Fall 2023 GEOG Newsletter

FALL 2023

WHAT'S IN THIS ISSUE:

ISSUE NO. 7

PROGRAM NEWS PAGE

2-4

FACULTY PROFILE & HIGHLIGHTS PAGES

5-10

STUDENT HIGHLIGHTS PAGE

11-13

ALUMNI UPDATES PAGE

13-14

EDITOR’S CORNER PAGE

17

PERSPECTIVES 33.2075° N, 97.1526° W

THE SEMI-ANNUAL NEWSLETTER OF THE DEPARTMENT OF GEOGRAPHY AND THE ENVIRONMENT

A MESSAGE FROM THE DEPARTMENT CHAIR

BY STEVE WOLVERTON Greetings as we round out another calendar year!

Major developments this year include that we elected directors of our undergraduate and graduate programs, saw record enrollments in GIS, added new faculty members (Mr. John South and Dr. Rajshree Rege) and are holding a search for an assistant professor in human-environment geography for fall of 2024. As we say hello, we also say farewell to our friend and colleague, Dr. Lu Liang who is embarking on a new journey at UC Berkeley - congratulations Lu! We will miss you. As Director of Undergraduate Studies, Dr. Rice has held town halls, led review of curriculum, and energized our student ambassador program. Dr. Dong, as Director of Graduate Studies has led revision of our admissions process, engaged students with new scholarship and research

opportunities, and hosted key events, such as our fall break potluck. We are excited about these initiatives. In addition, we held our annual Crosscurrents Speaker Series, this year centered on the GIS profession. All of our speakers have been alumni; thank you for supporting our department!

Thank you as well to Dr. Harry Williams for organizing the series. Our staff continues to improve how things run in the front office from purchasing a new and better copier, to hanging maps and hosting events. Stop by and say hello to Keshia and Scott; thank you both for all that you do! May all members of our community have a happy holiday season and enjoy our fall letter!

Steve

FALL 2023

ISSUE NO. 7

PROGRAM NEWS In August we welcomed our 2023-2025 cohort of students (pictured below on the left) into our Master’s program! We are excited to see them continue their academic journey with us, and their contributions to the field of Geography. You can read more about our new students on pg. 9! We welcomed two new lecturers, Dr. Rajshree Rege (more on pg. 8), and Mr. John South.

The beginning of the semester also brings the start of classes. Professor David Ferring’s Mapping and Field Methods class (pictured below on the right) starts their first day outside!

Students learn techniques needed to promptly identify, collect, map, and record human environmental data in the field.

We had another great turn-out for College Day this year, which is a part of First Flight Week where colleges and departments across UNT’s campus welcomes incoming freshmen. It is a great way to meet our new students and help them have a great start at being successful in our programs. Thank you to our Undergraduate Committee for putting the program together for this event! We had a lot of excited and focus-driven students incoming this academic year!

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PROGRAM NEWS

In November a group of students and faculty attended the Southwest Division of the American Association of Geographers’ (SWAAG) Conference in Laredo, TX. Students presented research and participated in the GeoBowl. It is a great time for students to network with other geographers. It is also a great time for students to gain experience with presenting their research findings.

Our annual GIS Day event was filled with new vendors, speakers, and presentations! Students were able to network with companies, alumni, and guest speakers that use GIS. Thank you to everyone who helped organize/setup, share their research, and promote GIS! Because of you we had another successful event that was filled with learning about new and ongoing research efforts in the field of GIS!

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CROSSCURRENTS

Fall 2023 kicked off another Crosscurrents Seminar Series! The topic for this semester was GIS Professionals, hosted by Dr. Harry Williams. A special thanks to our guests for sharing their knowledge and expertise to our department! It was also refreshing that all of our speakers this year were alumni!

Nadine Grosse spoke on Sep. 15th about “the GIS real estate profession.” Nadine graduated from the University of North Texas with her M.Sc. in Geography. She joined the CBRE team on July 2016 as the Geographic Information Systems Manager. She is responsible for managing and mentoring all regional GIS technicians and analysts across all CBRE service lines as well as facilitating communication within CBRE’s national GIS structure.

