Newsletters

Newsletter – June 2021

PRESIDENT’S COLUMN

On Teaching, Time Management, Mentoring, and Service

By Amy Lobben

drew-beamer-Vc1pJfvoQvY-unsplash-300x200-1With summer almost here, I’m about to head into my last year as an academic. I’m “retiring” June 2022, although in truth I’ll work full time running my family’s winery and nonprofit, both built around the mission of providing training, jobs, and community for those with disabilities. As I transition from academics, Andrew and I are encountering many things we didn’t know were part of running a small business. This transition has prompted me to reflect on my transition from student to faculty member and, in turn, on how we prepare our graduate students for major life and career transitions.

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FROM THE MERIDIAN

Perspectives: A New Column in the AAG Newsletter

By Gary Langham

In May, we introduced a new column to the AAG Newsletter called Perspectives, replacing AAG’s former Op-Ed feature. Perspectives will share the opinions and ideas of members on issues of relevance to geography. We encourage submissions that stimulate dialogue, get members thinking, and challenge our discipline to take new approaches to the social, political, and environmental issues confronting geographers and the public.

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ANNUAL MEETING

New York City to host 2022 AAG Annual Meeting

Statue of Liberty National Monument and NYC skyline

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. Registration and the call for papers for #AAG2022 will be announced this summer and we invite you to organize and participate in sessions, workshops, field trips, special events, and activities. We look forward to seeing you in New York City!

PUBLICATIONS

NEW Annals Alert: Articles with topics ranging from the 2016 U.S. presidential election to meteorological data in the Antarctic

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The most recent issue of the Annals of the AAG has been published online (Volume 111, Issue 4) with 17 new articles on contemporary geographic research plus one commentary on social vulnerability models and a related response. Topics in this issue include location spoofing at Standing Rock; biodiversity and coffee plantations; postremoval of Mexican deportees; WWII geographies; geography’s involvement with the military; the Teachers Teaching Teachers GIS Institute; Dollar Stores; and distance in geographical analysis. Locational areas of interest include Cambodia; Bangladesh; Ecuador; the North Antarctic Peninsula; and Jakarta. Authors are from a variety of research institutions including University of Colombo; University of Texas – Austin; University College Dublin; and Central China Normal University.

All AAG members have full online access to all issues of the Annals through the Members Only page. Each issue, the Editors choose one article to make freely available. In this issue you can read On Geography and War: New Perspectives on the Ardennes Campaigns of 1940 and 1944 by Stephan Harrison and David G. Passmore for free for the next two months.

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

Journals-newsletter-100In 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

ASSOCIATION NEWS

Get a Glimpse of AAG’s New Website

Web-redesign-reveal-1200x675-1-300x169During our virtual annual meeting, we gave a sneak peek of our new website currently in the design process. If you missed the session or weren’t able to attend the conference, you still have a chance to see the recording. Our website agency, Free Range, revealed some of the exciting changes in store for this completely accessible, innovative, and mobile friendly website launching later this spring. Please send us your questions and thoughts at feedback [at] aag [dot] org. We’d love to hear from you! View the recording.

We are also looking for some fresh taglines to appear on the new AAG website when it launches this summer! What does AAG mean to you in a few words? Submit your suggestion here.

Prepare to Nominate Colleagues for AAG Honors

awards_hi-res-300x160Please consider nominating outstanding colleagues for the AAG Honors, the highest awards offered by the American Association of Geographers. Individual AAG members, specialty groups, affinity groups, departments, and other interested parties are encouraged to nominate outstanding colleagues. Deadlines for nominations will be later this year – on September 15th. The new nomination portal will be open for nominations starting later this summer.

More information about AAG Honors

Symposium on COVID-19’s Impacts

On June 22-25, AAG will co-sponsor a symposium on COVID-19’s second-order impacts on cities throughout the world. Register to find out more about the Cities’ COVID Mitigation Mapping (C2M2) program, a program of the Office of the Geographer and Global Issues at the U.S. Department of State through its MapGive open mapping initiative. Join C2M2, AAG, and Harvard University’s Center for Geographic Analysis to hear from experts at the forefront of monitoring the pandemic, producing critical data on local economies, and providing an understanding of critical needs for societies to adapt to the conditions imposed by pandemic strategies, seen through the lenses of migration, livelihoods, and gender. Registration is now open. This symposium is free and open to the public. Find out more and reserve your place here. 

For more information about the Cities’ COVID Mitigation Mapping (C2M2) program, please go to mapgive.state.gov/c2m2. To RSVP to the June 22-25 Symposium, visit this link.

Open Plenaries during this Week’s AAG GFDA Workshops

The AAG is pleased to announce the return of the Geography Faculty Development Alliance (GFDA) Department Leadership workshop this week. Two of the virtual plenary sessions will be FREE to all interested parties.

Thursday, June 3 from 2:30-3:45pm ET the Women in leadership in geography panel will include perspectives from Kavita Pandit, Georgia State University; Marilyn Raphael, University of California Los Angeles; Joanna Regulska, University of California Davis; and Emily Ting Yeh, University of Colorado at Boulder and AAG President. Register here.

Saturday, June 5 from 1:00-2:15pm ET the Visioning and leading for an inclusive future panel invites contributions from Jacqueline Housel, Sinclair Community College; Adriana Martinez, Southern Illinois-Edwardsville; Rashad Shabazz, Arizona State University; Shaowen Wang, University of Illinois Champaign-Urbana; and moderated by Gary Langham, Executive Director of AAG. Register here.

POLICY CORNER

Pennsylvania State Bill Threatens Geographers’ Work

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A bill is moving through the Pennsylvania General Assembly that threatens work opportunities for geospatial professionals in the state, and has been described by others in the geospatial community as a “solution without a problem.” HB609 attempts to provide further definitions for licensing and surveying by encompassing a wide array of mapping activities, including broadly-characterized geospatial data collection that has been successfully done by skilled and trained GIS and mapping professionals for years. If passed, this bill will exclude from market opportunities professional geographers, GIS practitioners and geospatial technology businesses, both large and small, unless they opt to acquire a surveying license.

When property boundaries are called into question, those in our community appreciate and understand the necessary work of land surveyors. But this overreaching piece of legislation fails to acknowledge the innovative, high-quality work done by geographers and GIS practitioners far outside the realm of land surveying. The AAG will continue to track this critical issue in PA, and will monitor for similar bills in other states. Click here to learn more about the bill and how you can get involved.

