Collage of photos featuring Eric Fournier, Wei Li, John Waldron, Richard Katz, Chris McMorran, Niccole Villa Cerveny and Ramin Zamanian as part of the Career Mentoring - Academic Careers webinar session

Career Mentoring: Academic Careers

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 geographers to provide one-on-one and small-group consultation about careers in academia.

March 29, 2022, 4:00pm Eastern Time – March 29, 2022, 5:15pm Eastern Time

Webinar Ended

Photo of Eric FournierEric Fournier, Washington University

Eric Fournier is Director of the Center for Teaching and Learning at Washington University in St. Louis. Prior to this, he served for over 20 years as professor of geography and department chair at Samford University in Birmingham, AL. Eric is an award-winning teacher and leader in higher education. In 2015, he was named Alabama Professor of the Year by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. He served as President of the National Council for Geographic Education and Chair of the Education Committee for the American Association of Geographers. He has extensive experience working with early-career faculty through the Geography Faculty Development Alliance.

Available for Inquiries Regarding: Careers, Alternative Academic Careers, Educational Development, Academic Administration, Professional Development, Teaching and Learning, Interviews and teaching demonstrations

Areas of Expertise: Teaching and Learning in Higher Education, Early Career Faculty Development, Introductory-level Courses, Urban Geography, Field-based Learning


Photo of Wi LiWei Li, Arizona State University

Wei Li is Professor at School of Geographical Sciences and Urban Planning and Asian Pacific American Studies / School of Social Transformation at Arizona State University. Her foci of research are migration and integration, and transnational connections, focusing on the Indo-Pacific Region. She is a National Councilor of the American Association of Geographers (2019-2022).

Available for Inquiries Regarding: Career Paths, Research Approaches and Methods, Professional Development Skills, C.V. and Cover Letter Writing Tips, Joint-/Split Appointment, International Students and Career Development

Areas of Expertise: Urban Geography, Migration


Photo of John WaldronJohn Waldron, Elizabethtown Community & Technical College

John Waldron is Division Chair of Social & Behavioral Sciences at Elizabethtown Community & Technical College. He received his Ph.D. from Texas A&M University in 2002. He teaches geography and anthropology.

Available for Inquiries Regarding: Teaching Careers, Careers in Higher Education Administration, Educational Paths, Degrees, Cover Letters, Interviewing, Work-Life Balance, Community Colleges

Areas of Expertise: Biogeography, General Geography


Photo of Richard KatzRichard Katz, Geography Teacher, Seattle Schools

Richard Katz has taught Geography in Seattle since 1996, first at Washington Middle School in eighth grade and for the last 13 years at Roosevelt High School, where he is part of a team of five teachers teaching all 10th graders AP Human Geography. He has also taught Social Studies Methods at Antioch University in Seattle for 18 years, is active in curriculum development, and is a consultant for the College Board.

Available for Inquiries Regarding: Teaching Secondary and Community College Geography, Acquiring a Teaching Certificate

Areas of Expertise: Development, GIS, Photography, Inquiry Research in Geography


Photo of Chris McMorranChris McMorran, The National University of Singapore

Chris McMorran is Associate Professor of Japanese Studies at the National University of Singapore. He is a cultural geographer (Phd Geography, CU Boulder) of contemporary Japan who researches the geographies of home across scale, from the body to the nation. He also has published research on tourism, disasters, gendered labor, area studies, field-based learning, and popular culture.

Available for Inquiries Regarding: Developing as an Educator, Working Outside the U.S./U.K., Sharing Research with the Public, Overseas Field Courses

Areas of Expertise: Qualitative Research Methods, Area Studies, Japan, Geographies of Home


Photo of Niccole Villa Cerveny by Amanda LeighNiccole Villa Cerveny, Mesa Community College

Niccole Villa Cerveny is a professor of Geography and Sustainability at Mesa Community College (MCC) in Arizona. Teaching at MCC for over 20 years, her research interests are in Physical Geography, Rock Decay and Landform Evolution, Heritage Management, GeoHeritage, and Geoscience Education – including undergraduate research. She is also a member of the US National Committee on Geosciences.

Available for Inquiries regarding: an academic career path/teaching at a 2YC/community college,

Areas of Expertise: physical Geography, Rock Decay and Landform Evolution, Heritage Management, GeoHeritage, and Geoscience Education


Photo of Ramin ZamanianRamin Zamanian, Houston Community College

Ramin Zamanian is the Chair of the Anthropology and Geography Department at Houston Community College. He started instructing Geography classes (Introductory Human, World, and Physical) at Houston Community College as an adjunct faculty member in 2014 and became a full-time instructor in 2016. He led the Geography Program within the Anthropology and Geography Department from 2017 to 2021. He received B.A. and M.A. degrees in Geography from Louisiana State University.

Available for Inquiries regarding: Community College Teaching Careers, Teaching Demo Tips, Tips for Aspiring Department Chairs, CV/Cover Letter/Interview Tips, Professional Development Skills

Areas of Expertise: Academic Leadership in Community Colleges, Student Engagement Strategies, Introductory Geography Course Instruction (Human, World, Physical Geography)