Deanna Sanchez spoke on Oct. 6th about “the Geocentric Career.” Deanna is a proud alumna of UNT Geography and has been performing advanced spatial and demographic analytics for over 20 years. Deanna launched her new business, Nova Geographica LLC, this year and provides advanced consulting services using Alteryx, a global data analytics platform. An advanced Alteryx trainer, she has provided instruction to 2,500+ students worldwide. Deanna co-leads the Dallas Alteryx User Group (8 years, 800+ members) and leads the Dallas Alteryx For Good (AFG) volunteers.

Michael Schmitz spoke on Oct. 13th about “GIS: Oh, the Places you May Go.” Michael serves as a Principal with Antero Group. He has 15 years’ experience of utilizing enterprise level GIS to develop innovative community-driven solutions with clients in the public and private sectors. His diverse portfolio of projects includes municipal and country-wide capital improvement projects, site development, master planning, economic impact analysis, tourism resiliency, and broad band analysis.

Anamika (Annie) Anand spoke on Oct. 27th about “A Data Driven Approach for GIS Managers.” Annie has two decades experience in local government GIS, including a recent stint as GIS manager with the City of Dallas. She is now developing her own GIS consultancy. Annie promotes the power of GIS to transform data into actionable insights, analyze complex issues, and make informed decisions.

Whether it's mapping out urban development patterns or analyzing environmental trends, GIS allows Annie to explore the world in an entirely new dimension.

Trey Price spoke on Nov. 10th about “GIS in the Electric & Gas Industry.” Trey is a Senior Project Manager/Consultant within Esri's Professional Services division and primarily supports electric and gas utility customers with GIS technology. Prior to joining Esri in 2017, Trey also worked for multiple electric and gas utilities in north Texas for over 10 years with various roles of GIS Manager, GIS Analyst and GIS Technician. He graduated in 2007 from the University of North Texas with a Bachelor of Science degree in Geography.

Jennifer Holland spoke on Dec. 1st about “Empowering People: the Geospatial revolution in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.” Jennifer earned her B.S. in Geography in 2008 and her M.S. in Applied Geography in 2011, from UNT. She currently serves as a Geographer at the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), Fort Worth District, and as an Adjunct Professor of GIS at Tarrant County College.

Jennifer is a geospatial subject matter expert (SME) with experience in using, managing, extending, and teaching geospatial technology, as well as supporting ongoing geospatial missions and efforts at all levels of USACE. PAGE 4

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DEPARTMENT FACULTY UPDATES In fall 2023, Dr. Yuting Li teaches the newly CLEAR approved GEOG 1710 INET class. This is an asynchronous online class that enrolls 210 students, and was in high demand in its initial release in summer 2023 with the enrollment increasing from 14 in 2022 to 100 in 2023. In addition, Dr. Li continues to teach two in-person courses: GEOL 3030 Earthquakes and Volcanoes and GEOG 1710 Earth Science. Her class conducted two class projects in Earthquake and Volcanoes. In the first project, students conducted independent research on one earthquake event that most interested them. Each student needed to give an individual presentation on their own topic and interact with the whole class in Q&A sessions. Dr. Li graded presentations and emailed written feedback to each student individually. Taking the feedback from their first-round presentation, students conduct their second project on volcanoes through collaboration in groups. Dr. Li saw clear improvements in students’ presenting skills and their capability of sharing a disaster event from a scientific and professional perspective. Dr. Li also serves as GEOL 1610 lab coordinator, undergraduate advisor, and serves as a member of the Undergraduate Committee in our department. She enjoys having a variety of opportunities to communicate with our current and potential major students.

This fall Dr. Steve Wolverton traveled to Crow Canyon Archaeological Center to work with colleagues on new research in zooarchaeology. Steve, Jon Dombrosky (UNT, MS Geography, 2015), Susan Ryan (Crow Canyon), and Lisa Nagaoka (UNT-Geography) are using the big faunal dataset from the Center to address new questions about the preservation potential of bone across archaeological contexts, such as middens and architectural deposits. In addition, this year colleagues from Oregon State University (Robert Figueroa) and Simon Fraser University (Chelsey Armstrong) published an article entitled Integrating Historical Ecology and Environmental Justice, which provides a framework for engaging Indigenous and local community members related to archaeological research. Finally, this fall Steve is working on a book on mindful journaling approaches with Liz Perry (President of Crow Canyon), starting new research on zooarchaeology on a fauna from late prehistoric New Mexico, and John South and Steve are mentoring a student researcher on biometric (size) research on deer that is incorporating 3D scanning technology. Along the way, Steve is slowly learning the R programming language as well.