In the News:

  • The AAG is planning a series of state-level panels to encourage geographers to get involved in the 2021 redistricting process, and we need your help. To get involved or simply learn more, please reach out to Michelle Kinzer, mkinzer [at] aag [dot] org.
  • During the May 20-21 meeting of the Council of Councils at the National Institutes of Health (NIH), a Working Group on Basic Behavioral and Social Science Research (bBSSR) presented a report analyzing past support for basic research on behavioral and social phenomena related to health and areas ripe for additional study.
  • On May 17, the House of Representatives approved a group of bills introduced in the House Science, Space, and Technology Committee that aim to make the U.S. science enterprise more equitable, safe, and fair. Four bills, the Supporting Early-Career Researchers Act (H.R. 144), the STEM Opportunities Act (H.R. 204), the MSI STEM Achievement Act (H.R. 2027), and the Combatting Sexual Harassment in Science Act (H.R. 2695) were introduced by Science Committee Chair Eddie Bernice Johnson and were endorsed by COSSA.
MEMBER NEWS

Profiles of Professional Geographers

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Daniel Cole began his career as a research cartographer at the National Museum of Natural History. Today he is the GIS Coordinator & Chief Cartographer at the Smithsonian Institution and oversees over 400 GIS and Storymap users and developers working on scientific projects. Cole recommends geographers not only develop good cartographic design skills for public communication, but also that students take courses in related fields of interest such as conservation, anthropology, or computer science to best be able to jump in on cartographic projects in other fields.

Learn more about Geography Careers on the recently updated AAG Jobs & Careers website.

June Member Updates

The latest news about AAG Members. 

Mark Monmonier has received the Chancellor’s Citation for Excellence Lifetime Achievement Award from Syracuse University. Monmonier, known best for “How to Lie with Maps,” retired from the Maxwell School at Syracuse University this May. More.

Craig E. Colten, Carl O. Sauer Professor in Louisiana State University’s Department of Geography & Anthropology, was granted the prestigious Senior Scholar Rainmaker Award winner for 2020 from Louisiana State University. The Rainmaker Awards are given each year to faculty who have demonstrated outstanding research, scholarship, and creative activity for their respective ranks and discipline. More.

Laura Szymanski, geography PhD candidate at University of Wisconsin – Madison, was named the 2021-2022 William L. Fisher Congressional Geoscience Fellow from the American Geosciences Institute. Szymanski will spend a year working in Congress on intersections of geoscience and policy. More.

RESOURCES AND OPPORTUNITIES

New issue of you are here

you-are-here-1-300x169The 2021 issue of you are here: bodies & politics has been published. This issue focuses on the significance and political potentials of bodies and embodiment in the current political moment. you are here is an annual publication produced by graduate students at the University of Arizona School of Geography, Development, and Environment. The journal seeks to explore geographic themes through poetry, creative writing, maps, photographs, visual art, sonic art, film, and other imaginable genres.

Learn more about you are here.

Call for Participation: Developing Geospatial Expertise Symposium

You are invited to submit papers discussing your perspectives and/or research on geospatial expertise as part of the Spatial Cognition 2020/21 Conference.  Ten to twelve of those papers will be selected by the organizers for 15-minute presentations plus Q&A.  Background, links to registration, paper submission via EasyChair, and details of this can be found at: http://burtelab.sites.tamu.edu/developing-geospatial-expertise-symposium/

IN MEMORIAM

kasperson_roger_2021Roger Kasperson passed away in his home in Washington, D.C. on Saturday, April 10, 2021. A former Clark Graduate School of Geography faculty member, Kasperson also received his B.A. in geography from Clark and his M.A. and PhD from University of Chicago. Kasperson was a major figure in risk analysis, resilience, and sustainability and was an elected member of the National Academy of Sciences, the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, and the American Association for the Advancement of Science. More.

The AAG is also saddened to hear of the passing of Jene McKnight.

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Roger Kasperson

Former Clark Graduate School of Geography faculty member Roger Kasperson, passed away on Saturday, April 10. A major scholar in the fields of risk and environmental sustainability, Professor Kasperson had a nearly lifelong relationship with Clark and the GSG: he earned his B.A. in Geography from Clark in 1959, and returned to Clark as a faculty member in Geography and Government in 1968 after earning his M.A. and Ph.D. in Geography at the University of Chicago and teaching elsewhere for several years. He spent the majority of his career at Clark, in a variety of roles: in addition to being an assistant, associate, and full professor in our department, he headed a number of major centers and initiatives at Clark and served at various points as Acting Director of the GSG, Dean of the College, Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs, and University Professor. He retained an appointment as a Research Faculty member in our department up until the time of his death.

Professor Kasperson was a major figure in the fields of risk analysis and communication, global environmental change, and vulnerability, sustainability, and resilience. As such, he worked closely with a variety of government agencies and NGOs, including the National Research Council, the International Geographical Union, and the Potsdam Institute for Climate Change. Perhaps most notably, he was the Executive Director of the Stockholm Environment Institute from 2000-2004. He was also an elected member of the National Academy of Sciences, the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, and the American Association for the Advancement of Science, and a recipient of honors from both the AAG and the Society for Risk Analysis.

Thank you to the Graduate School of Geography at Clark University for permission to publish this obituary. Original found here.

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Allen G. Noble

Dr Allen G. Noble, Professor Emeritus at the University of Akron, Ohio and a longtime AAG member, passed away on March 24. He was 90 years old.

In his early career, Dr. Noble served as a United States Foreign Service Officer in Bombay, India, and Curitiba and Belém, Brazil. He went on to a distinguished academic and publishing career in regional, cultural, and physical geography. His book Wood, Brick, and Stone: The North American Settlement Landscape was nominated for a Pulitzer Prize in 1984. In the late 1980s, AAG recognized Dr. Noble with the AAG Honors, the highest award offered by the AAG. The Ohio Academy of Sciences cited him in their 100th Year Celebration as one of Ohio’s Distinguished Scientists.

Noble’s ability to keep his family goal oriented and organized will be greatly missed. He was predeceased by his daughter and is survived by his wife, two sons, four grandchildren and three great grandchildren

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President's Column

You Baby

“You Baby.” It’s Saturday morning. Jeffrey, who is chronologically well out of his early teenage years, but very much still there in spirit, is awake and calling to me with his favorite insult. He’s mostly non-verbal, but this particular phrase is one that he articulates well enough for anyone to understand.

It’s catchy. A friend and I agree that sometimes we would love to deploy Jeffrey’s favorite phrase at select times, such as… some faculty meetings, for example.

I have mostly resisted using this nifty phrase. However, there are times when I do get fed up with the socially constructed marginalization that is the lived experience of my son and many others with disability. That’s usually when I let loose with “You Baby.”

My husband Andrew and I have started a winery, but not just any winery (terrapacem.com). Our goal is for this winery to provide community, training, and work experiences for people with disabilities. Our son Jeffrey and some of his friends from his school and support program will be among its first employees. Our urban tasting room is set to open this month. (As a side note, this process—and to be honest the many pallets of wonderful wine—have been a great distraction during the Covid pandemic. It’s one of the only things in my life that seems to be moving forward over the past year.)

