Paul McDaniel

Education: Ph.D. in Geography and Urban Regional Analysis (University of North Carolina at Charlotte), M.A.E. in Higher Education Leadership (University of Alabama at Birmingham), M.S. in Geography (University of Tennessee), B.S. in Geography (Samford University)

What attracted you to a career in education?
In between completing my masters degree and beginning work on a doctoral degree, I worked full time in location analysis and market research analysis. While completing my doctorate, I taught several courses as an instructor. After finishing my PhD, I again worked full time outside academia—this time as a research fellow for an immigration policy research organization in Washington, DC. While in DC, I realized that I missed the university setting and interactions with students. After several years in DC, I decided to pursue a career in academia in a setting that provided a balance of teaching and research opportunities.

How has your education/background in geography prepared you for this position?
I was always interested in geography. When I found out geography was something you could major in at university, I knew that was the route I wanted to go. I love geography because of how broad the discipline is, covering both physical and human geography. Because geography is such a broad discipline, there is opportunity to cultivate a diverse skill set of breadth and depth that can be applied in a variety of settings. My career pathway to working in higher education has been less traditional and has allowed me opportunity to apply a variety of geographic skills, including quantitative, qualitative, and GIS/technical skills in settings outside academia. Having a background in geography has allowed me to bring a unique perspective to work in non-academic settings. In turn, my application of geography in such settings has allowed me to gain new insights about how geography may be applied to better understand issues and help solve societal problems. And I bring those insights into the classroom today and discuss such opportunities with students.

What geographic skills and information do you use most often in your work? What general skills and information do you use most often in your work?
Geographic skills: I use a variety of quantitative, qualitative, and spatial analysis/GIS techniques in my research about immigrant settlement, integration, inclusion, and receptivity, in cities, to be able to explain relationships and processes of human migration. Conceptual understanding and application of knowledge about the broader forces driving the changing geography of international migration is also important in my work. Using tools of geography to visualize phenomena is also important in the classroom to convey information to students in a compelling way.

General skills: other skills important in my work that were cultivated during graduate school and working outside academia include analyzing literature (including academic/scientific literature); critical thinking and critical writing skills; writing for different audiences (academic, policy, general audience); presentation and public speaking skills, including speaking to different types of audiences (academic, professional, policy, general public).

Are there any skills or information you need for your work that you did not obtain through your academic training? If so, how/where did you obtain them?
In academia, you must quickly become efficient at juggling commitments in the three areas of teaching, supervision, and mentorship of students; research and creative activity; and professional service. Organization skills are critical to be successful in managing your various activities in each of these three areas while progressing on different projects in each area that are at different stages of your productivity pipeline.

Additionally, it is important for academia to engage with the broader public about current events and issues. The breadth and depth of training of geographers allows us opportunity to help the broader public understand the nuances and contexts of many issues and processes. As such, being able to write and speak to the public in a compelling and conversational way about complex issues is important. During my time in DC, I was able to hone my writing and public speaking skills for a wide variety of audiences, and these skills continue to be important today when discussing topics about immigration with different audiences, either in writing or through public speaking.

Do you participate in hiring, screening, or training of new employees? If so, what qualities and/or skills do you look for?
I look for people who bring a geographic skills set of breadth and depth, are confident in what they have to offer and in themselves as individuals, are flexible and open to learning new concepts and ways of doing things, and will be collegial and pleasant colleagues with whom I will look forward to working and interacting.

What do you find most interesting/challenging/inspiring about your work?
In geography, there is always something new to learn and new perspectives through which to explore and examine an issue or process. In my work focused on immigration and immigrant settlement, and how cities respond to changing immigration dynamics, there is always something going on that directly links to current events as well as conversations about the topic occurring in media and political realms. This makes the work timely, but also presents the challenge and opportunity of conveying research-based information to the broader public as well as to policy audiences in a timely and compelling way, as well as helping students to understand processes from an informed perspective. A couple of things I find inspiring about my work include interacting with a wide range of individuals and organizations in different communities doing meaningful work with vulnerable and marginalized populations. I am also inspired when my students gain new understanding and insights about local, regional, and global processes through the variety of perspectives that geography offers.

