Chair Position: Western Michigan University

Western Michigan University seeks a Chair of its Department of Geography, beginning July 1, 2006 pending budgetary approval. Candidates should qualify for appointment at senior academic rank. A Ph.D. is required, preferably in Geography. Candidates are expected to manifest teaching and research excellence, including a record of publication recognized nationally-internationally as well as a record of managing significant externally-funded research. Candidates should have a research program that complements departmental strengths. The successful candidate is expected to provide visionary, entrepreneurial leadership, oversee development of faculty and research programs, participate in graduate and undergraduate teaching/learning, and maintain a productive research program.

The Department of Geography has 13 full-time faculty, 5 part-time faculty, and 15 graduate assistantships. It offers Bachelors and Masters degree programs concentrating in Geography, Environmental & Resource Management, Geographic Information Science, Tourism, Community Development & Planning, and Teaching of Geography, with approximately 35 master’s students and 140 majors. Departmental information is available at www.wmich.edu/geography. The Department is housed in recently renovated facilities with seven extensively computerized laboratories equipped with 100 workstations for instruction and research.

Western Michigan University is a diverse student-centered research institution with 26,000 students, is listed among the nation’s top 100 universities (U.S. News & World Report), has excellent library holdings, and is recognized for its excellent computing environment. Kalamazoo forms the center of a medium-sized cosmopolitan metropolitan region of about 250,000 located midway between Detroit and Chicago, 40 miles from Lake Michigan.

Western Michigan University, a Carnegie Classification Research Extensive Institution is an Equal Opportunity /Affirmative Action Employer and encourages applications from women, minorities, and other underrepresented groups. Please submit a letter of application, a statement of research and teaching philosophy, a statement regarding vision for the department and leadership style, vita, graduate transcripts, and names and letters of recommendation from at least three references to: Dr. David Lemberg, Search Committee Chair, Department of Geography, 1903 W. Michigan Avenue, Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo, MI 49008-5424. Email: lemberg@wmich.edu. Phone: (269) 387-3408. Review of applications will begin December 5, 2005, and continue until the position is filled.

Job Opening

University of Florida
Center for Women’s Studies and Gender Research

The Center for Women’s Studies and Gender Research (CWSGR) at the University of Florida is pleased to announce its search for a full-time tenure-track appointment at the rank of assistant professor beginning August 2006. PhD required at time of appointment, in women’s studies or related field, with specialization in transnational feminist and gender studies. Candidates will be expected to complement and build upon expertise of the eight faculty members who are now full-time or joint-appointed in CWSGR. They should be prepared to help strengthen links with our international programs, and with transnational and global studies in particular. Scholarly strength preferred in Asian or African studies with specialization in gender, race, sexuality, comparative and/or diasporic studies. Over the next few years, we anticipate developing such areas as feminist approaches to politics and social justice; science and environmental studies; and media and cultural studies. Candidates should be broadly interdisciplinary and have active programs of research and publication under way. The person hired will teach core undergraduate and graduate courses; teaching experience in women’s studies is desirable.

CWSGR has long functioned as an autonomous program in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences and it will soon occupy its own historic building on the UF campus. The Center offers the BA and MA in Women’s Studies and hopes to establish a PhD program in the next several years.

The University of Florida offers excellent support for research and scholarly development and enjoys a strong and diverse body of students and faculty. Gainesville is a culturally rich university community in north-central Florida.

Please send letter of application, email address, CV, and names and contact information (including email) of three persons willing to write references to Florence Babb, Chair, Search Committee, Center for Women’s Studies and Gender Research, 3324 Turlington Hall, PO Box 117352, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611. Applications should be received by November 15, 2005 and should reference job number 00021741.

For more information, see http://web.wst.ufl.edu

The University of Florida is an equal opportunity institution.

Call for Papers 2

Organizers: Samuel Randalls (University of Birmingham), Jeffrey C. Brunskill (Middlebury College), Akiko Yamane (Monash University)

Session Title: Weather and Society: Changing Weather Knowledges

Annual Conference of the Association of American Geographers 2006 - March 7th-11th, Chicago, IL.

Description:

One critical aspect in understanding weather and society is to appreciate the different types and changing nature of weather knowledge. Over the last century modern forecasting, theory and analysis has created a body of weather knowledge that is, in many ways, distinct from what might be termed everyday, commonsense weather knowledge. This relationship may be characterized in many ways – expert naïve, scientific/folk, technology based/experience based, and the like. There are a variety of issues that come to light regarding the interaction between these qualitative knowledge domains, particularly in the context of weather communication, visualization, prediction, risk assessment (climate change / forecasting), and scientific/lay uses of weather information. The relevance of such domains is evident in the recent impact, and perceived impact, of Hurricane Katrina in the Southeastern United States.