Image: Lucas George Wendt

I have no idea how well this new venture will work. But, there’s no wading in; we have to jump! In addition to making wine and building a tasting room, we’ve partnered with local nonprofits supporting people with disabilities, including an amazing art program—we are dedicating wall space to displaying art from local artists with disabilities. Last week, Andrew and I visited the studio and saw some of the art that will be the first showing in our tasting room. While there, in addition to interacting with some of the artists, the instructors, and enjoying the displays, I saw a graphic on the wall (see the graphic here, with context about how it has been interpreted and shared). I’d seen it before. But last week, I found myself staring. I was awestruck by how hard inclusion is to achieve and the dramatic (and expensive) steps Andrew and I are taking in order to create opportunities for inclusion. Sometimes I feel like everything we are doing feels contrived – and to an extent it is. Sometimes the barriers seem unsurmountable. And sometimes I get very grouchy when I think about what we are having to do to overcome systematic and systemic bias and exclusion.

But, what we are doing is necessary. Everyone in society exists in constructed space with  boundaries of access and exclusion. Which people are allowed passage is based on intangible cultural, ethnic, racial, gendered, disabled, or economic boundaries. Spatial boundary patterns vary for every individual, driven by these geographies of exclusion.

One of my activities over the past several years has been mapping privileged and disenfranchised space and looking at the patterns of disconnected spaces that emerge. These patterns can reveal spaces that are dominated by a single group or multiple groups. The greater the privilege, the larger the space.

While I feel that Andrew and I are going to fairly extreme lengths to create inclusion opportunities for our son and his community, I also feel that our path is obvious and manageable. But, it’s my professional role – as geographer, educator, administrator, and AAG member, that presents the most confounding inclusion challenge for me.

In a coming column, I will share solicited responses I received from many faculty regarding what they wish they had known and been trained for before beginning their faculty career. One of those respondents mentioned frustration with the lack of preparation for teaching varied student learning needs. This same sentiment was part of a long, ongoing conversation between some of my colleagues, beginning about 2 years ago when we began to notice an uptick in students reporting disability-based instructional accommodations. Usually, those accommodations include extra time for exams or a notetaker. But those are often BandAid solutions.

The real problem is our institutional, instructional, and traditional pedagogic barriers. Major among these barriers is inadequate educator preparation, coupled with classic sage-on-the -stage or zoom-in-the-room instructional practices. The combination of poor training and one-size-fits-all instruction creates a serious disconnect between instructor delivery and student learning needs.

But, of course, institutional goals are the overarching barrier. And these goals are largely out of the hands of most faculty. On the institutional side, especially at public colleges and universities, we may need to think about our mission—our public mission. If we’re really in the business of education, maybe that should be our priority.

Just an idea.

Here’s an example: Research. Research is often the first thing universities celebrate in their missions. Yet it is expensive. As one upper administrator once told me, the university pays $1.3 for every $1 of external research funding it receives. In addition, as the Carnegie research activity classification increases (i.e. R3 to R1), the teaching load usually lowers.  At what cost do universities prioritize expensive research metrics over inclusive education?

I’ve spent most of my career at an R1 university.  I do see some contribution to society and I see the benefit to some students.  But, looking back, I’m honestly not sure whether I served society better by publishing a couple of articles per year in obscure academic journals, as opposed to focusing on more inclusive education of our next generation.

If we’re going to address the problem of educational access and inclusion, the answer seems obvious:  As geography educators, we (and our institutions) need to adopt Universal Design of Instruction. One of my favorite summaries of UDI is from the Do-It program at the University of Washington. Yet while simple to discuss, the principles of UDI are difficult to implement, primarily as a result of attitudinal, administrative, resource, and institutional barriers.

During our PhD programs, most of us are taught to be researchers. Some of us are formally taught to be teachers. But, few of us are taught Universal Design of Instruction. This approach represents a monumental shift from the traditional pedagogy: the lecture-driven course design. Yet, if we are going to achieve educational inclusion, our practices and institutions must shift out of comfortable models designed for the “typical” student and make way for a new approach – instructional design for a broad range of students. This range must include the very students who make up our classes whether they have disabilities, are of a non-traditional age, are raised in another language, come from any race, ethnicity, differ in learning style, or—most often—have lives that combine several of these.

As I reflect on the inclusion graphic I saw on the studio wall last week, I realize that in education—at all levels—we have a long way to go to create true inclusion. Rather than holding on to our normative, mainstream educational practices and relying on using accommodations for those students who don’t fit the norm, we should build inclusive instruction and learning. Then, the wave of student accommodation requests will reduce to a trickle.

I know, personally, that I need to do better. I need to learn and practice the principles of UDI. If I don’t, I know what Jeffrey would say… “You Baby.”

—Amy Lobben
AAG President and Professor at University of Oregon
lobben [at] uoregon [dot] edu

DOI: 10.14433/2017.0087

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 lobben [at] uoregon [dot] edu to enable a constructive discussion.

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Awardees

AAG Announces 2021 Grant Recipients

The American Association of Geographers congratulates the individuals and entities named to receive an AAG Grant. The AAG will confer these awards at a future event to be determined, once the travel and in-person meeting restrictions have been lifted.

The 2021 Anne U. White Grant

This grant enables people, regardless of any formal training in geography, to engage in useful field studies and to have the joy of working alongside their partners.

Erik Johanson, Florida Atlantic University, will conduct paleoenvironmental research in Guayaquil, Ecuador with partner Jessie Johanson, and will lead a coring team with Florida Atlantic University (FAU) students associated with the FAU field school.

Max Woodworth, Ohio State University, will study historical urban geography with partner Namiko Kunimoto, in Tokyo for a project titled: Colonial Modernism in Datong, Shanxi.

2021 Dissertation Research Grant recipients ($1,000/each)

The AAG provides support for doctoral Dissertation Research in the form of grants up to $1,000 to PhD candidates of any geographic specialty.

Shamayeta Bhattacharya, University of Connecticut

Alicia Danze, University of Texas at Austin

Brandon Finn, Harvard University

Gengchen Mai, UC Santa Barbara

Scott Markley, University of Georgia

Sophie O’Manique, The Graduate Center, CUNY

Ruchi Patel, Pennsylvania State University

2021 Research Grant recipients ($500/each):

The AAG provides small Research Grants of $500 to support direct costs for fieldwork and research.

Ryan Burns, University of Calgary

Mei-Huan Chen, Pennsylvania State University

Jennifer Greenburg, Stanford University

Wenliang Li, University of North Carolina Greensboro

Anna Van de Grift, Texas A&M University

Qi Zhang, Boston University

2021 AAG Darrel Hess Community College Geography Scholarships

Outstanding students from community colleges, junior colleges, city colleges, or two-year educational institutions who will be transferring as geography majors to four-year universities receive support and recognition from this scholarship program, including $1,000 for educational expenses.  The scholarship has been generously provided by Darrel Hess of the City College of San Francisco to 29 students since 2006.

