Marvin W. Mikesell

Marvin W. Mikesell, Professor of Geography in the Committee on Geographical Studies, died unexpectedly Wednesday morning, April 26, 2017, at the University of Chicago Hospital in Hyde Park, aged 88, in the midst of teaching his seminar on problems in the human geography of the Middle East this Spring Quarter.

Marvin Wray Mikesell was born on June 16, 1929, in Kansas City, Missouri, attended high school in Los Angeles and received his B.A. (1952) and M.A. (1953) from UCLA. He earned his doctorate at the University of California–Berkeley in 1959 under the tutelage of the celebrated cultural geographer Carl Sauer. He joined the Department of Geography at the University of Chicago in 1958 and spent his entire 59-year teaching career, from instructor to professor, at the University.

Mikesell’s interests in research and teaching ranged over the whole orbit of global cultural geography, while his special concerns included the ethnic and environmental diversity of North Africa and the Middle East, the bases of ethnic conflict and self-determination worldwide, and the ominous trends in regional environmental degradation. He placed great emphasis on fieldwork in research. His books include Northern Morocco: A Cultural Geography (1961); Geographers Abroad: Essays on the Problems and Prospects of Research in Foreign Areas (1973); Perspectives on Environment (1974), and, most notably, Readings in Cultural Geography (published by the University of Chicago Press, 1962). This last volume brought together classic articles written by authorities around the world, many translated from their original language; the book quickly became a standard work that shaped the international field of cultural geography for more than a generation.

At the University, Mikesell was chairman of the Department of Geography (1969–74, 1984–86), and Master of the Social Sciences Collegiate Division (1981–84), among many administrative responsibilities. Nationally he was a member of the U.S. National Commission for Unesco (1973–78), and an advisor to the National Science Foundation (1977–79). Marvin was a long-time AAG member, and served the Association in many capacities over the years, particularly as Assistant Editor of the Annals (1962), Editor of the AAG Monograph Series (1966–72), the Commission on College Geography (1970–73), National Councilor (1972–74, Vice President (1974–75) and President (1975–76).

Marvin is survived by his wife Reine M. Mikesell. A memorial service for Marvin Mikesell will be arranged for early this coming fall.

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John Davey

John Davey, a prodigious figure in academic, trade and reference publishing for almost 50 years, died at home with family at his side on April 21, 2017. He had just celebrated his 72 birthday days earlier.

After making his mark in publishing in the 1970s, John joined Blackwell as their first full-time academic editor. During the 1980s he took the company from obscurity to being a major force in the industry. He rapidly became an editorial director, appointed several specialist editors, initiated Blackwell’s reference publishing, acquired and started several new journals, and had responsibility for rights and contracts.

In 1989, John went to Blackwell in the USA where he ran the business for three years, expanded the editorial and production staff, and transformed several years of losses into a profit. His personal contribution to geography publishing was so distinguished that in 1992 he was awarded a certificate of special recognition by the Association of American Geographers and in 1997 the Gill Memorial from the Royal Geographical Society. The field of geography was being radically reconstructed during this time and John was the go-to publisher for a younger generation of scholars. He had a similar impact on urban studies, publishing key works such as David Harvey’s Social Justice and the City and Manuel Castells on The Urban Question. His endeavors in these fields were transformative and remain legendary to this day.

Derek Gregory wrote in his touching tribute to Davey, “[He] was one of those rare publishers who believed passionately that books created their audiences and that geography was so much more than a textbook machine.  He didn’t spurn textbooks, but he had a non-mercenary and thoroughly ambitious sense of what they ought to strive for.”

A man of many talents, John was a keen fly-fisherman, gardener, cook and poker player. He is survived by his wife, four children from two marriages, and five grandchildren.

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Library of Congress Publishes New Book, “Picturing America: The Golden Age of Pictorial Maps”

Designed to educate, amuse, or advertise, pictorial maps were a clever and colorful component of print culture in the mid-20th century, often overlooked in studies of cartography. A new book published by the Library of Congress in association with the University of Chicago Press, “Picturing America: The Golden Age of Pictorial Maps,” by Stephen J. Hornsby, celebrates these vibrant maps, tracing their development and proliferation from the 1920s to the 1970s. Learn more.