Drs. Lu Liang (Assistant professor in Geography), Lauren Fischer (Assistant professor in the Department of Public Administration) and Director Stacie Anaya of City of Lewisville were awarded the 2023 APATX Gold winner for achievement in Environmental Planning. This award was given for their research, The Lewisville Health Infrastructure Plan. Both Drs. Liang and Fischer are faculty members affiliated with UNT Advanced Environmental Research Institute (AERI). With assistance from their student research assistants (in departments Geography & the Environment and Department of Public Administration) they partnered with the City of Lewisville to conduct their research.

According to the American Planning Association - Texas Chapter, this particular award honors those efforts that create more sustainable and greener communities. This includes providing ways to reduce the impact of development on the environment as well as improving environmental quality. You can find out more on the American Planning Association (Texas Chapter) website: https://texas.planning.org/communityoutreach/chapter-awards/chapter-awards2023/.

In the fall semester of 2023, Dr. Paul Hudak is teaching courses in introductory physical geology, geosystems and society, and groundwater hydrology. He is also working with undergraduate and graduate students on research in riparian buffers, prairies, and wetlands. Some of Paul’s recent publications address segmented trenches for recovering contaminated groundwater, sulfur dioxide in urban airspace, and plant life supported by weathered concretions. Paul appears in the October 2023 issue of Stanford’s list of most influential scientists. In his spare time, Paul enjoys walking with his dogs, Parker and Xena, along nature trails. Xena enjoys sticks and animal carcasses, and Parker likes to chase airplanes.

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DEPARTMENT FACULTY UPDATES Dr. Harry Williams, for the first time in a long time, taught a new course this fall. He took on GEOG 5160 Foundations of Geographic Thought.

He has never taught a seminar course before. So far, Harry feels it has been going well. The class has touched on diverse topics, ranging from Greek scholars to the Dark Ages, the Quantitative Revolution, post-modernist physical geography and mental maps. In early November, he drove a UNT bus to Laredo and back, a 9-hour drive each way, to allow new graduates Injal, Suman, Suraj, Prashant, Sushant, Saide and Professor Emeritus Kent McGregor to present their papers or posters at SWAAG 2023. All of the graduate students participated in GeoBowl, flying the flag for UNT and giving notice to the likes of Texas State, Oklahoma and New Mexico State, that UNT will be back next year! As for research, Prof. Williams has an NFS proposal pending; the proposal focuses on sediment sources of coastal marshes along the Gulf Coast.

He is also working on a journal manuscript that investigates the application of a Digital Elevation Model of Difference (DoD) to estimating the size of Hurricane Harvey washover fans on Matagorda Peninsula, Texas.

Prof. Williams organized Geography’s Cross Currents Speaker Series this fall. Thank you to GIS professionals Nadine, Deanna, Annie, Michael, Trey and Jennifer for a very wellreceived series. After three years of service on the CLASS Graduate Curriculum Committee, Prof. Williams rotated off the committee and rotated right back on the CLASS Undergraduate Curriculum Committee – Déjà vu all over again!

Dr. Murray Rice focused on a small number of high-impact projects in 2023. On the teaching side, he continued redeveloping GEOG 2110, our undergraduate major's introduction class. In terms of research, he completed work on his book "Pathways to Actionable Results with Business GIS: An Applied Handbook for Problem-Focused Research in Retail and Business Geography", published by Caliper Corporation and included with every student version of their flagship Maptitude GIS software. Related to service work, Dr. Rice continued working to develop the role of Director of Undergraduate Studies for the department.