Devon Michelle Borthwick, transferring from Front Range Community College to the University of Wyoming,

Constance Connors, transferring from Sinclair Community College to Arizona State University

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William A. Dando

William A. Dando, Distinguished Professor of Geography and professor emeritus at Indiana State University, passed away on January 1, 2021, at the age of 86, after a brief illness. Throughout his life, he was an exemplar of a balanced academic life, excelling at research and teaching while also serving his communities: a true “gentleman” of geography.

William Arthur Dando was born in Newell, Pennsylvania on June 13, 1934 and grew up exploring the surrounding hills and valleys. He served in the Air Force from 1954-6, including a stint in Iceland. Under the G.I. Bill, Dando attended California University (PA), just across the river from Newell, earning his B.S in Geography and Mathematics in 1959. He received his M.S. in 1962 and Ph.D. in 1969 from the University of Minnesota, working with John Borchert. His dissertation was entitled “Grain or Dust; A Study of the Soviet New Lands Program 1954-1963.” This work began a lifelong interest in food production and Soviet agriculture.

Dando’s first teaching position was at the University of Maryland. In 1970, he received a Danforth Associateship, “awarded in recognition of good teaching and in humanizing the education process.” In 1972, he was awarded a Fulbright-Hays Postdoctoral Research Grant to study Romanian agriculture, becoming one of the first Americans to spend time on a communist collective farm.

Beginning in the early 1970s, he started leading geography field courses to the Soviet Union, allowing him to gather data behind the Iron Curtain while giving hundreds of students memorable field experiences. In addition to university students, he also took teachers and farmers on educational trips to the Soviet Union, making over twenty trips.

In 1975, Dando accepted a position at the Geography Department at the University of North Dakota, becoming chair of the program.

In 1980, Dando published The Geography of Famine (1980) which received international acclaim. In 1982, he contributed a chapter on “Man Made Famines” to Famine: Its Causes, Effects and Management which was recognized with the World Hunger Media Award by the United Nations.

Dando spent the 1981-82 academic year as a Senior Scholar at Chung Chi College of the Chinese University of Hong Kong.

Dando moved to Terre Haute in 1989 where he was the chair of the Department of Geography, Geology, and Anthropology at Indiana State University until his retirement in 2002. After retirement, he founded the “Senior Scholars Academy” at ISU, a pre- and post-retirement think-tank for retired faculty members dedicated to regional enhancement and community revitalization.

Throughout his years at the Universities of Maryland and North Dakota and then at Indiana State University he taught undergraduate and graduate classes, mentoring students of all levels as well as faculty. Michael DeMers, a beloved student and friend, dedicated his first book to Dando, writing: “I offer this work first to William A. Dando, who put my feet on the path of geographical knowledge and who has been an unwavering supporter of my work. He not only shared his knowledge and skills with me but, more importantly, he shared his time, his family and, above all, his love. No student ever received so much from an advisor. His has been the pattern that I have tried to emulate” (Fundamentals of Geographic Information Systems, 1997).

Dando was a prolific researcher and author, publishing over 29 books and monographs, 79 articles, book chapters, and encyclopedia entries, and two atlases. A scholar to the end, he continued to publish books and articles after his retirement, including Food and Famine in the 21st Century (2012) and Geography of the Holy Land: Jerusalem, Regional Cities, Small Towns, and Rural Places (2020). He had a knack for grant-writing and had numerous grants over his academic career, adding up to millions of dollars in funded research.

He received numerous awards for teaching, research and service from a variety of institutions and organizations, including from the University of Maryland, University of North Dakota, Indiana State University, the NCGE, the West Lakes Division of the AAG, and from the AAG.

At all the universities he worked at, Dando was active on campus, serving on university committees. He also gave numerous presentations to local organizations and advised various state offices on geography-related topics, including at one point the governor of North Dakota.

He worked with teachers to help improve the teaching of geography in schools in Maryland, North Dakota, and Indiana. His contributions to geographic education were recognized by awards from the Geographic Educators of Indiana, the National Council for Geographic Education, and the AAG.

Dando was a member of the AAG 60 years. He served the AAG in a variety of capacities: vice-chairman (1971) and chairman (1973-4) of the Middle Atlantic Division; as treasurer (1977-8) and chairperson (1978-9) for the Great Plains-Rocky Mountain Division; as a chairperson (1994-5) and regional councilor (1997-2000) for the West Lakes Division; on the AAG Proposal Writing Committee 1990-3; and chairperson of the Bible Specialty Group (1993-2021).

Former Executive Director of the AAG, Doug Richardson, a long-term friend of Bill Dando, noted that “Bill’s curiosity, energy, and wide-ranging scholarship, coupled with a deep commitment to his students, have made significant and enduring contributions to the discipline of geography. His big heart and his expansive vision will be missed by all.”

His deep interest in food and famine issues was not just academic. He was an active member of Centenary United Methodist Church of Terre Haute and he and wife Caroline worked its monthly “Fourth Monday” luncheon, a free meal to whoever needs it, just two days before his passing.

He leaves behind his wife and co-writer/editor Caroline Z. Dando; children Christina, Lara, and Bill (all geographers); four grandchildren — Emmaline, Anna, Alex, and John; and thousands of former students and mentees.

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Darrel Hess Community College Geography Scholarship

Deadline: November 15, 2026 (by midnight, Eastern Time)

The American Association of Geographers is pleased to announce a national scholarship program for community college students. Two $1,500 scholarships will be awarded to students from community colleges, junior colleges, city colleges, or similar two-year educational institutions who will be transferring as geography majors to four year colleges and universities. These scholarships are funded by Darrel Hess, author of McKnight’s Physical Geography: A Landscape Appreciation, published by Pearson.

The award consists of a scholarship to be used for any educational expenses in the amount of $1,500 and a formal certificate of merit. The formal announcement of the award will take place at the AAG Annual Meeting.

Eligibility

You are eligible to apply if you are a student currently enrolled at a US community college, junior college, city college, or similar two-year educational institution at the time you submit your application. You must also have completed at least two transfer courses in geography and plan to transfer to a four-year institution as a geography major during the coming academic year.

As with all other AAG awards, eligibility also rests on the candidate being in compliance with the AAG Professional Conduct Policy. Nominations may be rescinded, and the award may also be revoked for any candidate or awardee who is found in violation of the AAG’s Professional Conduct Policy.

Criteria

Selection will be based on the overall quality of the application, scholastic excellence and academic promise. Financial need will also be considered. The selection committee will observe the purposes and preferences noted above when evaluating proposals. Two to four awards of $1,500 will be made annually. Awards may not be made in years when funds are insufficient or proposals are not suitable.

Applications

Applications must be received by the deadline (Eastern Time).

