Newsletter – July 2016
PRESIDENT’S COLUMN
The End(s) of Geography?
By Glen M. MacDonald
Serving as your President is a singular honor, but also one that is more than a little daunting. My trepidation arises from three sources. First, with the honor of being elected President comes the responsibility to ably serve the aspirations of a wonderful, but large and highly diverse membership. Second, our past Presidents have set a very high bar of achievements against which new incumbents are sure to be measured. These are big shoes to fill.
So, before I move on to my third point, allow me to thank the Members of the AAG for their confidence. I also thank our immediate past Presidents Sarah Bednarz, Mona Domosh and Julie Winkler for the inspiration and warm friendship they have provided.
In the end, all I can promise is that I will do my very best to serve all our Members and further the legacy of our past Presidents. What I would ask in return is that you share your ideas and experience with me. Be sure to let me know if I miss an important concern or stray off course in addressing such issues. I am very teachable.
Recent columns from the President
ANNUAL MEETING
Registration & Call for Papers Open Aug. 1
Join Us in Boston, April 5-9, 2017, for the AAG Annual Meeting
The AAG invites scholars, professionals, and students to attend and present their latest work in geography at the AAG Annual Meeting, which will be held in Boston from April 5 to April 9, 2017.
The conference will feature over 6,000 presentations, posters, workshops, and field trips. The call for papers and registration will open on August 1, 2016.
NEWS
Consultation on Sections in the ‘Annals of the AAG’
The AAG is considering a proposal to remove the four section headings in the Annals of the AAG, with the understanding that the creation of an editorial team that represents the breadth and integrity of the discipline should continue. It is also understood that several substantive areas of geography can reside within the expertise of each editor but no one editor can encompass the whole discipline. The proposal is to remove the confusion and containment that accrues to the establishment of section headings while maintain the disciplinary integrity of an editorial team. The AAG seeks your comments. Learn More.
AAG Seeks Nominations for 2017 Vice President, National Councilors
The AAG Nominating Committee seeks nominations for Vice President (one to be elected) and for National Councilor (two vacancies) for the 2017 election. Those elected will take office on July 1, 2017.Individual AAG members, specialty groups, affinity groups, departments, and other interested parties are encouraged to nominate outstanding colleagues by June 30. Read More.
OPPORTUNITIES
AAG Honors Nominations Deadline Extended to Friday, July 15, 2016
The AAG has extended the deadline to submit nominations for AAG Honors to July 15, 2016. AAG Honors are offered annually to recognize outstanding accomplishments by members in research and scholarship, teaching, education, service to the discipline, public service outside academe and for lifetime achievement. Individual AAG members, specialty groups, affinity groups, departments, and other interested parties are encouraged to nominate outstanding colleagues by July 15. Currently, honors are awarded in six categories. Learn More.
Census Scientific Advisory Committee Seeks Nominations
The Census Bureau has issued a call for nominations for membership to the Census Scientific Advisory Committee. This committee advises the Director of the Census Bureau on statistical data collection, statistical analysis, econometrics, cognitive psychology, and a variety of other scientific areas pertaining to Census Bureau programs and activities. According to the notice in the Federal Register, “Nominees must have scientific and technical expertise in such areas as demography, economics, geography, psychology, statistics, survey methodology, social and behavioral sciences, Information Technology, computing, or marketing.” The deadline for applications is July 15, 2016. Learn More.
IN MEMORIAM
Brad Cullen
Brad Cullen, professor emeritus in the Department of Geography and Environmental Studies at the University of New Mexico, passed away unexpectedly on June 4, 2016 at the age of 65.
He studied for his bachelor’s degree at Chico State University, California, then for his master’s degree at Miami University, Ohio. Next he moved to Michigan State University for a PhD in geography. His doctoral dissertation, completed in 1980, was entitled “Wood products plants in northwestern California: changes in location and size” and examined the forestry industry.
He became a member of the American Association of Geographers in 1979 and was actively involved in the Southwest Division, including serving as the Chair in 1992. Read More.
PUBLICATIONS
‘Annals of the AAG’ Among Top 10 Ranked Geography Journals
The Annals of the American Association of Geographers, the flagship journal of the association, has once again been ranked among the top ten geography journals worldwide continuing a 15-year trend.
According to the Journal Citation Reports released by Thomson Reuters this month, the Annals of the AAG placed eighth out of 77 journals in the geography category.
The 2015 data also reveals that the journal’s Impact Factor increased from 2.291 to 2.756, the second highest score since 2000. Learn More.
Latest Issue of ‘GeoHumanities’ Features Special Thematic Forum on Attunement
As the space for interdisciplinary scholarship at the intersection of geography and the humanities, GeoHumanities presents new opportunities for academic interaction and has inspired new proposals for special compilations on cross-cutting themes. The editors have accepted three of those proposals to date and will publish them as special forums in this and upcoming issues. The current issue features the first special forum on “Attunement,” bringing together an international and interdisciplinary set of papers exploring creative and social practices of attuning to forces, temporalities, and material processes that exceed the human subject. Learn More.
Environmental Sciences Section Editor Sought for ‘Annals of the AAG’
The AAG seeks applications and nominations for the Environmental Sciences section editor for the Annals of the American Association of Geographers. The new section editor will be appointed for a four-year editorial term that will commence on January 1, 2017. The appointment will be made by fall 2016. A letter of application that addresses both qualifications and a vision for the Environmental Sciences section should be accompanied by a complete curriculum vitae. Nominations and applications should be submitted by Friday, October 7, 2016. Learn More.
NEW PUBLICATIONS
IN THE NEWS
Popular stories from the AAG SmartBrief
EVENTS CALENDER
- 2016 Earth Educators’ Rendezvous, Madison, WI, July 18-22
- The Society for the Study of Social Problems Annual Meeting, Seattle, WA, August 19-21
- Urban Transitions Global Summit 2016, Shanghai, China, September 5-9
- Race Ethnicity and Place (REP) VIII Conference, Kent, OH, September 21-23
- CAMUSS 2016, Québec, Canada, September 21-23
- 2nd Virtual Geoscience Conference, Bergen, Norway, September 22-23
- Geological Society of America, Denver, CO, September 25-28
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