Dr. Wei Kang demonstrated a dynamic approach to teaching in GEOG 5560, guiding students through the intricacies of Python programming with a focus on problem-solving. Encouraging critical thinking, her students crafted robust functions addressing diverse input scenarios and tackled weekly generic problems. They culminated their programming concepts and skills into final projects that extensively utilized Python programming to address research or work tasks effectively. These final projects were submitted via a shared GitHub repository, reflecting industry-standard collaborative workflows. Simultaneously, Dr. Kang has made significant strides in advancing spatial analytics methodologies and substantive research in housing and neighborhood dynamics. Presenting ongoing research on multiscale geographically weighted regression (MGWR) at a renowned international conference in Nov 2023, she demonstrates her commitment to pioneering research in spatial data science. Moreover, her secured grant investigating emergency housing policy's impact on health disparities exemplifies her dedication to impactful research. Collaborating closely with students and research staff, she aims to unravel critical societal implications arising from this study.

Drs. Pinliang Dong, Feifei Pan, and Lu Liang have been working with graduate students Prashant Thapaliya and Injal Bhattarai to complete a City of Denton project on identifying environmentally sensitive areas (ESA) using multi-source remote sensing methods. The existing GIS datasets for stream centerlines, riparian buffers, upland habitats, and water-related habitats of the city were created over 20 years ago. Using LiDAR data and sub-meter resolution National Agriculture Imagery Program (NAIP) images, the team developed a new workflow and produced more accurate and complete datasets. They also conducted field investigations at 24 locations. The results suggest that LiDAR data and NAIP images can greatly facilitate the identification of environmentally sensitive areas.”

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ADJUNCT PROFILE: MARA HEDRICH This semester we wanted to highlight one of our awesome adjuncts, Mara Hedrich! Adjuncts are a great asset to our programs and our students enjoy taking their courses. Mara came to UNT’s geography department after spending years in nursing. During her coursework in quantitative methods, Dr. Oppong introduced her to the field of Medical Geography. She still remembers that day as a turning point in her life that combined her love of geography and medicine. Mara began her teaching career as a TA while pursuing a master’s in Medical Geography at UNT. During this time, she also had the privilege of working as a GIS Technician for the City of Dallas.

Subsequently, Mara was given the opportunity to be a GIS Analyst III for Black & Veatch. In 2016, she was thrilled to accept an offer as an Adjunct Professor in the Department of Geography & the Environment at UNT. For the past eight years, Mara has had the pleasure of teaching a multitude of courses for us.

Mara believes in fostering an inclusive and engaging environment that fosters students’ success holistically. From this type of environment, students excel not only academically, but also mentally, emotionally, and socially. Mara has been fortunate to witness several students flourish within this type of holistic atmosphere. In Fall 2023, for example, geography major Ariana Mendoza received the Dr. Schoolmaster Scholarship, undergraduate spotlight, and was nominated as student ambassador for the geography department. In Spring 2022, 6 capstone students secured jobs before graduation, and Fall 2023 student David Brooks had his 2170 GIS project highlighted on two websites.

When asked what is her favorite class to teach was, Mara replied, “It is impossible to choose a favorite course to teach as each have unique qualities for students to expand themselves.” One course that Mara mentioned was GEOG 2170 Culture, Environment, and Society. She explained that this course is not just for geography majors. GEOG 2170 is a mixture of instruction (e.g., hands-on projects) and lecture that helps keep students actively engaged. The course focuses on a lot of different disciplines and topics (e.g., ecology, sustainability, economic geography, agricultural pathways, origin of culture). She mentioned that students get to learn their individual ancestors’ foodways. The course has a diverse population of students from all majors, which makes for a lively discussion that is student focused. Mara has found that the students enjoy the challenge that comes with creating maps without any prior knowledge of GIS. Mara said, “[students] create thematic map data classification methodologies to learn bias in cartography, and employ creative writing to invent scenarios detailing why such maps might be utilized.” Last year Mara held a contest for best project. The winner’s project was published on UNT’s Geography Facebook page and Mara’s LinkedIn.

