Ray Henkel
Ray Henkel was born Jan. 28, 1931 on a farm along the Cimarron River about 30 miles west of Tulsa. He died March 11, 2017, at age 86. Ray attended a one-room elementary school, and in 1948 graduated from Kellyville H. S. in a class of 15, earning an A in every class. Ray had a photographic memory, so school work was always easy for him.
Immediately after H.S. graduation in 1948, Ray and his family moved to Arizona to pick cotton. For the next two years, his family followed other laborers, mostly Hispanics, into California and the Northwest to pick fruit, potatoes, vegetables and the like. It was at this time that Ray learned to speak Spanish. Since the family was driving old cars, it was also at this time that he became an excellent mechanic, and for the rest of his life he worked on cars, doing both small and major projects.
He was drafted into the Army in 1950. After basic training, he was sent to the Officer Training School for the Army Corps of Engineers at Ft. Belvoir, VA. There were 21 students in his class, and he was the only one without a college degree or any engineer training, but he graduated 2nd in the class. Upon completion of the course he was commissioned an officer in the Corps of Engineers. He was assigned to Korea, and his unit, the 811th Engineer Battalion, was attached to the 5th Air Force, and he quickly became commander of “A” Company. Ray spent time in Korea and Thailand, mostly locating and building airfields and revetments, and building radar stations on islands off the coast of North Korea. As well, Ray was assigned as the Army Intelligence Officer for his battalion, and solved several major cases (only one remained unsolved). He left the military in 1952 with the rank of Captain.
Ray returned to Arizona to work on cotton farms. With his engineering and organizational skills, he quickly became manager of a large vegetable farm. He earned “very good money,” but eventually decided to attend Arizona State College, starting out part-time. He graduated in 1960 (by then it was ASU) as a geography major, with all “As” except for one “B” (in a class where no one received an “A”).
Ray went to the University of Wisconsin where he completed an M.A. and a Ph.D. Both degrees were in geography, but he had extensive work in agricultural economics, which greatly helped in his later work, and where most of his interests lay. His dissertation was done in Bolivia on the Amazon side of the Andes, at a time in the mid-1960s when coca production was just beginning. His work was funded by the National Science Foundation, and the title of this work was “The Chapare of Bolivia: A Study of Tropical Agriculture in Transition” (1971). This was the beginning of a lifetime of work on the subject of coca and cocaine, and the tropics in general. He often described many “close calls” with government troops and violent narcotics producers. It was dangerous work, but he developed contacts with the two sides, and luckily managed to survive. He had many stories and slides, and he used both with great effectiveness in classes.
Ray taught at ASU from 1966 to 1995. He took a leave to teach 2 years in the early 1970s at the U. of Zambia (to help establish their Geography Department), and one year at New Mexico State. Ray published on all aspects of coca and cocaine. However, all of these publications were in classified government documents without his name on them–as he once explained “I don’t want a bullseye on my back.” The only publication on cocaine with his name on it was with two co-authors on the use of climate for determining cocaine production (Nature Vol. 361, p. 25). For many years, during summer months, he worked for various agencies in Latin America on cocaine and varied problems in the tropics (for example, once on road building, where his engineering background came in handy). He traveled in both high society in cities, and among the poor in the jungles of the Amazon. He was considered the leading expert on all aspects of cocaine (the growing, processing, transport and distribution), and often was flown to Washington, D.C. for conferences, policy meetings, and for consultations. All of his work would be considered in the broad area of “applied geography.”
On first meeting him, many underestimated Ray. He was an “Oakie,” who spoke, dressed, and acted the part. But not only was he very intelligent, he was exceedingly observant, and quickly able to understand and make connections as to what he was seeing. He was also–academically and intellectually–a very organized person, and with this trait, he helped many graduate students organize and conceptualize theses and dissertations. He was a humble and quiet person, who never wanted to “stand out” in a crowd. He grew up in a very impoverished family, where everything was always shared, and that background influenced him the rest of his life.