Applicants will be required to upload transcripts.

Applicants should arrange for the submission of two letters of recommendation from college instructors.  Requests for letters of recommendation will be made directly in the application portal.

Notification

All applicants will be notified of the status of their submission within 6 months after the deadline. To receive their scholarships, awardees will be asked to submit official documentation of their admission to a 4-year institution along with verification of majoring in geography, such as an official transcript or a letter from the department chair.

Awardees are encouraged but not required to attend the AAG Annual Meeting to receive a certificate of recognition at the AAG Awards Ceremony.

Applicants may also apply separately for travel support under the AAG Community College Travel Grant Program.

Reports and Acknowledgment

Please acknowledge support to the AAG Hess Scholarship in any presentations and publications.

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AAG Darrel Hess Community College Geography Scholarship Recipients

2026

Colin Montoya

2026 AAG Darrel Hess Community College Geography Scholarship

Colin Montoya

2026 AAG Darrel Hess Community College Geography Scholarship

Transferring from Pasadena City College to California State University Los Angeles

2026

Erin Dickey

2026 AAG Darrel Hess Community College Geography Scholarship

Erin Dickey

2026 AAG Darrel Hess Community College Geography Scholarship

Transferring from Front Range Community College to Colorado State University

2025

Christian Umholtz

2025 AAG Darrel Hess Community College Geography Scholarship

Christian Umholtz

2025 AAG Darrel Hess Community College Geography Scholarship

Transferring from Central New Mexico Community College to University of New Mexico

2024

Adrian Asensio-Arkin

2024 AAG Darrel Hess Community College Geography Scholarship

Adrian Asensio-Arkin

2024 AAG Darrel Hess Community College Geography Scholarship

Transferring from Oakton Community College to University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

2024

Caitlin Berry

2024 AAG Darrel Hess Community College Geography Scholarship

Caitlin Berry

2024 AAG Darrel Hess Community College Geography Scholarship

Transferring from Pasadena City College to University of California, Santa Barbara

2024

Jayce Klein

2024 AAG Darrel Hess Community College Geography Scholarship

Jayce Klein

2024 AAG Darrel Hess Community College Geography Scholarship

Transferring from Arapahoe Community College to University of Colorado Boulder

2023

Shemania Accema

2023 AAG Darrel Hess Community College Geography Scholarship

Shemania Accema

2023 AAG Darrel Hess Community College Geography Scholarship

Shemania Accema, transferring from Valencia College to the University of Florida

2023

Jeffrey Varga

2023 AAG Darrel Hess Community College Geography Scholarship

Jeffrey Varga

2023 AAG Darrel Hess Community College Geography Scholarship

Jeffrey Varga, transferring from Southwestern Oregon Community College to Oregon State University

2022

Annalisa Hamm

2022 AAG Darrel Hess Community College Geography Scholarship

Annalisa Hamm

2022 AAG Darrel Hess Community College Geography Scholarship

Annalisa Hamm, transferring FROM Arapahoe Community College TO University of Colorado Denver

2021

Devon Michelle Borthwick

2021 AAG Darrel Hess Community College Geography Scholarship

Devon Michelle Borthwick

2021 AAG Darrel Hess Community College Geography Scholarship

Devon Michelle Borthwick, transferring FROM Front Range Community College TO the University of Wyoming

2021

Constance Connors

2021 AAG Darrel Hess Community College Geography Scholarship

Constance Connors

2021 AAG Darrel Hess Community College Geography Scholarship

Constance Connors, transferring FROM Sinclair Community College TO Arizona State University

2020

Cassia Barnard-Royer

2020 AAG Darrel Hess Community College Geography Scholarship

Cassia Barnard-Royer

2020 AAG Darrel Hess Community College Geography Scholarship

Cassia Barnard-Royer, transferring FROM Santa Fe College TO the University of Florida

2020

Laurel Durbin

2020 AAG Darrel Hess Community College Geography Scholarship

Laurel Durbin

2020 AAG Darrel Hess Community College Geography Scholarship

Laurel Durbin, transferring FROM Shasta College TO CSU Chico

2020

Valeria Ferrufino

2020 AAG Darrel Hess Community College Geography Scholarship

Valeria Ferrufino

2020 AAG Darrel Hess Community College Geography Scholarship

Valeria Ferrufino, transferring FROM Irvine Valley College TO (awaiting responses from UCLA, UC Berkeley, UC Santa Barbara, and CSUs)

2020

Mary Anne Flier

2020 AAG Darrel Hess Community College Geography Scholarship

Mary Anne Flier

2020 AAG Darrel Hess Community College Geography Scholarship

Mary Anne Flier, transferring FROM Grand Rapids Community College TO Aquinas College

2020

Andrew Mendez

2020 AAG Darrel Hess Community College Geography Scholarship

Andrew Mendez

2020 AAG Darrel Hess Community College Geography Scholarship

Andrew Mendez, transferring FROM East Los Angeles College TO CSU Northridge 

2019

Jonathan Freel

2019 AAG Darrel Hess Community College Geography Scholarship

Jonathan Freel

2019 AAG Darrel Hess Community College Geography Scholarship

Jonathan Freel, transferring FROM Montgomery College TO University of Maryland

2019

Do Khym

2019 AAG Darrel Hess Community College Geography Scholarship

Do Khym

2019 AAG Darrel Hess Community College Geography Scholarship

Do Khym, transferring FROM Cerritos College TO UC-Berkeley

2018

Julie Burcham

2018 AAG Darrel Hess Community College Geography Scholarship

Julie Burcham

2018 AAG Darrel Hess Community College Geography Scholarship

Julie Burcham, tranferring FROM Grossmont Community College TO San Diego State University

2018

Jacob Gagnon

2018 AAG Darrel Hess Community College Geography Scholarship

Jacob Gagnon

2018 AAG Darrel Hess Community College Geography Scholarship

Jacob Gagnon, transferring FROM Sinclair Community College TO University of Cincinnati

2018

Mario Perez

2018 AAG Darrel Hess Community College Geography Scholarship

Mario Perez

2018 AAG Darrel Hess Community College Geography Scholarship

Mario Perez, transferring FROM Montgomery College TO University of Maryland

2018

Tony Vo

2018 AAG Darrel Hess Community College Geography Scholarship

Tony Vo

2018 AAG Darrel Hess Community College Geography Scholarship

Tony Vo, transferring FROM Montgomery College TO University of Maryland

2017

Amy Kennedy

2017 AAG Darrel Hess Community College Geography Scholarship

Amy Kennedy

2017 AAG Darrel Hess Community College Geography Scholarship

Amy Kennedy, transferring FROM Sinclair Community College in Dayton, Ohio, TO Ohio State University