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ADJUNCT PROFILE: MARA HEDRICH Given the tremendous diversity within the UNT community, every student brings something unique to the table. Even as a professor, Mara is still learning. With each class and group of students, there are new ideas and experiences from each interaction. Her philosophy on teaching is the best teacher will always be a student. Mara also believes the best job in the world is teaching. Each semester she shares with her students her hopes for them to find careers that are as fulfilling as her love for teaching. From day one in 2016 when she first started teaching, Mara has said those first day butterflies of excitement never went away. She’s just as excited today as she was when she first started. Building relationships with her students is something that Mara enjoys doing. She gets to watch them develop into “successful stewards of our Earth” as well as contribute to making positive impacts on the world. From the time she gets to spend with her students, she’s able to witness their enthusiasm while they learn. For Mara, this is a rewarding process.

During Mara’s time at UNT, she was nominated for the UNT Adjunct Award in Spring 2020 and received the UNT Spotlight Award in Fall 2018. The greatest accomplishment for Mara has been to witness her students as freshmen grow and become graduates. Mara commented, “to see their joy, sense of pride and accomplishment of their hard-earned knowledge and skills is the crowning achievement for any teacher.”

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FACULTY PROFILE: DR. RAJSHREE REGE This semester's faculty profile is on Dr. Rajshree Rege, one of our newest members of the Department of Geography and the Environment.

Prior to working at UNT, Dr. Rege was a Junior Research Fellow at the Space Applications Center (SAC) in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India. During her time at SAC her work was mainly focused on using remote sensing data to map the properties of atmospheric aerosols. This work contributed toward her PhD that she received in 2011. After her time with SAC, she became a scientist focusing on the prediction of monsoon onset over the southern coast of India. She also taught at the Centre for Space Science and Technology Education in Asia and the Pacific (CSSTEAP).

CSSTEAP is affiliated with the United Nations and is devoted to development of education in space science and technology. Rajshree taught remote sensing and GIS methods for applications in satellite meteorology. Rajshree was also an adjunct professor for Tarrant County College where she taught introductory Physics.

Rajshree has always wanted to be in academia, and she felt that she could, “naturally connect with the Geographic Information Systems and remote sensing group in the Department of Geography & the Environment.” Rajshree joined our department in 2019 as an international student. Geography became a second home for her where she was able to gain “experience [working] with people coming from diverse academic and cultural backgrounds.”

Rajshree’s current research focuses on studying Sand Dune migration using the application of LiDAR data. She would like to study sand dunes to better understand self-organization (in a natural system or in natural systems). Rajshree explains that “[they] have multiyear LiDAR data of the sand dunes at the White Sands National Park. This data, with the help of GIS tools, can be used to study the spatial and temporal changes in dune patterns and thus understand the process of self-organization in dune fields.”

When teaching, Rajshree believes if she is enthusiastic about her subject material, she will be able to transfer that to her students. She also said having a “application-oriented learning style” to her classes helps keep students engaged and interested in learning the material. For this reason, she incorporates various examples during her class in order to interact with students. When thinking about learning, Rajshree feels making mistakes and learning from them is one of the best ways to learn. When students share frustrations of struggles or roadblocks in their assignments, Rajshree enjoys spending the time with them to help work through the problem. Rajshree would find that she is succeeding as an educator if more students became comfortable in sharing their ideas, “fearlessly making new mistakes,” and being able to learn from those experiences.

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FACULTY PROFILE: DR. RAJSHREE REGE This semester Rajshree is teaching the intro to Python Programming course and the LiDAR Data Analysis in GIS course. She enjoys teaching both classes, but is enjoying the in-person Python Programming course a little better. Since this is her first year teaching with our department, having that immediate student interaction and feedback is important to her. As an instructor she feels she is constantly learning when teaching. She is exposed to various perspectives on the same problem which helps broadens her horizon.

We are excited to have Rajshree join our department and to share her knowledge with our students and faculty!

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FALL 2023-SPRING 2024 TEACHING ASSISTANTS In September, the Department of Geography and the Environment welcomed new teaching assistants.

Our TAs have done a wonderful job teaching their labs and providing support to faculty. We have ten new teaching assistants (Joshua Kafui, Shushant Koirala, Nicholas Lawson, Saide Mahama, Samantha Mercer, Jesse Reyna, Suraj Sharma, Priscilla Tetteh, Suman Thakuri, and Paola Vazquez) and seven returning teaching assistants (Injal Bhattarai, Madi Crawford, Amy Eddins, Ronney Phillips, Daniela Serrano, Douglas Smith, Prashant Thapaliya and Bryce Workings). Below are a few of our new TAs!