Building upon last year’s session, we invite critical research papers that consider the broad relationship between modern meteorological/climatological theory and social, cultural and conceptual dimensions of weather knowledge. This includes the social, political and economic aspects surrounding the distinction (of e.g. expert/lay) and the ways in which they create cultures, politics and economics of the weather. The session aims to be explicitly interdisciplinary, combining both scientific and social scientific knowledges. Papers may include, but not be limited to:

- Large-scale versus small-scale/locally derived weather knowledge
- Direct experience versus technologically derived knowledge and concepts of the weather
- Forms of communication (visual, terminological, media)
- Forecasts and assessments of climate change (as they relate to the connection between climatology and weather/climate knowledge)
- Perceptions of Risk and Vulnerability
- Risk and extreme weather
- Cultures, economics and politics of the weather
- Historical study – evolution of modern theory and relations to everyday and ‘folk’ theories?
- Future Applications – decision making, visualizations, representations

Please send copies of your abstract (no more than 250 words) to either Samuel Randalls (scr857@bham.ac.uk), Jeff Brunskill (jbrunski@middlebury.edu) or Akiko Yamane (Akiko.Yamane@arts.monash.edu.au) by the 5th of October. We welcome any informal contact or ideas for papers prior to this date. An illustrated paper session can be arranged if there is sufficient interest. Details of paper time allocations, poster information etc. can be found at the AAG Homepage. The conference will take place from March 7th to 11th 2006, details on location and registration costs etc. can also be found on the AAG's site.

Session Organizer Contacts:

Samuel Randalls – scr857@bham.ac.uk
Jeff Brunskill – jbrunski@middlebury.edu
Akiko Yamane – Akiko.Yamane@arts.monash.edu.au

Call for Papers

Annual Meeting of the Association of American Geographers Chicago, Illinois USA March 7th to 11th, 2006

Session: Regional Transportation Sustainability: Alternatives to Fossil Fuels

Sponsor: Transportation Geography Specialty Group

Deadline: October 1st, 2005

The over reliance on fossil fuels has an impact on the quality of urban life as well as on regional competitiveness. Air pollution threatens the public health, while traffic congestion contributes to greater transportation cost differentials. To offset the negative externalities of pollution and congestion, academics, practitioners, stakeholders and policymakers with an interest in transportation have begun to realize that sustainability has important environmental and economic ramifications. The need to provide access to more environmentally-friendly modes of transportation includes the promotion of public transit, alternative fuel vehicles, bicycling, walking as well as telecommuting. Transportation alternatives offer not only the prospect of cleaner air and accessibility; they also address the negative consequences of congestion and pollution on the competitiveness of the regional economy by reducing the burden on the capacity of transportation networks. This session seek s to discuss alternative modes of transportation and to address the challenges to their implementation. Social scientists with an applied perspective and transportation practitioners are invited to submit papers as are those whose work is more policy driven.

After registering for the conference at http://www.aag.org/annualmeetings/ and submitting your abstract for a paper session, forward a copy of the abstract and your PIN to:

Ed Zolnik, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
Department of Geography
George Mason University
Fairfax, Virginia 22030 USA
Tel: (703)993-1144
Fax: (703)993-1216
E-mail: ezolnik@gmu.edu

Student Paper Competition & Travel Grants

Saarinen Student Paper Competition

Details on the 2009 Saarinen Paper Competition will be posted shortly. You must be at the 2009 AAG Meeting in Las Vegas to collect.

Mission Statement

Welcome to the Environmental Perception and Behavioral Geography Specialty Group Homepage. Our mission is to advance the theoretical and applied interests of environmental perception and behavioral geography within the discipline of geography, developing links to related disciplines through communication and organization. Environmental perception and behavior geography (EPBG) is a broad subarea within human geography that takes a disaggregate approach to the study of human activity, culture, and society. It is concerned with a diverse set of issues about human behavior, perception, attitudes, beliefs, memory, language, intentions, reasoning and problem-solving involving space and place. EPBG research is motivated by two premises, that understanding these issues will help improve traditional models in human geography, and that these issues constitute geographic problems in their own right. Furthermore, to an EPBG researcher, people are not interchangeable parts for study but may differ as a function of their culture, socioeconomic status, age, gender, education, travel experiences, differing abilities, and more. EPBG researchers employ a wide array of research methodologies, both qualitative and quantitative, and have interdisciplinary contact with psychology, anthropology, history, phenomenology, micro-economics, computer science, literature, and other disciplines.

2005 Minutes

Minutes of the Annual Business Meeting
April 8, 2005

Members in Attendance: 7

Presiding: Lisa DeChano, President

Agenda/Comments:

1) Dr. Lisa DeChano, Specialty Group President welcomed the members in attendance.

2) It was agreed that the minutes from the 2004 business meeting would be approved by email.

3) The following issues were discussed:

a. The Specialty Group sponsored no sessions at the 2005 AAG Annual meeting. It was universally agreed that this needed to be rectified for 2006.
b. President DeChano noted that the issue of diversity was discussed at the Chair’s meeting.
c. Vice-President David Stea brought to the Group’s attention two fellowships being offered by Mexico’s National Institute of Geography.
d. President DeChano passed along the desire of the AAG leadership to encourage posters and illustrated papers to reduce the number of concurrent sessions.
e. President DeChano noted the improvements in features available through the AAG website.
f. The Group discussed the timing of business meetings and decided that a lunchtime meeting might increase attendance.