What advice would you give to someone interested in a job like yours?
Pursue a variety of opportunities to cultivate a diverse skills set with breadth and depth. In addition to your thesis or dissertation work, seek out opportunities to help with other research projects; gain teaching experience in different courses; participate in service opportunities in your department, at your university, and in the broader community; get involved with the broader geography academic community, such as your regional division of AAG or an AAG specialty group; network with other geographers doing things that you find interesting; and develop communication skills for conveying information to a variety of audiences including writing and public speaking to general audiences.

What is the occupational outlook for career opportunities in your field/organization, esp. for geographers?
Whether or not you are pursuing a career in higher education, there are a wide variety of opportunities for geographers in many sectors, including education, nonprofit/NGO, government (local, state, federal), research institutions, private sector, business, and more. Geographers bring a unique spatial understanding of issues and processes with local, regional, national, and global significance. The skills geographers practice to develop such understanding of such issues and processes are in high demand by many occupations and career fields.

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Cristi Delgado

Education: M.Sc. in Geography (University of Canterbury, Christchurch, New Zealand), B.A. in Geography (University of Texas at Austin)

Describe your job. What are some of the most important tasks for which you are responsible?
I design and build an Enterprise GIS that includes innovative web solutions to increase productivity, improve efficiency and allow City departments to make better, more informed decisions, automate workflow and protect the community.  I also work to ensure that important city data, including GIS data, is available for public use: https://www.cityofberkeley.info/opendata/

What attracted you to this career path?
I live nearby in North Oakland. I want my work to be part of enriching my community, “saving puppies”, not making widgets for company x. I ride my bicycle to work and know many of the community leaders personally. I enjoy being in public service with a city known for innovation.

How has your education/background in geography prepared you for this position?
My background in physical geography and coastal geomorphology prepared me to better understand some of the drainage and hazard issues of a small city that has a coastline at its western border and rises to 2,000 feet in elevation in a relatively short distance at its eastern border.

What geographic skills and information do you use most often in your work? What general skills and information do you use most often in your work?
 The ability to see patterns and to understand the importance of place; and The First Law of Geography are most often used in my work.

Are there any skills or information you need for your work that you did not obtain through your academic training? If so, how/where did you obtain them?
I believe conveying the value of GIS and spatial analysis is a skill only gained through experience on the job. I often need to explain GIS and spatial analysis methodology in layman’s terms to a diverse crowd. It is harder than it seems, and beneficial to practice with friends and family.

Another skill I needed to hone on the job is working in a political atmosphere.  As the city’s redistricting analyst after the 2010 census, I enlisted help from our city attorney to prepare for our public presentations and hearings regarding redistricting the city’s council districts.

Do you participate in hiring, screening, or training of new employees? If so, what qualities and/or skills do you look for?
Yes; I look for someone who can express themselves well both on paper and in person. Experience in 3D and real time GIS is a plus.

What advice would you give someone interested in a job like yours?
Gain skills, experience and certifications when possible in project management, programming, web design, cartography, and spatial analysis. Become an expert in 3D and real time GIS. Distinguish yourself by having experience and skills in another field as well such as big data, planning, programming or policy analysis.

What is the occupational outlook for career opportunities in your field/organization, esp. for geographers?
The outlook is great for career opportunities in local government GIS.  All cities, towns, counties and similar agencies such as utilities, transportation agencies, airports and regional authorities need GIS analysts on staff.

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GeoMentor Spotlight

Tanya Bigos – Health & Human Services, Massachusetts

Photo fo Tanya BigosWhat was your favorite class in K-12? Oceanography (I grew up on an island in a fishing family, it was the perfect combination of personal experience and science) and, yes, it absolutely incorporated geography.

How did you first learn about and/or use GIS? As I neared the end of my Earth Sciences degree I took a GIS class and loved the problem solving nature. That lead to another class and then a diploma in GIS.

Name one thing you love about GIS and/or geography (I know, just one!): Geography (applied through GIS) is, if not the most, one of the most valuable ways to show that everyone (and arguable everything) in this world is more connected than different, one of the most important lessons that I try to teach my kids.

Why did you want to volunteer as a GeoMentor? Part of it was seeing the amazing things that kids do with GIS as part of the Esri User Conference plenary every year. I remember watching elementary school children from Arkansas talk about how they did a market analysis meant to help veterans and that they actually presented to Walmart – I was hooked! The K12 section is one of my favorite parts of plenary every year

If someone asked you why they should learn about GIS and/or geography, how would you respond to them in one sentence? Especially in this day and age having a better understanding of the world we live in is crucial. Geography really is the most attainable way to understand how things like geography, meteorology, business, culture, etc. affect people all around the world, including us.