Dr. Henkel contributed to geographic education at Arizona State University in many ways. He had a true commitment to students. He was a very compassionate person, who was willing to help any student who wandered into his office. Ray was always positive, never judgmental, and never had a bad word to say about anyone. He guided 26 MA theses during his career, but he helped many other students at all levels of academic work. He was also an excellent and very popular teacher. His classes were always educational and entertaining, and students flocked to them. He also taught many televised classes that were viewed by many in the community who were not even enrolled. Ray was involved with the geography honor society (GTU) from the time he returned to ASU to a year or two after he retired. He organized and led many field trips, held parties and gatherings, and organized an annual picnic that has since evolved into the unit’s annual banquet. He was liked and respected by all, and will be greatly missed.
Ray is survived by three brothers and numerous nieces and nephews.
Perhaps now more than ever geographers need to tell their stories, speak out and make their voices heard. In a world that seems increasingly divisive politically and socially, and where the fact-based discourse and decision-making we value is under threat, there is much that we find of concern and much with which we feel we should publically engage. In this column I share my thoughts on three aspects of communicating as geographers with the public, policymakers and each other.
Recent political events in the U.S., such as the current travel ban on citizens of six predominantly Muslim countries, or events outside the country, such as the purge of academics in Turkey, have increased the desire of AAG members to not just tell the story of their own work, but to speak out on political decisions that negatively impact geographers and other academics and students. In addition, as I wrote in an earlier column, certain legislative actions such as Senate Bill 103 take direct aim at denying U.S. Federal funds for selected types of geospatial data and geographical research. Such actions require geographers to speak out. Members often turn to the AAG to be a voice in speaking out on such issues. The AAG takes these matters very seriously and has issued public statements on such troubling actions and joined with other associations to combat them. An example is the effort being made to combat SB 103 and its restriction on geospatial data related to racial inequality. The AAG has not only issued a 
Boston’s cultural scene is vibrant in all seasons. From museums and performing arts to interactive festivals and outdoor concerts, Boston is abuzz with activities for cultural enthusiasts.
Would you like to know more about the work of the AAG throughout the year, beyond the Annual Meeting? Are you interested in learning about additional resources and opportunities available to you through the AAG? Check out a new feature at the 2017 Annual Meeting in Boston, our AAG Snapshots series!
The 2016 elections in the United States may impact geography and our nation in the years ahead in many ways. Every year, the AAG addresses “late-breaking” events through special sessions at our Annual Meetings. During our upcoming 2017 AAG Annual Meeting in Boston, the AAG will hold a series of sessions within the special track, The 2016 U.S. Elections: Implications for Geography and Beyond, focused on analysis and research on the 2016 election, and what the results may mean for geography, the nation, and our planet.
Burgeoning global population along with increasing appetite for high-protein or resource demanding food choices may double demands on world agriculture by 2050. At the same time groundwater depletion and climate change are negatively impacting the availability of sufficient water to meet agricultural and domestic freshwater demands in many regions. Compounding these challenges are socioeconomic forces, including armed conflicts and state collapse that negatively affect agricultural productivity, food transference and water resources. The challenges to food and water security over the 21st century represent an increasing and potentially existential threat to global society. These issues are fundamentally geographical in nature and form a central research and educational focus of geography and the AAG special theme.
The special theme, Mainstreaming Human Rights in Geography and the AAG, will feature 50 sessions with more than 250 presentations at the intersection of human rights and geography within the 2017 AAG Annual Meeting and will build on the AAG’s decade-long initiatives in this area. Speakers from leading international human rights organizations, academia, government, and NGOs will address human rights challenges around the world.
James Hanson, known for his climate research and his Congressional testimony on climate change that raised awareness of global warming, will deliver a featured talk, moderated by AAG President Glen MacDonald, on Friday, April 7, from 10:00 a.m. – 11:40 a.m. in Room 210 at the Hynes Convention Center.
Rush Holt, chief executive officer of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), will deliver a featured talk entitled, “Advancing Science in the Public Arena,” on Thursday, April 6, from 11:50 a.m. – 1:10 p.m. in Room 103 of the Hynes Convention Center.