2016

Eric Sheley

2016 AAG Darrel Hess Community College Geography Scholarship

Eric Sheley

2016 AAG Darrel Hess Community College Geography Scholarship

Eric Sheley, transferring FROM Front Range Community College, Colorado, TO University of Northern Colorado

2016

Leann Silvia

2016 AAG Darrel Hess Community College Geography Scholarship

Leann Silvia

2016 AAG Darrel Hess Community College Geography Scholarship

Leann Silvia, transferring FROM College of Southern Nevada TO University of Nevada, Reno

2015

Melissa Draga

2015 AAG Darrel Hess Community College Geography Scholarship

Melissa Draga

2015 AAG Darrel Hess Community College Geography Scholarship

Melissa Draga, transferring FROM Chaffey College TO California State Polytechnic University, Pomona

2015

Earle Isibue

2015 AAG Darrel Hess Community College Geography Scholarship

Earle Isibue

2015 AAG Darrel Hess Community College Geography Scholarship

Earle Isibue, transferring FROM Rock Valley College TO Northern Illinois University

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AAG Dissertation Research Grants

The Dissertations Research Grant program will be inactive for the 2026-2027 awards cycle.

The application for the 2028 Dissertation Research Grants will reopen in 2027.

The AAG provides support for doctoral dissertation research in the form of small grants of up to $1,000 to Ph.D. candidates of any geographic specialty. 

Eligibility

You are eligible to apply if all of the following have been met:

  1. you have been an AAG member for at least one year at the time of your application submission;
  2. you will not have earned a doctorate at the time of the award; and
  3. you will have completed all Ph.D. requirements except the dissertation by the end of the semester or term following approval of your award (i.e., you will have met all requirements except the completed dissertation by the spring or summer term immediately following the application deadline).

Your dissertation supervisor must certify your eligibility by providing an official letter.  Your dissertation supervisor must include the following information with the appropriate text inserted where indicated in [CAPITAL LETTERS INSIDE BRACKETS] below:

This letter verifies that [NAME OF APPLICANT] will have both
1) completed all the requirements for the Ph.D. except for the dissertation by the end of the term/semester following this deadline (i.e., spring/summer 2024) and
2) is expected to have completed a Ph.D. degree by the spring or summer semester of the next calendar year (i.e., spring/summer 2025). Anticipated date of completion is [DATE].” 

I certify that I am the dissertation supervisor of [NAME OF APPLICANT].

Dissertation Chair/Supervisor’s Name, Position/Title
Department
University
Phone Number
Email
As with all other AAG grants, eligibility also rests on the candidate being in compliance with the AAG Professional Conduct Policy. Nominations may be rescinded, and the grant may also be revoked for any candidate or grantee who is found in violation of the AAG’s Professional Conduct Policy.

Criteria

Proposals should demonstrate high standards of scholarship. The selection committee will observe the purposes and preferences noted above when evaluating proposals. The committee represents a broad spectrum of geographical specialties, and cannot be expected to be familiar with the jargon of all geographical topics. Awards rarely exceed $1,000. Awards may not be made in years when funds are insufficient or proposals are not suitable. 

 

Applications

Applications must be received by the deadline (Eastern Time). Awardees may anticipate receiving their grants by late Spring. 

APPLY

All materials must be submitted through the application portal and will not be accepted via email.

About AAG Dissertation Research Grants

These grants are supported by the AAG and also in part with the following funds: (Note: Applicants do not need to indicate which of these funds are most relevant to their proposed dissertation nor must their research conform to only these subject areas.) 

  • The Robert D. Hodgson Memorial Ph.D. Dissertation Fund, which honors an accomplished geographer who capped his long career with ten years of distinguished service as the geographer in the U.S. Department of State. As an internationally recognized expert on geographic aspects of the law of the sea and maritime boundaries, Dr. Hodgson believed that broader understanding of geographic principles would reduce international conflicts. 
  • The Paul Vouras Fund, established by a generous gift from Dr. Vouras, who taught at William Paterson College in Wayne, New Jersey, until 1990. The fund supports doctoral dissertation research in geography with preference to minority student applications. 
  • The Otis Paul Starkey Fund, honoring an officer of the American Society of Professional Geographers who also taught at the University of Indiana at Bloomington for years, established to support research devoted to regional study or significant problem areas in the United States or its possessions. 

Reports and Acknowledgment

Please acknowledge AAG support in presentations and publications. 

AAG Dissertation Research Grants Recipients

2025

Elizabeth Zoe Alexander

2025 AAG Dissertation Research Grants

Elizabeth Zoe Alexander

2025 AAG Dissertation Research Grants

City University of New York

2025

Jill Thornton

2025 AAG Dissertation Research Grants

Jill Thornton

2025 AAG Dissertation Research Grants

University of South Carolina

2025

Hao Yang

2025 AAG Dissertation Research Grants

Hao Yang

2025 AAG Dissertation Research Grants

University of Georgia

2024

Christian Keeve

2024 AAG Dissertation Research Grants

Christian Keeve

2024 AAG Dissertation Research Grants

University of Kentucky

2023

Nicole Moller-Gonzalez

2023 AAG Dissertation Research Grants

Nicole Moller-Gonzalez

2023 AAG Dissertation Research Grants

Nicole Moller-Gonzalez, Syracuse University

2022

Lauren Fritzsche

2022 AAG Dissertation Research Grants

Lauren Fritzsche

2022 AAG Dissertation Research Grants

Lauren Fritzsche, University of Tennessee

2022

Gabi Kirk

2022 AAG Dissertation Research Grants

Gabi Kirk

2022 AAG Dissertation Research Grants

Gabi Kirk, University of California Davis

2022

Peter Nguyen

2022 AAG Dissertation Research Grants

Peter Nguyen

2022 AAG Dissertation Research Grants

Peter Nguyen, University of California Davis

2022

Carlos Serrano

2022 AAG Dissertation Research Grants

Carlos Serrano

2022 AAG Dissertation Research Grants

Carlos Serrano, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

2022

Anais Zimmer

2022 AAG Dissertation Research Grants

Anais Zimmer

2022 AAG Dissertation Research Grants

Anais Zimmer, University of Texas at Austin

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AAG Research Grants

Deadline: November 15, 2026 (by midnight, Eastern Time)

The AAG provides small grants to support research and fieldwork. Grants can be used only for direct expenses of research; salary and overhead costs are not allowed. The selection committee will not approve an award larger than $500 for any single recipient. The committee will not approve awards for masters or doctoral dissertation research. No awards are made if funds are insufficient or if proposals are not suitable.

Eligibility

You are eligible to apply if you have been an AAG member for at least two years (not necessarily consecutive) at the time you submit your application.

Criteria

The selection committee will support proposals that in its judgment offer the prospect of obtaining substantial subsequent support from private foundations or federal agencies and that address questions of major import to the discipline. No awards will be made in years when funds are insufficient or if proposals are not suitable.