Shushant Koirala, Teaching Assistant for GEOG 4525 Major professor: Dr. Pinliang Dong Area of Interest: Hydro-meteorological hazards Fun facts: I am a huge fan of classic comedy movies, and I also have a strong passion for traveling to explore new and exciting places.

Paola Vazquez, Teaching Assistant for GEOG 1710 Major professor: Dr. Waquar Ahmed Area of Interest: Sustainable development, eco-cities, green gentrification, housing Fun facts: I have lived in seven different cities, love traveling, and gardening. I used to work in coffee roasting.

Suraj Sharma, Teaching Assistant for GEOL 1610 Major professor: Dr. Ipsita Chatterjee Area of Interest: Sustainable development, urban forestry, ecocities Fun facts: I am a student of science and have faith in culture and religion as well. I love to spend time with nature.

Saide Mahama, Teaching Assistant for GEOL 1610 Major professor: Dr. Waquar Ahmed Area of Interest: Governance and Public Policy, Rural and Urban Development, International Development, Poverty, Marginalization, Migration, Climate Change and Sustainability, Environmental Management and Protections Fun facts: I smile a lot. I mingle a lot as well, especially with people from different backgrounds..

Suman Thakuri, Teaching Assistant for GEOG 4560 Major professor: Dr. Pinliang Dong Area of Interest: Remote Sensing, LiDAR, GIS, Climate Change Fun facts: I’m a true cinephile. If you want me to vanish into thin air, just provide me with great movies and a feast fit for a king!

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FALL 2023

STUDENT HIGHLIGHTS IN FALL 2023 Wisdom Afuke is a sophomore engineering student with a minor in geology. He has had the opportunity to attend two conferences in fall 2023. Read on to hear what Wisdom shared about his experience: “I had an incredible opportunity to present my research that I conducted this past summer at the University of Texas at Austin, at the NABG (National Association of Black Geoscientists) and GSA (Geological Society of America) conferences in 2023. My research centered around the use of carbon and oxygen isotopes obtained from snail shells dating back to the Holocene era and aimed to discern the fluctuations in aridity and canopy coverage in Texas over time.

The process of delving into these snail shells offered a fascinating glimpse into the past, as they serve as natural archives that recorded environmental conditions throughout the Holocene period. The carbon and oxygen isotopes in these shells provided crucial clues regarding changes in aridity and canopy coverage, allowing for a more comprehensive understanding of the region's ecological history.

Presenting this research at the NABG and GSA conferences was a rewarding experience, as it gave me the chance to share my findings with fellow researchers and scholars, and to engage in meaningful discussions about the implications of these discoveries for our understanding of Texas's environmental evolution. These conferences provided a platform to not only showcase the hard work and dedication put into this research, but also to foster connections with peers in the field and receive valuable feedback.

I am truly grateful for the opportunity to contribute to the scientific community's understanding of Texas's environmental history, and I look forward to continuing my research and sharing more insights in the future.”

Hannah Klapprodt will be graduating in December with a B.S. in Geography with a Concentration in Environmental Studies, and certificates in Sustainability and GIS. Hannah discovered a passion for computer programming after taking Intro to Python Programming for her GIS certificate, and decided to pursue it.

She applied for a programming internship at Lease Analytics and has been working there since January 2023.

After graduation, she will be joining Lease Analytics full time as an Application Developer. In the future, Hannah plans to continue in her career as a Software Developer, and eventually hopes to find a position that can combine her passion for programming and the environment.

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STUDENT HIGHLIGHTS, CONTINUED Anna Flower is an exchange student from the University of Birmingham, England. She is attending the University of North Texas for the 2023-24 academic year. Anna’s major is geography with a focus in human geography. Within human geography she is interested in social and cultural studies. While Anna is attending school at UNT, she is also working on her undergraduate dissertation from her home university. She is “looking at the impact of accessibility on student’s experiences of a university campus, looking at the theories of place identity, the theory of affect and how access to space can impact place representation and emotional attachment to a particular site.” One of her main interests in research is accessibility. Anna hopes that in the future, she can work on improving accessibility in the tourism industry.

