

The AAG Newsletter is an online-only publication. It is sent to members’ inboxes 10 times a year and published on the website to highlight the news and other online content published by the AAG.
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Awardees

Geophysicist Marcia McNutt Honored with 2022 AAG Atlas Award

Photo of Marcia McNuttGeophysicist Marcia McNutt, president of the National Academy of Sciences, has been awarded the AAG’s highest honor, the AAG Atlas Award. Dr. McNutt will speak at AAG 2022, reflecting on what she has learned in a trailblazing career that includes serving as President and CEO of the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute, and as the first woman to direct the US Geological Survey, where she led numerous disaster response efforts, including earthquakes in Haiti, Chile, and Japan, and the Deepwater Horizon oil spill.

During the Deepwater Horizon crisis, McNutt led a team of government scientists and engineers at BP headquarters in Houston to contain the oil and cap the well. For her contributions, she was awarded the U.S. Coast Guard’s Meritorious Service Medal.

McNutt’s academic career started at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), where she was a Professor of Geophysics, and directed the MIT and Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution Oceanography/Applied Ocean Science & Engineering Joint Program. She received her BA in physics from Colorado College and her PhD in Earth sciences at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography.

As AAG’s flagship honor, the Atlas Award was launched in 2010 to recognize and celebrate outstanding, internationally recognized leaders who advance world understanding in exceptional ways. The image of Atlas shouldering the weight of the world is a powerful symbol for this award program, as our nominees are those who take the weight of the world on their shoulders and move it forward, whether in science, politics, scholarship, or the arts. Dr. Marcia McNutt joins esteemed past recipients of the Atlas Award, including Primatologist Jane Goodall, international human rights and political leader Mary Robinson, civil rights icon Julian Bond, public intellectual Noam Chomsky, and Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden.

AAG is honored to offer this recognition to Dr. McNutt and welcome her to speak at AAG 2022. Find out more and register here.

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Lisa Schamess
Lisa Schamess
Newsletters

Newsletter – December 2021-January 2022

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PRESIDENT’S COLUMN

The Pandemic, the Scale of ‘We’, and the Fortress-Individual: Geographies of Responsibility

Photo of posted signs requesting workers wear masks by BP Miller

By Emily Yeh

Last year, now-Past President Amy Lobben titled her first newsletter column, “The Spatial Scale of ‘We,’” to reflect on the rapid shrinking of who counts as ‘we’ “to a remarkably small spatial and social scale” in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. Her phrase has resonated with me over the past few weeks as I consider the global pandemic that is soon to enter its third year. 

Continue Reading.  

PERSPECTIVES

Advanced Placement Human Geography: Time for a Reappraisal?

By Michael Solem, Richard G. Boehm, and Joann Zadrozny

The conversation we need to have about AP Human Geography requires a shift in perspective from growth metrics to quality metrics, so that we begin to acquire a clear understanding of the things that really matter: the extent that APHG is effective for the students who participate in the course and whether APHG is delivering on its potential for geography in higher education. 

Continue Reading.

ANNUAL MEETING

Now Recruiting: Employers and Job Seekers for AAG’s Virtual Career Fair

African-American woman looking at laptop with pen in handAre you searching for that perfect job candidate? Are you looking to land a great internship or find your dream job? For the first time, the AAG will be holding a virtual career fair during the Annual Meeting. Employers and Job Seekers will have the opportunity to connect on February 28th from 12-3 PM ET in private, one-on-one conversations. 

For companies and organizations, spots are filling up quickly, so reserve your booth today. 

For Job Seekers, register today for the AAG Virtual Career Fair. 

Be a Career Mentor at the 2022 AAG Annual Meeting

AAG annual meeting attendees sit in a circle participating in a discussion about careers.

The AAG seeks professional geographers representing the business, government, nonprofit and academic sectors to serve as volunteer “Career Mentors” during the 2022 AAG Annual Meeting. Career mentoring provides an open forum for students and job seekers to receive one-on-one and small-group consultation about geography careers in a variety of industries and employment sectors. Sessions will be held each morning from 9:40-11:00 ET, February 25-February 28, 2021. Please note that the sessions will be in-person only.

For additional questions and to volunteer, please contact Mark Revell at the AAG mrevell [at] aag [dot] org as soon as possible, and no later than January 31, 2022.  