Application

Applications must be received by the deadline (Eastern Time). All applicants will be notified of the status of their submission within approximately 3 months after the deadline. Awardees may anticipate receiving their grants by late Spring.

As with all other AAG grants, eligibility also rests on the candidate being in compliance with the AAG Professional Conduct Policy. Nominations may be rescinded, and the award may also be revoked for any candidate or grantee who is found in violation of the AAG’s Professional Conduct Policy.

APPLY

About AAG Research Grants

These grants are supported by the AAG and also in part with the following funds:

  • Atwood Research Fund
  • Denoyer Geppert Fund
  • Geppert Fund
  • Gibson Fund

Reports and Acknowledgment

Please acknowledge AAG support in presentations and publications.

AAG Research Grants Recipients

2025

Jesse Andrews

2025 AAG Research Grants

Jesse Andrews

2025 AAG Research Grants

University Of Nebraska – Lincoln

2025

Jordan Blekking

2025 AAG Research Grants

Jordan Blekking

2025 AAG Research Grants

Cornell University

2025

Rebecca Clouser

2025 AAG Research Grants

Rebecca Clouser

2025 AAG Research Grants

Rose Hulman Institute Of Technology

2025

Tianyu Li

2025 AAG Research Grants

Tianyu Li

2025 AAG Research Grants

Southern Illinois University – Edwardsville

2025

Joseph Palis

2025 AAG Research Grants

Joseph Palis

2025 AAG Research Grants

University of the Philippines Diliman

2025

Alana Rader

2025 AAG Research Grants

Alana Rader

2025 AAG Research Grants

Lewis & Clark College

2024

Jiannan Cai

2024 AAG Research Grants

Jiannan Cai

2024 AAG Research Grants

Chinese University of Hong Kong

2024

Scott Warren

2024 AAG Research Grants

Scott Warren

2024 AAG Research Grants

University of Oregon

2024

Daniel Warshawsky

2024 AAG Research Grants

Daniel Warshawsky

2024 AAG Research Grants

Wright State University

2023

Joynal Abedin

2023 AAG Research Grants

Joynal Abedin

2023 AAG Research Grants

Joynal Abedin, Texas A&M University

2023

Michael Desjardins

2023 AAG Research Grants

Michael Desjardins

2023 AAG Research Grants

Michael Desjardins, Johns Hopkins University

2023

Emma Gaalaas Mullaney

2023 AAG Research Grants

Emma Gaalaas Mullaney

2023 AAG Research Grants

Emma Gaalaas Mullaney, Michigan State University

2022

Mary Biggs

2022 AAG Research Grants

Mary Biggs

2022 AAG Research Grants

Mary Biggs, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

2022

Matthew Pflaum

2022 AAG Research Grants

Matthew Pflaum

2022 AAG Research Grants

Matthew Pflaum, University of Florida

2022

Romao Oliveira Wellington

2022 AAG Research Grants

Romao Oliveira Wellington

2022 AAG Research Grants

Romao Oliveira Wellington, Federal University of Ceará

2022

Daniel Yonto

2022 AAG Research Grants

Daniel Yonto

2022 AAG Research Grants

Daniel Yonto, University of Alabama

2022

Zhengke Zhou

2022 AAG Research Grants

Zhengke Zhou

2022 AAG Research Grants

Zhengke Zhou, Chinese University of Hong Kong

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AAG E. Willard and Ruby S. Miller Award

Deadline for the 2027 awards: September 15, 2027 (by midnight, Eastern Time)

This annual award recognizes members of the Association who have made truly outstanding contributions to the geographic field due to their special competence in teaching or research. Funding for the award comes from the estate of Ruby S. Miller. More than one award may be awarded each year. Each award includes $1,000 and a commemorative plaque.

 

Eligibility

AAG members from all fields of geography are eligible for the award. Nominations (including self-nominations) are welcome. Special competence in teaching or research may include cases of outstanding mentoring, informal education, basic or applied research.

As with all other AAG awards, eligibility also rests on the candidate being in compliance with the AAG Professional Conduct Policy. Nominations may be rescinded, and the award may also be revoked for any candidate or awardee who is found in violation of the AAG’s Professional Conduct Policy.

Nominations

Applications must be received by the deadline (Eastern Time).  Applications will consist of:

  • the nominee’s resume or CV;
  • a nomination letter that describes the candidate’s special competence in teaching or research and summarizes their contributions to the discipline of geography.

About Ruby and Will Miller:  

Ruby S. Skinner and E. Willard “Will” Miller were married for more than sixty years and collaborated in life and work.  When World War II broke out, they both went to work in Washington, DC. At the end of the war, they went to Pennsylvania State University where Dr. Miller started the Geography Department and Ruby became the maps librarian. Ruby established and developed the map collection, and taught classes on the use of maps until her retirement. After retirement in 1977, she and her husband co-authored more than 20 books and continued to travel in Europe, Asia, Africa, and South America. Ruby graduated from Kittanning High School and Chatham College in Pittsburgh, attended Clarion University, and did graduate work at the University of Pittsburgh.  Will was also founder of the Pennsylvania Geographical Society and played important leadership roles in the Association of American Geographers, American Geographical Society, and the National Council for Geographic Education.  Will and Ruby Miller received countless awards and in turn were generous with their time, talent, energy, and funds to a wide range of professional and community organizations.

Photograph and biographical information thanks to Penn State Department of Geography, AGS, and AAG Newsletters.

APPLY

For questions or difficulties, please contact grantsawards@aag.org.

AAG E. Willard and Ruby S. Miller Award Recipients

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2026

Jayajit Chakraborty

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2026 AAG E. Willard and Ruby S. Miller Award

Jayajit Chakraborty

2026 AAG E. Willard and Ruby S. Miller Award

Dr. Jayajit Chakraborty is a Professor and Mellichamp Chair in Racial Environmental Justice at the Bren School of Environmental Science and Management in the University of California, Santa Barbara, whose research has analyzed spatial and social inequalities associated with environmental hazards and disasters, as well as informed public policies that address environmental injustices. His extensive body of scholarly work, which includes many co-authored publications with graduate students, is well-cited both within and outside the academy. He has contributed to science research, writing, and advocacy, often as the only geographer, as a member of multiple US Environmental Protection Agency advisory committees. Dr. Chakraborty was recently included in the Stanford-Elsevier ranking of the world’s most cited researchers who are in the top 2% in their academic subfield (geography). He has mentored dozens of graduate and undergraduate students (including first-generation and minority students), taught undergraduate and graduate courses across various geographic subfields, served on the editorial boards of several Geography and Environmental Science journals, and chaired AAG committees.