She would love to put her knowledge, gathered from research, to good use in this area.

ALUMNI UPDATES Richard Kirk (M.S. Geography, 2022) is pursuing a Ph.D. in Geography at UCLA. He works collaboratively with UCLA’s Department of Urban Planning and is a student in the UCLA Urban Humanities Initiative, an interdisciplinary program integrating the interpretive and historical approaches of the humanities with the material practices of planning and design. His most recent article is entitled “What Los Angeles Tells Us About Dracula Urbanism,” published in the journal Urban Geography.

It’s always nice to hear from our alum and see what they are up to! Melanie Brown (M.S. Geography, 1992) spent a wonderful time in Italy during the month of October!

His research now concerns territorial stigmatization and redevelopment efforts in South Central Los Angeles. For more information about his research and publications, please visit his UCLA web page at https://geog.ucla.edu/person/richardkirk/.

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ALUMNI UPDATES Allison Cox (B.S. Geography, 2022) has been up to some pretty interesting things after graduating!

Read on to see what Allison has been up to.

“After graduating from the University of North Texas, I immediately packed my bags and moved to the Netherlands. I got accepted into the Universiteit van Amsterdam (University of Amsterdam), which ranked in the top 60 of QS' World University Rankings, and within the top 15 universities in Europe. The acceptance rate for international students is about 4% so I gave myself a HUGE pat on the back when my application, for a dual masters in Archiving and Information, got accepted! I finished a year of classroom study, in Amsterdam, this past spring and I just started my internship portion of my study program this fall, in the Hague. I'm a full-time student intern at the Wildlife Justice Commission now. My organization focuses on disrupting the global criminal networks that profit from wildlife trafficking. I'm also working on my thesis which is about archiving ephemeral aspects of video games--a little twist on my usual environmentally focused projects. I'll be graduating this upcoming spring! I've been lucky enough to explore all sorts of Dutch cities, as well as Scotland and Germany. I even spent a month in the Philippines. (Flight tickets from here are absurdly affordable and I'm eternally grateful!) I even rescued a cat from Lithuania! I'm absolutely thrilled about my studies, internship, and adventures. I even participated in my university's Cultural Exchange Ambassador's Program because I love talking about cultures and community. I'm always happy to talk about my study abroad experience and to help other students make the decision to study abroad too!

It's been a very crazy transition from being an undergraduate Texan to a Dutch master’s student. It's been an absolutely amazing time and if any students would like assistance in their decision-making process of studying abroad I’m happy to help!”

If you're an alum of UNT Geography and the Environment, let us know what you've been up to!

Send an email to geog@unt.edu and we will try to include you in our next newsletter.

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GEOGRAPHY ALUMNI ENDOWMENT

Did You Know That There is a Geography Alumni Endowment Fund?

The Geography Alumni Endowment was created in 2018 with the future in mind for UNT Geography. This initiative stems from a deep desire to support and nurture the ongoing success of our beloved Department and its aspiring students. The creation of this endowment holds a special place in the hearts of alumni as it is not merely a financial contribution but a testament to the enduring gratitude and admiration we hold for the faculty members, staff, and alumni within the Department. Their unwavering dedication and mentorship profoundly impacted our educational journeys and laid the foundations for our careers. Moreover, the endowment stands as a tribute to the transformative experiences we’ve had as students and serves as a beacon of encouragement for current and future scholars. By supporting the aspirations and ambitions of present students, we aim to foster a legacy of excellence and dedication to the field of Geography, a field that embraces diversity, collaboration, and innovation. By contributing to the growth and development of future geographers, we actively participate in nurturing a diverse and collaborative community in North Texas and beyond.

The vision for this endowment is to unlock opportunities for future alumni to make remarkable accomplishments as geographers. Although the fund was created by UNT Geography alumni, anyone may contribute to the endowment, which represents a commitment to the success and prosperity of future UNT Geography alumni. Alumni who founded this endowment hold a firm belief that by creating opportunities for students, we pave the way for exceptional graduates who will continue to contribute meaningfully to our discipline and society at large.