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Updated AAG Schedule for the March for Science

Updated AAG Schedule for the March for Science

We invite and encourage AAG members to attend the March for Science in Washington, D.C. or in satellite events around the globe this Saturday, April 22. We have updated the schedule below to include the just-released list of speakers.

Saturday Schedule of Events

9:00 am – 6:30 pm: The AAG Meridian Place Office in Washington, D.C. (1710 16th Street NW) will be open as a gathering place and information center for geographers participating in the March. We will have coffee and refreshments available for marchers throughout the day.

The AAG has designed special “Geographers March for Science” hats that will be available at our office for only $7.00. We have also created large banners for groups of geographers participating in the March, which many AAG members signed during the annual meeting in Boston. You may also download and print a small version of this banner to carry with you.

8:00 am: The gates to the main-stage area for the March will open. The two gates are on Constitution Avenue NW at 15th and 17th Streets 

9:00 – 11:30 am: March for Science teach-ins near the main stage. 

view the map

10:00 am – 2:00 pm: The official main stage program of speeches and presentations. The main stage will be on Constitution Avenue at 16th Street (just north of the Washington Monument). The list of speakers can be found here: www.marchforscience.com/speakers/

1:30 – 2:00 pm: Geographers and friends are encouraged to gather together on the steps of the north side entrance of the National Museum of American History (the Constitution Avenue side of the Museum at approximately 13th Street – NOT the side facing the National Mall) so that we can all march as a large group. 

2:00 – 4:00 pm: Marching to the U.S. Capitol Building to conclude the March for Science. Full logistical details can be found here: https://www.marchforscience.com/event-details/

5:00 – 6:30 pm: Happy Hour Reception at the AAG office. Come join us for a celebratory drink and to gather in groups with your friends for dinner. There are hundreds of good restaurants within walking distance of our AAG office. AAG President Glen MacDonald will offer a toast.

Other logistical information

We would like to know if you will be coming to Washington for the March! Please fill out this form, so that that we can have an accurate count for the March and also for post-reception refreshments and snacks.

Other Related Events in Washington during the March for Science Weekend

  • Friday, 5:30 – 6:30 pm: Event featuring former presidential science advisor John Holdren at AAAS Headquarters. This event is sold out, but we have a few tickets that we will give to the first AAG members who contact John Wertman of the AAG staff at jwertman [at] aag [dot] org.

The AAG is a formal partner of the March, and we affirm the nonpartisan beliefs that the benefits of science are a human right, that science should be well funded, and that political leaders should enact evidence-based policies for the common good.

Please do not hesitate to contact the AAG at 202-234-1450 with any questions you may have about participating in the March for Science or about the event itself. We hope you will join us and our colleagues from all disciplines in supporting this historic event!

The AAG 2017 annual meeting brought some 9,300 registrants to Boston, many of whom signed special banners for the March for Science. These banners containing thousands of signatures will be carried at the March for Science in Washington, D.C., on April 22. The 2017 AAG Annual Meeting was held in Boston April 5-9 at the Hynes Convention Center.
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AAG to Recognize 50-Year Members: Class of 1967

The AAG congratulates and gives thanks to the Class of 1967 for their continuous membership, enduring support, and contributions to the Association. The Class of 1967 receives a memento in recognition of their loyalty to the Association. As a tangible token of appreciation, 50-year members also receive lifetime remission of annual dues and annual meeting registration fees from the AAG.

This year’s honorees are:

  • Charles Aiken
  • James Baldwin
  • Klaus Bayr
  • Joseph Bencloski
  • Ronald Briggs
  • Anne Buttimer
  • Stephen Chang
  • Michael Conzen
  • William Craig
  • Michael Cummins
  • Donald Dahmann
  • Harvey Flad
  • Colbert Held
  • Briavel Holcomb
  • Jerry Kaster
  • William Keinath, Jr
  • Victor Kelbaugh
  • Laurence Ma
  • Wayne McKim
  • John Moravek
  • Edward Muller
  • James Mulvihill
  • William Muraco
  • Paul Phillips
  • Arlene Rengert
  • George Rengert
  • Gwyn Rowley
  • Gary Shannon
  • Richard Smith
  • Noel Stirrat

The Class of 1967 will be recognized at the AAG Annual Meeting in Boston during the AAG Awards Luncheon on Sunday, April 9, 2017. Friends, family, and colleagues are invited to celebrate with the honorees. Admission, which includes a plated lunch, is only $55. Tables for parties of ten are also available. Buy tickets.