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2026

CindyAnn Rose-Redwood

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2026 AAG E. Willard and Ruby S. Miller Award

CindyAnn Rose-Redwood

2026 AAG E. Willard and Ruby S. Miller Award

Dr. CindyAnn Rose-Redwood, Teaching Professor of Geography at the University of Victoria, is recognized for her exceptional dedication to teaching excellence, inclusive pedagogy, and student mentorship. Widely recognized as an inspiring instructor and innovative educational researcher, she has received prestigious awards from the Canadian Association of Geographers, the University of Victoria, and the American Association of Geographers, as well as several teaching and learning grants. Dr. Rose-Redwood’s pedagogical creativity is evident through her course design and leadership in integrating anti-racism and social justice into geography curricula, advancing the discipline’s capacity to engage urgent contemporary issues. Beyond the classroom, she has been a transformative mentor to undergraduate and graduate students, serving as a dedicated faculty advisor for student organizations and creating empowering environments for international and first-generation students. Her mentorship has nurtured the next generation of geographers, activists, and community leaders. Also significant are her scholarly contributions to understanding international student experiences. In addition to several refereed articles, her two widely recognized co-edited books reposition international students as critical social actors in shaping higher education, migration, and cultural politics.

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2025

Loretta Lees

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2025 AAG E. Willard and Ruby S. Miller Award

Loretta Lees

2025 AAG E. Willard and Ruby S. Miller Award

Loretta Lees, Director of the Initiative on Cities, Boston University, is recognized for her distinguished career in urban geography through groundbreaking international research on the temporality and spatiality of gentrification, outstanding mentorship of postdoctoral scholars and PhD students; and as a Scholar-Activist for her steadfast commitment to collaboration with marginalized communities and in applying geography for social justice in cities. 

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2025

James Tyner

1
2025 AAG E. Willard and Ruby S. Miller Award

James Tyner

2025 AAG E. Willard and Ruby S. Miller Award

James Tyner, professor, Kent State University in Ohio, for his distinguished career in political geography, particularly prolific contributions to our understanding of the political economy of violence in Southeast Asia and the US, and histories and geographies of 20th-century Marxism, dedicated mentoring of graduate students, and longstanding record of service to the discipline.  

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2024

Soe W. Myint

1
2024 AAG E. Willard and Ruby S. Miller Award

Soe W. Myint

2024 AAG E. Willard and Ruby S. Miller Award

Soe W. Myint, Meadows Endowed Chair Professor, Texas State University, is an internationally recognized scholar who holds the Fulbright Canada Research Chair, has earned recognition from the Canadian Association of Geographers, and is an editor or editorial board member of well recognized remote sensing, GIS, and ecology journals. Dr. Myint possesses a long list of well-cited publications and is acknowledged as one of the most influential researchers in the fields of remote sensing and GIS to address environmental issues in urban, forest, and coastal ecosystems advancing understanding of environmental equity in cities. Dr. Myint is recipient of multiple grants from top national research organizations; a dedicated mentor to geography graduate, undergraduate, and postdoctoral students; and an advocate for diversity and inclusion in the discipline. He has served as a member or chair of over 60 PhD committees and has made outstanding contributions to the discipline as a member of the AAG through his exemplary research, teaching, and service.

1
2022

Anne Bonds

1
2022 AAG E. Willard and Ruby S. Miller Award

Anne Bonds

2022 AAG E. Willard and Ruby S. Miller Award

Anne Bonds, University of Wisconsin Milwaukee, is recognized for her critical studies of race, gender and poverty. She has researched prison expansion as a mode of economic development in the rural mountain West, and more recently post-incarceration survival strategies of women in Milwaukee. She is also recognized for collaborative community-engaged projects that seek to improve racial and economic justice.

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2022

Heejun Chang

1
2022 AAG E. Willard and Ruby S. Miller Award

Heejun Chang

2022 AAG E. Willard and Ruby S. Miller Award

Heejun Chang, Portland State University, has established himself as a leading researcher pursuing an understanding of complex transdisciplinary water issues across scales. His high-impact societally relevant geographic research includes comparative studies and collaboration with international colleagues and communities.

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2020

Jennifer Collins

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2020 AAG E. Willard and Ruby S. Miller Award

Jennifer Collins

2020 AAG E. Willard and Ruby S. Miller Award

2020 Jennifer Collins of the University of South Florida, for her impressive record of high quality scholarship, matched by equally remarkable achievements in teaching, student mentorship, public service, as well as significant contributions to the field of climatology.

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2019

John Clark Archer

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2019 AAG E. Willard and Ruby S. Miller Award

John Clark Archer

2019 AAG E. Willard and Ruby S. Miller Award

2019 John Clark Archer, University of Nebraska Lincoln for his significant contributions to the fields ofpolitical geography (specifically the geography of United States politics), cartography, population geography, and demographics.

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2018

Judith A. Tyner

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2018 AAG E. Willard and Ruby S. Miller Award

Judith A. Tyner

2018 AAG E. Willard and Ruby S. Miller Award

2018 Judith A. Tyner, Professor Emerita, California State University, Long Beach for her extensive distinguished, and pioneering career, with significant contributions to the fields of map design, historical cartography, persuasive cartography, textile maps, and lunar cartography and for being a champion women in geography and cartography.

2017

Hui Lin

2017 AAG E. Willard and Ruby S. Miller Award

Hui Lin

2017 AAG E. Willard and Ruby S. Miller Award

2017 Hui Lin, Chinese University of Hong Kong for his scholarly work, which represents a grand synthesis of human and physical geography, using cutting-edge geospatial technologies.

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2016

Mei-Po Kwan

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2016 AAG E. Willard and Ruby S. Miller Award

Mei-Po Kwan

2016 AAG E. Willard and Ruby S. Miller Award

2016 Mei-Po Kwan, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign for her record of research accomplishment, impact, and contribution, particularly in GIScience, human mobility, and environmental health, both within the discipline of geography and beyond.

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2015

Qihao Weng

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2015 AAG E. Willard and Ruby S. Miller Award

Qihao Weng

2015 AAG E. Willard and Ruby S. Miller Award

2015 Qihao Weng, Indiana State University for his pioneering contributions to the field of remote sensing and its geographical applications, particularly in relation to urban environments, through teaching, collaborative research, conferences and high impact publications.

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2011

Jane Southworth

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2011 AAG E. Willard and Ruby S. Miller Award

Jane Southworth

2011 AAG E. Willard and Ruby S. Miller Award

2011 Jane Southworth, University of Florida for her excellence in teaching, amazing dedication to educating and mentoring graduate students at her institution, strong grant and publication record and international visibility of her research in lang-change science

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2010

Iain Hay

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2010 AAG E. Willard and Ruby S. Miller Award

Iain Hay

2010 AAG E. Willard and Ruby S. Miller Award

2010 Iain Hay, Flinders University for his international leadership in geographic education, heightening the profile of geography and global education, facilitating and institutionalizing networks of academics and educators,  and enhancing teaching and learning in K-12 and university geography around the world.

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