Reflection from one of the fund’s founders, Josh Bova, MS As a student in the Department of Geography and the Environment at UNT, I was determined to make the most of my time. My goal was to participate in as many internships, projects, conference presentations, and other activities to help identify my career interests. I owe a lot to two outstanding educators, Dr. Lisa Nagaoka, and Dr. Alexandre Ponette-González. Both professors believed in and challenged me to do more than what I thought was possible. Their guidance and mentorship paved a way in helping me achieve success, including winning a few conference poster and paper presentations and student scholarships and awards. It was through them that I found a passion for Geography.

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GEOGRAPHY ALUMNI ENDOWMENT CONT. Additionally, the department played a critical role in opening doors to finding the direction I needed. Through network connections with faculty, I secured internships with a nonprofit, a municipality, and a company in the private sector. Through these experiences, I quickly figured out what I did not want to do, which was perhaps most valuable. After my undergraduate studies, I chose to stay in the department and pursue a master’s degree. I settled on the study of business geography and focused on market planning, real estate investment, consumer trends, and demographic analysis, studying under Dr. Murray Rice. I was able to deepen my knowledge of geography and how it involves understanding the interaction between locations, spaces, and places, a skill invaluable in real estate and market planning to analyze market trends, identify suitable locations for developments, and understand the spatial dynamics influencing property values. As a student, I studied local and regional geographic variations, including demographics, socio-economic factors, and environmental considerations. This knowledge is vital for real estate development professionals to understand the unique characteristics of different areas, assess market demands, and make informed investment decisions. Learning about zoning laws, land use policies, and urban growth patterns equipped me with insights into the regulatory environment that impacts real estate projects. Our geography coursework involved research design, data analysis, and critical thinking. Transferable skills, beneficial in real estate for conducting market feasibility studies, assessing risk factors, and making data-driven decisions.

As a result of these experiences and resources provided by the Department, I developed a strong knowledge base and a profound passion for geographical studies. A foundation instrumental in pursuing a career in business, where I now apply the skills gained to contribute meaningfully to business and real estate development. The department's comprehensive approach to education equipped me with the tools necessary to navigate a successful career path!

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ISSUE NO. 7

FALL 2023

EDITOR’S CORNER The fall semester has flown by with a lot of activity buzzing around the department! We welcomed a new cohort of students into our graduate program as well as two new lecturers, and we had an uptick in enrollment!

John South, previously one of our teaching assistants, and Dr. Rajshree Rege joined our faculty as lecturers this semester teaching a variety of our GIS courses and John also co-teaching GEOG 2110 Foundations of Geographic Research with Dr. Murray Rice for our department. Amongst all of the wonderful things happening, we also have bittersweet news of Dr. Lu Liang’s departing. She has accepted a position at the University of California, Berkeley. Even though we are happy for Lu, we will miss her sunny disposition, her dedication and contribution to our department and students!

We’ve had another successful year for our Crosscurrent Seminar Series and GIS day event. I’m grateful to all the faculty and students that helped these events come to fruition. Some of our faculty enjoyed having a chance to see and catch up with alumni who were our guest speakers for our Crosscurrent talks this semester. This year’s theme was GIS Professionals. It was a great lead up to GIS Day. During the event it

was a wonderful experience for me to see a student who recently graduated come to our GIS Day event no longer as a student, but as a vendor with a company that they are now employed with! I cannot believe I have been working for the Geography department long enough to see students graduate and come back as members of our community doing out reach to new and upcoming students.

The semester is wrapping up and everyone is getting ready for a much-needed break!

The spring holds a lot of exciting things as well! Stay tuned for upcoming talks, faculty searches, and so much more! I hope everyone finds time to wind down and enjoy time with family, friends, or much needed alone time! From everyone in the Geography department, we wish you rest, relaxation, and a happy holiday!

HAPPY HOLIDAYS, K.W.

The Department of Geography and the Environment For more information, please visit our website as well as our social media platforms: Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/UNTGeography Twitter - https://twitter.com/untgeography Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/untgeog/

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ISSUE NO. 7

FALL 2023

MISCELLANEOUS

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