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AAG Announces Recipients of 2017 Awards

The American Association of Geographers (AAG) congratulates the individuals and groups named to receive an AAG Award. The awardees represent outstanding contributions to and accomplishments in the geographic field. The awardees will be recognized at the AAG Annual Meeting in Boston during the AAG Awards Luncheon on Sunday, April 9, 2017.

Friends, family, and colleagues are invited to celebrate with the honorees. Admission, which includes a plated lunch, is only $55. Tables for parties of ten are also available. Buy tickets.

* * *

Community College Travel Grants

  • April Shirey, Grand Rapids Community College, Grand Rapids, MI

AAG Darrel Hess Community College Geography Scholarships

  • Amy Kennedy, transferring from Sinclair Community College in Dayton, Ohio to the Ohio State University

Marble-Boyle Undergraduate Achievement Award in Geographic Science

  • Coty Welch, University of North Alabama

AAG Dissertation Research Grants

  • Mia Bennett, University of California Los Angeles
  • Eric Nost, University of Wisconsin-Madison
  • Yoo-Min Park, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
  • Brian Williams, University of Georgia
  • Sheridan Wright Kennedy, Rice University
  • Qunshan Zhao, Arizona State University

AAG Research Grants

  • Sarah Blue, Texas State University
  • Shouraseni Roy, University of Miami
  • Qiusheng Wu, State University of New York at Binghamton

J. Warren Nystrom Award

 Mel Marcus Fund for Physical Geography

  • Dr. Sally Horn, University of Tennessee

*** AAG Book Awards *** 

Humboldt Book Award for Enduring Scholarship in Geography

  • Geoffrey Martin, American Geography and Geographers, Oxford University Press, 2015 

The John Brinckerhoff Jackson Prize 

  • Lisa Benton-Short, The National Mall: No Ordinary Public Space, University of Toronto Press, 2016

The AAG Globe Book Award for Public Understanding of Geography\

  • Niem Nguyen, A Curriculum of Fear, University of Minnesota Press, 2016

The AAG Meridian Book Award for Outstanding Scholarly Work in Geography

  • Eric Sheppard, Limits to Globalization: The Disruptive Geographies of Capitalist Development, Oxford University Press, 2016

* * *

Program Excellence Award

  • The Department of Geography and the Environment, University of North Texas
  • Honorable Mention: The Geography Department, George Washington University

 Susan Hardwick Excellence in Mentoring Award

  • Beverly Mullings, Queen’s University

Glenda Laws Award

  • Sarah Hunt, University of British Columbia

The AAG Harold M. Rose Award for Anti-Racism Research and Practice

  • Melissa Wright, Pennsylvania State University

AAG Enhancing Diversity

  • Leela Viswanathan, Queen’s University

AAG Harm de Blij Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching

  • Ronald Kalafsky,  University of Tennessee

 E. Willard and Ruby S. Miller Award

  • Hui Lin, Chinese University of Hong Kong

 The AAG Stanley Brunn Award for Creativity in Geography

  • David Harvey, City University of New York 

 AAG Honorary Geographer

  • James Hansen, Columbia University 

Atlas Award

  • Noam Chomsky, Massachusetts Institute of Technology 

 AAG Presidential Achievement Award

  • Roger Downs, Pennsylvania State University

*** AAG Honors ***

Distinguished Teaching Honors

  •  Michael Pretes, University of North Alabama

Ron F. Abler Distinguished Service Honors

  •  Julie Winkler, Michigan State University
  • Kent Mathewson

Distinguished Scholarship Honors

  • Patrick Bartlein, University of Oregon
  • Michael Storper, University of California, Los Angeles

Lifetime Achievement Honors

  • Ruth Fincher, University of Melbourne
  • David Robinson, Rutgers University
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Ideas for the Culture Enthusiast in Boston

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.