Register Today for the 2022 AAG Annual Meeting

Mark your calendar for the AAG Annual Meeting in the Big Apple, February 25 – March 1, 2022. The hybrid meeting will take place both online and at the NY Hilton Midtown and the Sheraton New York Times Square Hotel. While paper abstract submission is closed, AAG will accept abstracts for poster presentations until January 6, 2022. We look forward to seeing you in New York City!

PUBLICATIONS

NEW GeoHumanities Issue Alert: Articles with topics ranging from festivals to urban change to the petrochemical industrial complex

GeoHumanities CoverThe most recent issue of GeoHumanities has been published online (Volume 7, Issue 2, December 2021) with 17 new research articles and creative pieces on subjects within geography. Topics in this issue include sand’s effects on settlement in Hong Kong; transnational agrarian movements; migration child detention; drawing as an ethno-political practice; Roden Crater; the depiction of bodies on maps; processing biological and geologic time; and decolonizing geology. Articles also explore mediums such as vignettes; poetry; photo essays; and film. Authors are from a variety of research institutions including Cardiff University; Dartmouth College; University of Cambridge; University of Southern California; and Michigan Technological University.  

All AAG members have full online access to all issues of GeoHumanities through the Members Only page. In every issue, the editors choose one article to make freely available. In this issue you can read Normalized Alterity: Visualizing Black Spatial Humanities by Darius Scott for free. 

Questions about GeoHumanities? Contact geohumanities [at] aag [dot] org. 

NEW Annals Alert: Articles with topics ranging from river restoration to the political ecology of volcanic sand mining, from dust events in Iran to high Arctic coastal systems

Annals journal cover

The most recent issue of the Annals of the American Association of Geographers has been published online (Volume 112, Issue 1) with 15 new articles on contemporary geographic research. Topics in this issue include the glyphosate assemblage; Chinese megacities; paraglacial typology; mobility during COVID-19; dust events over time; wayfinding in virtual reality; and postwar occupational mobility. Locational areas of interest include Wisconsin; urban China; the Mississippi delta; Western Norway; and rural Sweden. Authors are from a variety of research institutions including National Taiwan University and Tokyo Institute of Technology; Dartmouth College; Queens University; and National University of Singapore.

Each issue, the Editors choose one article to make freely available for two months.  In this issue you can read A New Paraglacial Typology of High Arctic Coastal Systems: Application to Recherchefjorden, Svalbard by Kamila Jarosz, Piotr Zagórski, Mateusz Moskalik, Michael Lim, Jan Rodzik and Karolina Mędrek for free.

Questions about the Annals? Contact annals [at] aag [dot] org. 

In addition to the most recently published journal, read the latest issue of the other AAG journals online:

• Annals of the American Association of Geographers
• The Professional Geographer
• GeoHumanities
• The AAG Review of Books

AAG Seeks GeoHumanities co-editor 

The AAG seeks applications for the position of co-editor of GeoHumanities. The new co-editor, whose responsibilities include overseeing the solicitation, review, and publication of scholarly articles for the journal, will be appointed for a four-year editorial term beginning January 1, 2023. 

Learn more about the position.

ASSOCIATION NEWS

AAG Is Proud to Announce the 2022 AAG Honors

Since 1951, AAG Honors have been offered annually to recognize outstanding accomplishments by members in research and scholarship, teaching, education, service to the discipline, public service outside academe, and for lifetime achievement. Each year, the AAG invites nominations for AAG Honors to be conferred in recognition of outstanding contributions to the advancement or welfare of the profession. The AAG Honors Committee is charged with making award recommendations for each category, with no more than two awards given in any one category. The AAG is proud to officially announce the 2022 AAG Honors.

See the Honorees.

AAG Announces Diversity & Inclusion, Mentoring, Rose, & Brunn Awards

The American Association of Geographers congratulates the individuals and entities named to receive an AAG Award. The 2022 Diversity and Inclusion Award is presented to the team of Beverley Mullings, Kate Parizeau, and Linda Peake for their combined work on mental health as well as to Austin Mardon for his advocacy of those with chronic mental disorders. David Lopez-Carr from UC Santa Barbara has received the 2022 Susan Hardwick Excellence in Mentoring Award. The 2022 Harold M. Rose Award for Anti-Racism Research and Practice is awarded to Caroline Faria of the University of Texas Austin. Kathryn Yusoff of Queen Mary University London is the 2022 awardee of the Stanley Brunn Award for Creativity in Geography. 