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AAG Staff
AAG Staff

Roger Barry

Roger Barry, Distinguished Professor and longtime University of Colorado (CU) faculty member passed away March 19, 2018, at the age of 82.

Barry had lifelong research interests ranging widely from polar climates to mountain climates to climate change. He was the director of the National Snow and Ice Data Center (NSIDC) 1976-2008 and supervised 67 graduate students.

At NSIDC, Barry contributed to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) assessments in 1990, 1995, and 2001. He served as a review editor for IPCC Working Groups 1 and 2 in 2007, an effort that earned the IPCC the Nobel Peace Prize.

Other honors for Barry included Lifetime Career Awards from the Climate and Mountain Specialty groups of the Association of American Geographers, Fellowship from the American Geophysical Union, the Goldthwait Polar Medal from the Byrd Polar Research Center, the Founder’s Medal from London’s Royal Geographic Society, the Humboldt Prize from the Bavarian Academy of Sciences, a J.S. Guggenheim Memorial Fellowship, and Distinguished Professor of Geography from CU.

He was the author of hundreds of articles and an avid author and co-author of textbooks, including Atmosphere Weather and Climate, Synoptic and Dynamic Climatology, Mountain Weather and Climate, The Global Cryosphere, and Essentials of the Earth’s Climate System. His final book, focusing on polar environments, will be published posthumously.

Roger earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Liverpool in 1957, a master’s degree from McGill University in 1959, and a doctorate from the University of Southampton in 1965.

A summer celebration of life will be held in Boulder.

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Julie Dunbar

Education: M.F.A. in Writing (Naropa University), B.A. in Geography (University of Colorado)

Describe your job. What are some of the most important tasks for which you are responsible?
I work with a team of writer/editors and teachers/professors in developing a number of social studies-based web sites on U.S. and world geography. The sites are carried in public libraries, schools, and universities as research databases and in some cases used as textbooks. I also create ideas for new geography reference books, and find and guide authors in writing them.

I monitor world news for potential updates to our web sites, as well as possible news stories of our own. We decide which news stories to run based on their relevance to high school social studies curriculums. We’re currently conducting interviews for a project highlighting perspectives on controversial issues, such as immigration. All of these day-to-day responsibilities feed my imagination for creating new book ideas, for which the sky is the limit. You might find me on any given day editing a book chapter on the Great Pacific Garbage Patch or negotiating with potential authors.

What attracted you to this industry?
I’ve always had a passion for writing and learning about other cultures, which drew me to study geography. Writing, at the time, was just a hobby. My first position with ABC-CLIO was as media editor for the geography web sites—I couldn’t believe my eyes when I saw a job listing from a publisher seeking someone with a geography degree. It was a fun job and it inspired some of the stories I wrote at home. I eventually went back to school part-time, while still working at ABC-CLIO, to earn my MFA in writing. I thought this venture would be unrelated to my duties at ABC-CLIO, but shortly after receiving my MFA, the managing editor position opened. I still can’t believe I ended up in a position that is so perfect for me. Ironically, years ago, my college geography internship was editing a book. Little did I know…

How has your education/background in geography prepared you for this position?
The broad overview of human and physical geography, as well as in cartography technology I received was ideal for the position I have now. On any given day, you might find me writing a piece about plate tectonics, followed by another on politics in Kyrgyzstan, and yet another on spatial organization or mental maps. The broadness of geography as a discipline allows me to combine knowledge and skills from other fields of study in creating pieces and developing our websites.

What geographic skills and information do you use most often in your work? What general skills and information do you use most often in your work?
The ability to conduct geographic inquiry is the skill I use most often. Spurring curiosity and asking meaningful questions is such an important characteristic for educators to model for students. Another unique skill geographers possess is the ability to combine geographic data with knowledge of other fields. I strive to introduce geography to young people and hopefully inspire curiosity and an appreciation for the world.

The ability to perform solid research, effectively manage my time, and to think critically are the most valuable skills that I honed during my liberal arts education. I stress the importance of questioning yourself and others and using critical thinking to synthesize and report information as accurately and effectively as possible.

Are there any skills or information you need for your work that you did not obtain through your academic training? If so, how/where did you obtain them?
People management is definitely not something I learned while in college. It’s a business skill that I continue to develop on a daily basis through learning from experience. I think there is still a lot for me to learn about this skill.