If you love the classics, ensembles such as Handel & Haydn Society and the Boston Symphony Orchestra are reason enough to visit Boston. If you prefer a lighter, contemporary flair then the Boston Pops are your orchestra of choice.  Boston’s heralded conservatories, including Boston Conservatory, New England Conservatory, and Berklee College of Music, also performance concerts every week throughout the year.

The performing arts in Boston reveal a rich array of theatre, dance and intimate concerts.  Award-winning theater companies across the city include Huntington Theatre Company, ArtsEmerson’s World on Stage, and American Repertory Theatre in Cambridge.  Iconic venues such as the Boston Opera House and Citi Wang Theatre collaborate with Broadway in Boston and Boston Ballet to bring captivating performances to Boston’s theater district.

And of course, Boston’s museums are exceptional!  The great masters are on display at the Museum of Fine Arts, Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum and the Harvard Art Museums, and each of these cherished collections has recently undergone a state-of-the-art renovation. Mix in some modern art with a journey down to the Institute of Contemporary Art in Boston’s Seaport District. All of these museums, as well as the Boston Public Library, feature intimate concerts set against the backdrop of their distinctive settings.

Courtesy BostonUSA.com.

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Jobs and Careers Center at the 2017 AAG Annual Meeting

The Jobs & Careers Center will be located in Rooms 203, 204 & 205 of the Hynes Convention Center, Second Level. It provides a central location for job seekers, students, and professionals to interact with one another and to learn more about careers and professional development for geographers. A careers information table will be staffed and accessible each day for general questions, information, and resources and will be open daily from 8:00 am to 5:30 pm.

This year’s session track will include over 75 panel and paper sessions, workshops, and field trips related to careers and professional development. Sessions will cover a broad range of topics, from working as a geographer in the public, private, nonprofit, or academic sector, to networking, to becoming a certified GIS Professional (GISP), to building inclusive spaces for women in geography. In addition to the many sessions taking place within the Jobs and Careers Center, dozens more careers and professional development sessions will take place at various locations throughout the meeting. The complete schedule of activities is available online at https://www.aag.org/annualmeeting/jobs_center.

Highlighted Sessions

The AAG would like to highlight two back-to-back Friday afternoon sessions featuring two high-profile leaders in workforce development. On Friday, April 7 from 1:20 – 3:00 pm in Hynes 203, Ms. Trinh Nguyen, the Director of Mayor Walsh’s Office of Workforce Development, will participate in a panel entitled “Building Tomorrow’s Workforce: Leading Employers Discuss Career Pathways to Jobs in Infrastructure, Hospitality, Tech, and Sustainability,” and from 3:20 – 4:00 pm (also in Hynes 203), the Honorable Ronald L. Walker, II, Massachusetts Secretary of Labor and Workforce Development will be keynote speaker at the recognition ceremony for the AAG Emerging Workforce Scholars program participants. The session is entitled: “Keynote by Hon. Sec. Ronald L. Walker, Massachusetts Secretary of Labor: Massachusetts’s Workforce Investment Programs and AAG Emerging Workforce Scholars Recognition Ceremony”

AAG Careers in Geography Fair

The AAG Careers in Geography Fair will feature representatives from a wide range of industries that employ geographers. Employer tables will be located in the Hynes Convention Center, Second Level, in the hallway outside of the Jobs & Careers Center on Friday, April 7, from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm. A room will be reserved for breakout meetings and on-site interviews with qualified job candidates on Thursday, April 6 from 1:00 – 5:00 pm and Friday, April 7 from 4:00 – 5:00 pm. For more information about the Careers in Geography Fair, visit: https://www.aag.org/annualmeeting/jobs_center/career_fair

Career Mentoring

Whether you’re looking for your first job, considering graduate school, or changing careers, the advice of a mentor can help prepare you for success in today’s competitive job market. The AAG has assembled a team of experienced geography professionals, faculty members, and advanced students to provide one-on-one and small-group consultation about careers in a variety of industries and employment sectors. Topics for discussion might include creating resumes and cover letters that will grab an employer’s attention, finding jobs where you can put your geography skills and training to work, choosing a graduate program, developing your personal and professional networks, long-term career planning, and more. Career mentoring sessions will take place April 5-8, each morning from 10:00 – 11:40 am.