See the Awardees. 

Support AAG and Help Geographers Thrive

Giving Tuesday, celebrated on November 30, 2021, is a national day devoted to supporting the charities that mean the most to you. We are delighted that many members and friends supported AAG with gifts totaling $7,340. Giving Tuesday kicked-off AAG’s end-of-year fund-raising effort. If you haven’t made your 2021 gift, please donate now and help AAG continue to take action to support geography. 

You can make a difference by supporting: 

  • The Area of Greatest Needs Fund and help support the Association’s most pressing needs as they arise and evolve, and to expand offerings for learning, connection, and professional growth. 
  • The Enhancing Diversity Fund and help AAG, and the broader geography community, to enhance diversity, promote equity, and foster a more inclusive culture. 
  • The Student Travel Fund that makes it more affordable for students to attend, in person, the AAG Annual Meeting.   

No matter the size of your gift, it will truly make a difference. Donate now to help support geographers and the discipline in the year ahead.

Congratulations to Outstanding Graduate Student Papers from Regional Meetings

The AAG is proud to announce the Fall 2021 student winners of the AAG Council Award for Outstanding Graduate Student Paper at a Regional Meeting. The annual award, designed to both encourage regional meeting participation and support AAG Annual Meeting travel, is granted to one student from each division as decided by regional division board members. The winners from each region will present their work in a dedicated session at the 2022 AAG Annual Meeting. Congratulations to all of the students who participated!  

Read more about the winners.

Get ready for the 2022 AAG Election

The AAG election will be conducted online again, and voting will take place January 6-27, 2022. Each member who has an email address on record with the AAG will receive a special email with a code that will allow them to sign in to our AAG SimplyVoting website and vote. It’s important to update your email address in your AAG account to ensure you receive the email ballot. The 2022 election slate will be published on the AAG website soon.  

POLICY CORNER

Redistricting Roundtable at NYC Annual Meeting

Photo of U.S. Capitol building domeThe AAG’s Redistricting Panel Series that took place this September aimed to answer the question, “What can geographers do to get involved in 2021 redistricting?” Thanks to geographers from around the country who stepped up as hosts and organizers, the AAG conducted 14 different virtual and in-person panels in as many states.

While some states have nearly finished their new district maps, many others are still in the middle of the redistricting process. Even among the completed maps, some have already faced legal challenges based on fairness and equity in representation. Public input is a crucial component of this process but taking the right steps to get involved proves difficult for most people. Join the AAG for a Redistricting Roundtable Discussion on Sat, Feb 26th at the NYC Annual Meeting as we reflect on our panel series and look forward to how geographers can stay involved in their states as district maps are drawn, reviewed, and challenged. 

In the News:

  • On Friday, Nov. 19, the House passed the Build Back Better reconciliation bill, 220-213, on a near-party line vote, with only Democratic Rep. Jared Golden of Maine joining all Republicans in opposing the measure. Negotiations continue in the Senate as the White House holds out hope for full passage by year’s end.  
  • On November 16, Representatives Diana DeGette (D-CO) and Fred Upton (R-MI) introduced the Cures 2.0 Act. In addition to authorization for Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H), the Cures 2.0 Act includes the Research Investment to Spark the Economy (RISE) Act, legislation that would authorize relief funding for federal research agencies to help strengthen U.S. research in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic. 
  • Throughout the end of 2021 and early 2022, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) will be holding a series of listening sessions to gather stakeholder feedback on achieving racial equity as part of the agency’s UNITE Initiative. The UNITE Initiative, which was launched by NIH in March 2021, is intended to analyze and address the agency’s practices to better foster diversity, equity, and inclusion in the biomedical research enterprise.
RESOURCES AND OPPORTUNITIES

Paid Positions: Be Part of the AAG Summer Series

The 2022 summer series will be the first of its kind for AAG. It is an expansion of the 2020-2021 Learning Series. The need for such a program beyond the pandemic became clear based on testimonies from the Learning Series, which is why the AAG Council re-committed support for another year and increased its budget. 