Do you participate in hiring, screening, or training of new employees? If so, what qualities and/or skills do you look for? 

Candidates who are positive and truly enthusiastic about geography stand out to me. Effective writing skills and attention to detail are also key. I look for candidates who are curious, want to learn, and know how to find answers when they don’t know the answers. Candidates who have done their homework by looking at our products before the interview and can tell me why they want to work for my company in particular also really stand out.

What advice would you give someone interested in a job like yours?
Publishing, like many other industries, is about adapting to new technologies, globalization, and shrinking budgets. Be willing to start at the entry level and work your way up. Make yourself an authority in your field and strive to be an excellent writer and editor. Start writing now and try to get published. Take accredited courses in editing, proofing, and writing. Look at who publishes your favorite geography and social studies books and see where they’re located, subscribe to their job listings, and be patient. Know why you want to work for these companies. Be flexible and always be willing to learn—and take the initiative to learn. Above all, stay positive—that is a key characteristic that I look for in interviews and I bet I’m not alone!

What is the occupational outlook for career opportunities in your field/organization, esp. for geographers?

I’m lucky to have found a position that perfectly combines my educational background and interests. Geography and writing is a unique and somewhat rare combination for those outside of academia, and the availability of opportunities reflects that. However, such positions do exist, especially if you’re patient and willing to start at the ground level to gain the experience you’ll need for that perfect position. The broader one’s knowledge and skills are, as well as their flexibility to work across fields in addition to writing and editing skills also opens opportunities.

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Alfred W. Crosby

Alfred W. Crosby died peacefully at Nantucket Cottage Hospital among friends and family on March 14, 2018, after residing for two and a half years at Our Island Home. He was 87 and had lived with Parkinson’s Disease for two decades.

Born in Boston in 1931, he graduated from Harvard College in 1952 and served in the U. S. Army 1952—1955. He then earned an M.A.T. from the Harvard School of Education and a Ph.D. in history from Boston University in 1961. His first book, America, Russia, Hemp, and Napoleon, is about relations between Russia and the U.S.A. from the American Revolution through the War of 1812. He taught at Albion College, the Ohio State University, Washington State University, and the University of Texas at Austin, retiring in 1999 as Professor Emeritus of Geography, History, and American Studies. He was the recipient of many awards including three Fulbright Fellowships and a Guggenheim Fellowship. He was elected to the American Philosophical Society, the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, and the Academy of Finland and was a fellow of the John Carter Brown Library.

He was involved in the Civil Rights movement, taught Black Studies and the history of American jazz, helped to build a medical center for the United Farm Workers’ Union, and took a leadership role in anti-war demonstrations.

His interest in demography and the role of infectious disease in human history led him to write The Columbian Exchange: Biological and Cultural Consequences of 1492; America’s Forgotten Pandemic (originally Epidemic and Peace 1918); and Ecological Imperialism: The Biological Expansion of Europe, 900-1900. His fascination with intellectual and technological history produced The Measure of Reality: Quantification and Western Society, 1250-1600; Throwing Fire: Projectile Technology Through History; and Children of the Sun: A History of Humanity’s Unappeasable Appetite for Energy. His books have been published in Chinese, Greek, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Polish, Portuguese, Spanish, Slovene, Swedish, and Turkish translations. His work as a historian, he said, turned him from facing the past to facing the future. He lived by the maxim: What can I do today to make tomorrow better?

He was predeceased by his sister Ruth and by Anna Bienemann Crosby and Barbara Stevens Crosby. He is survived by Frances Karttunen, his wife of thirty-five years; his son Kevin and Kevin‘s wife Pamela Mieth; his daughter Carolyn and his grandchildren Allegra and Xander Crosby-Laramie; and by his stepdaughters Jaana Karttunen and Suvi Aika and their families.

There will be a memorial service and celebration of life in May. Donations in his memory can be made to the Friends of Our Island Home, Box 39, Nantucket, MA 02554; Palliative and Supportive Care of Nantucket; or Doctors Without Borders.

On the Web:

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Waldo Tobler

Waldo R. Tobler, professor emeritus of Geography at the University of California Santa Barbara, died on February 20, 2018. He was 88.

Tobler spent the first 16 years of his career at the University of Michigan before joining UC Santa Barbara in 1977. He held the positions of Professor of Geography and Professor of Statistics at UCSB until his retirement.