Job & Student Opportunity Postings

Each year, the Jobs & Careers Center features job postings and student opportunities in all fields of geography. Attendees can browse the postings during the career mentoring sessions and or at any time during the conference. Employers are also welcome to post printed ads for open positions within their organizations.

Diversity Ambassadors

A diverse group of graduate students, faculty, and professional geographers serve as AAG Diversity Ambassadors. AAG Diversity Ambassadors are organizing a panel session at the 2017 Annual Meeting entitled “Embracing Diversity: An Open Discussion with the AAG’s Diversity Ambassadors.” The session will take place on Wednesday, April 5 from 2:40 – 4:20 pm in Hynes 203. This session is a continuation of similar panels organized in recent years, which intends to both build upon and enhance the information provided in alternative conference sessions focused on careers and professional development.

AAG Emerging Workforce Scholars

This year, the AAG has launched a unique Emerging Workforce Scholars program for Bunker Hill Community College, Boston Latin Academy and Charlestown High students to engage local youth and advance diversity in geography and the geosciences. The Boston Private Industry Council (PIC) and Massachusetts Workforce Professional Association (MWPA) have been working on this innovative project as AAG’s implementation partners. Please extend a warm welcome to the Emerging Scholars as they explore careers in geography and the geosciences! For more information about the program, visit: https://www.aag.org/diversity_scholarship

GISCI Certification

Did you know you can earn GISP credits by participating in the AAG Annual Meeting? Attendance provides several ways to earn necessary points for the “Contributions to the Profession” and “Education” components of becoming a GISP. A workshop entitled “GISCI – An Exploration of Professionalism Early in a Career or Profession” will take place on Thursday, April 6, from 1:20 – 3:00 pm in Hynes 205. Prospective GISPs and current GISPs who have questions about renewing their certification are encouraged to attend. Attendance is first-come, first-served.

For more information and materials about careers in geography, visit the Jobs & Careers area of the AAG website (www.aag.org/careers). For more on the 2017 AAG Annual Meeting, visit www.aag.org/annualmeeting.

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Annual Meeting

Carry the AAG 2017 Annual Meeting Program in Your Pocket

Get the most from your AAG 2017 Boston experience with the mobile app. Enjoy an interactive experience on your Apple, Android, BlackBerry and other mobile devices during the annual meeting. If you’re a laptop user or have a Windows phone, there’s also a Web version for your devices.

Plan your experience throughout the meeting:

  • search sessions by day, group or type or just browse the abstracts and participants listings
  • create your own calendar of events by adding your favorite sessions to your schedule
  • receive updated changes to sessions and events from organizers
    browse exhibitor listings
  • take notes during sessions and send as emails and also rate the sessions
    view the list of local restaurants to experience during your visit
  • locate various sessions by tapping on areas of each floor plan within the maps icon

The app will help you balance your schedule of preferred sessions, events and meetings with friends and colleagues, while keeping you informed with daily Geograms and social media updates. Networking features offer colleagues tools to share schedules and exchange contact information. The AAG mobile app also integrates with social media networks on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn. And, it will help you collect and share important notes and information from sessions and exhibitors.

For more information, download the tip sheet to help get you started.

Download the native app: https://m.core-apps.com/aagmeetings

Bookmark the Web version on your Windows phone, computer or laptop: https://app.core-apps.com/aagam2017

IMPORTANT NOTES: If you plan to use the app on two of your mobile devices, it’s important to set up the multi-device sync within the app on both devices. (See tip sheet for more details.)

Also, if you find the app is slow to launch, you may bypass the update by simply tapping the back arrow on Android or the cancel button on iOS devices to immediately get to the dashboard. Update times during app launch vary by device, connection strength and also depend on when you last did a full update. Remember, this is a large meeting with 6,900 abstracts, 1,700 sessions and 9,000 attendees! Make sure you try to update at least once a day to capture any changes, such as session updates, newly added attendees, etc. If your refresh button turns red, it’s time to update.

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Explore the Growing List of AAG 2017 Field Trips, Workshops and Excursions

Explore the rich physical and cultural geography of Boston, Mass., and the New England region through informative field trips led by geographers or other experts. Field trips and excursions are also an excellent way to meet and exchange ideas with colleagues and friends. Also, expand your knowledge base and sign up for a workshop within your area of expertise.

Learn more.

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