4) Jon Malinowski, the Secretary/Treasurer, reported that the Group had $1691.39 at the time of the meeting.

5) Lynette Johnson was named the Student Paper Winner. She was also awarded a Travel Grant. The group voted to announce the paper competition and the travel grants separately to encourage entries. The group agreed that preference for the awarding of travel grants would be given to students entering the paper competition or presenting at the AAG national meeting.

6) David Stea stated his intention to leave his position at the completion of the 2006 business meeting.

7) A panel session at the 2006 Annual Meeting focusing on the direction of subdiscipline was proposed and generally received favorable responses. A special session for Reginald Golledge was also discussed.

8) Jon Malinowski proposed, and the Group approved, the purchasing of a separate website and domain name for the Specialty Group.

9) President DeChano closed the meeting.

Dr Jon Malinowski
Secretary/Treasurer

2004 Minutes

Minutes of the Business Meeting of the Environmental Perception and Behavioral Geography Specialty Group at the AAG Meetings in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on March 15, 2004.

1. Meeting brought to order and welcome to all by current SG Chair Scott Bell. Approximately 9 people were in attendance.

2. Motion made/seconded to approve the minutes of the EP&BGSG business meeting in New Orleans. Motion carried unanimously.

3. Jon Malinowski, Academic Director, presented Lianne Fisman the 2004 Saarinen Student Paper Prize for her entry, “The Effects of Local Learning on Environmental Awareness in Children: An Empirical Investigation.” Ms. Fisman is doing graduate work at MIT in the Department of Urban Studies and Planning. She wins $200 for outstanding student paper plus a $125 student travel grant to help defray costs of attending the Philadelphia meetings. In addition, two other Travel Grants of $125 each were awarded to Brian King (Dept of Geography, University of Colorado) and Maurizio Antoninetti (Dept of Geography, San Diego State University).

4. S. Bell reported to the members on the annual AAG SG Chairs (Lisa DeChano attended in his place and briefed him).
• As an SG, we are entitled to have our Saarinen Paper Prize winner recognized at the annual AAG Awards Banquet. It was unanimously recommended by those in attendance that we should immediately allot the $40 banquet fee to Lianne Fisman, and a check was cut on the spot by Treasurer Randy Bertolas and given to Lianne for that purpose. It was also recommended that the EP&BGSG Chair should also attend the Awards Banquet each year as well, although most of those in attendance at the Business Meeting felt that the SG Chair should pay their own way.
• The AAG administration has voiced some concerns about the viability of certain (unnamed) Specialty Groups. It was pointed out by those in attendance at the Business Meeting that the EP&BGSG has numerous sponsored sessions, an annual award competition, and an active membership.
• Some SGs are concerned about not having their sponsored sessions approved. This is not a factor with the EP&BGSG as we apparently never sponsor more than a reasonable number of sessions. In Philadelphia, our SG had four (4) sponsored sessions approved for the convention.

5. Elections. With the change in Chair/Vice-chair terms now extended to two years each (decided at the 2001 New York EP&BGSG business meeting), both positions came open this year. Lisa DeChano moves from Vice-Chair to Chair. Scott Bell nominated David Stea to be Vice-Chair, and David was elected by acclamation. Lianne Fisman won an onsite ballot to become Student Director. Scott Freundschuh agreed to serve one year as an Academic Director. David Lemberg ran unopposed for a two-year term as our other Academic Director. Jon Malinowski agreed to take over as SG Secretary/Treasurer/Newsletter Editor from Randy Bertolas who retired from that position after ten years.

Next year, nominations will be needed for a two-year Academic Director’s position, as well as a new Student Director. Members were urged to consider being more active within the SG by standing for election and serving as an officer. The 2004-05 slate of officers who will serve in the EP&BGSG is listed below. In the next year, please feel free to nominate yourself or anyone you believe qualified for the positions listed above that will come up for election.

Past Chair Scott Bell, University of Saskatchewan
Chair Lisa DeChano, Western Michigan University
Vice-Chair David Stea, Texas State University
Secretary/Treasurer Jon Malinowski, United States Military Academy
Academic Director David Lemberg, Western Michigan University
Academic Director Scott Freundschuh, Univ of Minnesota-Duluth
Student Director Lianne Fisman, MIT

6. Randy Bertolas delivered the treasurer’s report:

2003-04 EP&BGSG Financial Report
Balance (March 07, 2003) $1359.77
Income from Dues (2003-04) + $ 476.75
$1836.52
Expenses (FY 2003-04)

• Newsletter (February 2004)
Printing -$ 47.60
Postage (mailed March 3, 2004) -$ 146.70

• Saarinen Award (March 2004)

SG Student Paper Prize -$ 200.00
SG Awards Banquet Ticket -$ 40.00
SG Student Travel Grants -$ 375.00 (3 @ $125 ea.)
Debit -$ 809.30

New Balance (March 25, 2004) $1027.22

7. New Business. It was decided that Saarinen Competition Travel Grants would go back down to $85/year to help facilitate the cost of student participation at the annual convention.

No further business. Meeting adjourned.

Respectfully submitted by Randy Bertolas, EP&BGSG Secretary/Treasurer/Newsletter Editor