A famed cartographer, Tobler is best known in the discipline as the founder of the first law of geography, “Everything is related to everything else, but near things are more related than distant things,” which he formulated while producing a computer movie. In fact, he has used computers in geographic research for over forty years, with emphasis on mathematical modeling and graphic interpretations. Tobler also was one of the principal investigators and a Senior Scientist in the National Science Foundation sponsored National Center for Geographic Information and Analysis.

Tobler has earned many honors for his work and contributions to geography. He was named Member of the National Academy of Sciences and Honorary Fellow of the American Geographical Society. He received the Osborn Maitland Miller Medal of the American Geographical Society (Outstanding contributions in Cartography or Geodesy), Meritorious Contributor Medallion of the Association of American Geographers, and the ESRI Lifetime Achievement in GIS Award among others.

Tobler earned a Ph.D. in Geography in 1961 from the University of Washington where he also received his master’s (1957) and bachelor’s (1955) degrees. The University of Zurich, Switzerland, awarded him an honorary doctorate in 1988.

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Peirce F. Lewis

Peirce F. Lewis, an American geographer and professor emeritus at the Department of Geography at Penn State, died on February 18, 2018 in State College, PA. He was 90.

Prior to joining the faculty at Penn State, Peirce worked as a civilian geographer in the U.S. Army Forces Far East Command in Tokyo, Japan from 1953-1955. Afterward, he conducted post-doctoral study focusing on geomorphology of North America. Peirce joined the Geography Department at Penn State in 1958 where he taught until his retirement in n1995.

Lewis was an acclaimed lecturer and essayist known for his research interests in the American landscape and the cultural geography of America. His writings garnered awards from the American Association of Geographers (AAG) and the International Geographical Union. In 2004, he won the AAG J. B. Jackson Award for his book, New Orleans: The Making of an Urban Landscape.

Peirce also received several awards for his vibrant and engaging approaches to teaching geography, including the Lindback Foundation Award, Penn State’s highest award for distinguished teaching, the first Penn State Provost’s award for distinguished multidisciplinary teaching, and a national award as a distinguished teacher at the college level by the National Council for Geographic Education.

During his term as president of the AAG (1983-1984), Peirce worked strenuously to improve public understanding of the nature and value of professional geography. He was also a Guggenheim Fellow and a Fellow in the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington. He served as a geographic consultant for the National Museum of American History at the Smithsonian Institution, the National Geographic Society, for Pennsylvania Public Television, and the filmmaking branch of the Encyclopaedia Britannica.

Dr. Lewis holds a bachelor’s from Albion College and graduate degrees from the University of Michigan. He earned his master’s in 1953 and a doctorate in 1958.

Peirce was born on October 26, 1927, in Detroit, Mich., and is the son of the late Peirce and Amy Fee Lewis, of Pleasant Ridge, MI. He is survived by his wife of 66 years, Felicia L. Lewis, of State College; his son, Hugh G. Lewis and his wife, Joselyn, of Gettysburg; his three granddaughters, Gillian Desonier-Lewis and Isla and Raquel Lewis; his sister, Frances Lewis Stevenson, and her husband, John, of St. Augustine, Fla.; and his beloved nephews and niece.

Source: https://www.legacy.com/obituaries/centredaily/obituary.aspx?n=Peirce-F-Dr-Lewis&pid=188257012

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Pete Chirico

Education: Current Ph.D. Student in Geography & Environmental Systems (University of Maryland Baltimore County), M.A. in Geography (University of South Carolina), B.A. in Geography (Mary Washington College)

Describe your job. What are some of the most important tasks or duties for which you are responsible?
My time is currently split between scientific research and management duties at the Science Center at USGS. My research focuses on diamond and mineral resources illegally mined in conflict zones.  I focus on the geomorphology of resource deposits using remote sensing and field mapping techniques, and combine this with knowledge of local communities engaging in mining and how these factors contribute to funding conflicts. I also serve as associate director for the Science Center, working with about 60 geologists, paleontologists, and physical scientists. My duties in this position include project planning, personnel management, and representation of our science center to stakeholders and the public.

What attracted you to this industry?
After completing my master’s degree in 1995, I saw an ad for a GIS specialist at USGS.  I was attracted by its reputation as the nation’s premier civilian mapping agency, and its role as an early adopter and leader in GIS and mapping technology. I initially thought I’d work here temporarily as a stepping stone to other pursuits, but soon recognized the depth and value of USGS science. I have been afforded numerous opportunities to grow here as a geographer, and have been with USGS for over 20 years now.