With an increased program budget, and based on community input during the Learning Series and from an all-day event on September 10, we changed the format of this program in four major ways. First, the main audience for the series remains graduate students, but we are also developing a few offerings that will target recently graduated geographers in- or outside of academia, and a few undergraduate students. Second, we will continue having graduate-level advanced workshops, but we are also developing other offering types such as basic-level workshops, graduate-led working groups, and a seminar series. Third, we are collaborating with the AAG Affinity Groups for Graduate Students (GSAG) to offer informal graduate forums. Fourth, the series will happen throughout the summer months (May through August), rather than all year long. 

We are seeking geography faculty and graduate students to submit proposals for workshops and for working groups (respectively). The call for proposals for the 2022 summer series remains open until Thursday, January 13, 2022.

Learn more.

Symposium on Hurricane Risk in a Changing Climate – Registration Open

Join scholars and practitioners in Key Largo, FL June 5-9, 2022 for the Symposium on Hurricane Risk in a Changing Climate. The main objective of this symposium is to foster communication among scientists, engineers, and practitioners in order to increase understanding of and better ways to deal with tropical cyclone risks. This Symposium differs from a traditional conference in that there is greater time allocated for each speaker to present and have Q and A in order to obtain greater depth to the discussion and there is a greater emphasis on networking to bring participants together for future collaborations.  

Registration and more information available here.

Two Fellowships Available from the Society of Woman Geographers

The Society of Woman Geographers (SWG) invites applications for its Evelyn L. Pruitt doctoral dissertation research fellowships for 2022-2023 for women in geography and geographical aspects of other fields, as well as the Evelyn L. Pruitt National Minority Fellowship for 2022-2023 for minority women who have been admitted to and plan to enroll or are enrolled in a Masters program in geography or a related field. Applicants must be students in US or Canadian universities. Applications are due February 1, 2022. For more information, application guidelines, and details for submission of proposals see the Society of Woman Geographers website. 

Geography Education National Implementation Project (GENIP) CHAIR SEARCH

The Geography Education National Implementation Project (GENIP) is a committee to support communication and collaboration regarding K-12 geography education by the four national geography organizations (American Association of Geographers; American Geographical Society; National Council for Geographic Education; and National Geographic Society). GENIP is conducting a search for a new Chair of the committee.

The Chair is responsible for coordinating and administrating the activities of the GENIP. Nominees should be knowledgeable about issues related to geography education, especially at the K-12 level. Preferred candidates will have experience with geography education, related policy issues, state and national standards, curricula, and assessments, and other cognate non-profit, educational organizations. This is a paid position lasting for a two-year term, which may be renewed. For a full description, responsibilities, and details on how to apply, click here.

Request for Proposals for Entrepreneurship Researchers Opening Jan. 18, 2022

This January, the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation will launch the 2022 Kauffman Knowledge Challenge Request for Proposals (RFP). The goal of this RFP is to support research that improves our understanding of entrepreneurship and generates practical, actionable, and rigorous evidence to inform decision-making and change systems. There are two focus areas that applicants will be asked to choose from: Systems and structures to support inclusive prosperity, which will explore the infrastructure needed to support entrepreneurs and entrepreneurship, and Equitable opportunities and the future of work, which will explore how entrepreneurial activity might be structured as the economy emerges from the COVID-19 pandemic. Research findings will be shared with entrepreneurs, entrepreneurial support organizations, community leaders, and policymakers. The RFP opens Jan. 18, 2022 and closes Feb. 28, 2022. 

More information about this RFP is available here. 

Redistricting Data Hub Opportunities

The 2021 redistricting cycle is at the halfway mark, and it’s not too late to get involved! If you were inspired by one of the AAG Redistricting Panel Series, check out the nonpartisan Redistricting Data Hub for free, high-quality data that can be used for analysis, as well as free trainings on how to analyze maps for consideration of COIs and racially polarized voting (RPV) analyses.

If you have an idea for a training or a group that might be interested, or any redistricting-related question, email the Hub’s Help Desk. Among other activities, the Redistricting Data Hub is currently collecting all submitted community of interest (COI) maps to make publicly available in a database to facilitate analysis, learn more here.

GEOGRAPHERS IN THE NEWS
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AAG Staff
AAG Staff