How has your background in geography prepared you for this position?
My coursework in GIS gave me the skillset to work as a GIS specialist, and I have been able to apply my general knowledge of geography to critical problem solving. But, since the geospatial field is rapidly advancing, it has been important to continually be developing new technical skills and to be willing to learn about subject areas well outside of my initial scope of coursework and studies.

What geographic skills and information do you use most often in your work? What general skills and information do you use most often in your work?
I often use GIS and remote sensing methods in collecting geographic information, and also extract data from reports, maps, and articles, oftentimes only found in a library or archival collection. Some of the skills I use in field work include sediment sampling, field mapping, and qualitiative/semi-quantitative interviews.

Some of the general skills that I use include statistical and mathematical modeling techniques, as well as using maps, graphs, and figures in illustrating abstract concepts. Communicating the results of your research effectively involves writing journal articles and reports, with graphical tools and an element of storytelling to effectively convey information to technical and non-technical audiences.

Are there any skills or information you need for your work that you did not obtain through your academic training? If so, how/where did you obtain them?
Many of the technical tasks I perform today I’ve learned from watching and working with colleagues.  During my career at USGS I’ve been very fortunate to have worked with scientists and experts in many different fields, and I have come to appreciate the importance of   being able to develop and maintain positive working relationships with colleagues and co-workers.

I currently conduct fieldwork in Central and Western Africa. I’ve learned so much about conducting fieldwork in remote areas and conflict zones “on the job” through mentorship from experienced field geologists early in my career. There are some safety courses and certifications that help prepare you for some things you might encounter, but time and experience help you to develop confidence in your own abilities while in tough field conditions.

Do you participate in hiring, screening, or training of new employees? If so, what qualities and/or skills do you look for?
Yes. We look for a certain level of technical geospatial competency demonstrated through successful coursework and experience. More often, however, I seek candidates with a balance of technical skills and a background in physical geography.  I also look for strong attention to detail, research ability, writing and presentation experience, cartography and data representation capability, and foreign language proficiency. It may be difficult to quantify, but perhaps most important for a successful candidate is their desire to learn and engage in tasks with enthusiasm.

What advice would you give to someone interested in a job like yours?
No job is perfect, but learning to seize opportunities that are “the right job at the right time” will provide great experiences and personal contacts that can last a lifetime. I think in many ways you create your own opportunities for achievement and advancement through hard work, continuous learning and growing, and trying new things with your organization.

I encourage others to think creatively about gaining experience. For example, I didn’t have the financial resources to study abroad in college and came to USGS with no international travel experience. However, while I was in school I was able to work as a field assistant to a biologist and spent a couple of summers working as a wildfire-fighter for the U.S. Forest Service.  So, those jobs gave me valuable field work skills to build upon when other opportunities, including those for foreign travel, came around.

I encourage job seekers to perfect their writing and presentation skills, as these are valuable for any job. Develop a portfolio with projects, writing samples, maps, and examples of fieldwork–this is a great compliment to your resume in showing your potential employer your skills and development over time.

Many professional vacancies may not be specifically looking for geography majors; therefore, it’s important to sell ourselves as geographers. Being able to explain to others how the coursework, experience, and skills that geographers possess fit  a job description, and  being able to communicate that to a non-specialist hiring manager is really important.

What is the occupational outlook for career opportunities in your field/organization, esp. for geographers?
Good question!  This is a dynamic and uncertain time for geographers and other research scientists in government agencies. Permanent job opportunities are less common and much more competitive now than they have been in the past, but there are still many opportunities.  Term or temporary positions, student trainee positions, and seasonal field assistants are often the best way to get a foot in the door..  Many government agencies, such as USGS, will face large numbers of retirements in coming years, and while agencies continue to downsize, they will need to hire to maintain their workforce and continue their agency’s mission—and often look to those who have worked in student or temporary positions to fill openings. I think that the scope of geography as a field that encompasses both geospatial technology as well as subject matter expertise, such as in physical geography and field methods, places geographers in a unique position as adaptable and flexible individuals well suited to the rapidly changing workforce requirements in federal agencies.

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Leslie McLees

Education: Ph.D. in Geography (University of Oregon), M.A. in Geography (University of Hawaii), B.S. in Zoology (Washington State University)

What attracted you to a career in education?
I enjoy connecting students with the larger world, whether through their courses or their path through college. I do not aim to make them think a certain way, but to expose them to the breadth of perspectives and futures available to them. In doing so, I hope to enhance our society, and while it may sound cheesy, make the world a better place. I strive to be an engaging advisor and instructor who help my students’ draw from their own experiences to understand their world and their futures in it.

How has your education/background in geography prepared you for this position? My background and education in geography has allowed me to view the world and its seemingly unrelated processes and interactions through different perspectives. Power, processes, and systems are part of our everyday lives, and I try to bring this approach inside the classroom and advising sessions. The places I’ve seen and the people I’ve met throughout my career in geography have given me the skills to reach varied student populations, to reflect upon my own practices, and to bring students together and prepare them for the future.

What geographic skills and information do you use most often in your work? What general skills and information do you use most often in your work?
When I teach, I use spatial thinking to understand the local and global experiences of my students. When I advise my students, I provide career advice and determine what type of work might be best suited to their skillset. My background in cartography helps me in creating media advertisements, and my background in qualitative/survey fieldwork has helped me develop our program. I have found that the level of appreciation of differences in perspectives, whether they are held by my students or colleagues, is something that geographers are particularly well-suited for. I have also found that non-geographers appreciate the relevance of geography without realizing what the field truly is, and effective visual representation of problems is important in gaining support from those outside of academic geography. My ability to represent important issues spatially has gained plenty of visibility for our department and programs; for instance, people understand the importance of human-environment issues, but don’t realize how well-suited geographers are in addressing such issues (until I tell them).

Generally, the two main skills I use daily are critical thinking and effective communication. Critical thinking skills are important in asking questions, whether they be how to recruit more people into our classes and programs, how to best prepare my students for life after college, and so on. Effective communication is valuable in meetings, as an instructor, with my students, and in conveying information in any capacity. Other valuable skills for geographers are the ability to creatively form solutions to problems, to adapt to new environments, to represent data visually, and a good sense of teamwork and ethics on the job.

Are there any skills or information you need for your work that you did not obtain through your academic training? If so, how/where did you obtain them?
Within my role as a career/academic advisor, I needed to learn the bureaucracy of requirements. This type of knowledge and level of detail is something I’ve developed from experience training and working with professional advisors. Since my background is in academia rather than professional advising, I try to bridge the gap between these two worlds, and have found that professional advisors are more than willing to help me learn more about their skillset.

Do you participate in hiring, screening, or training of new employees? If so, what qualities and/or skills do you look for?
Yes, I have been involved in hiring office staff and faculty for our department. I look for effective communication skills, and a professional and outgoing demeanor when interacting with others. We look for people who can engage with our students regardless of their background, both inside the classroom and administratively. A promising candidate also possesses critical and creative thinking skills both in the classroom and in the office.

What do you find most interesting/challenging/inspiring about your work?
I would say the greatest challenge in my work would be dealing with the bureaucracy and details of advising. The most inspiring, and what keeps me paying attention to the details, is knowing the students. I not only go over requirements with them, but help them develop and articulate their goals and progress within their own bigger picture, which helps in finding programs and opportunities best suited to their goals. Perhaps a challenge has been that as an advisor, I haven’t been trained in helping to resolve other types of problems my students might have, such as mental health concerns. Students should feel safe with their advisor, as we are often the first people they come to with problems. I find a deep satisfaction in helping students navigate their challenges and connecting them with the resources our university provides.

What advice would you give someone interested in a job like yours?
To gain professional advising skills, one can either take classes, or assist/shadow someone on the job. I’d suggest conducting informational interviews to see if this is the right fit for you. The key to any career path is to make strategic connections; personally, I have a strong connection with my department having earned my PhD here, and after I left, I was able to draw upon that connection to find the position I’m in now, when I decided a tenure-track job was not what I wanted. I would also say a strong background in the disciplines, meaningful connections, and relationships with students are very important in this type of work.

What is the occupational outlook for career opportunities in your field/organization, esp. for geographers?
Universities recognize that students need more help navigating higher education today, and they are hiring and training more people to advise students. I would encourage anyone interested in advising to seek training in career and academic advising, to better help students articulate their skills outside of the classroom. Though geographers gain valuable skills in getting their degree, many liberal arts programs lacked the help students need to translate these skills outside of the classroom. Employers value the skills that students have—many students just need some help in articulating them.

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