Fall 2024 Newsletter Published

Gabriela Rocha Sales — Wed, 18 Dec 2024 19:34:09 +0000

Fall 2024 Newsletter Published Gabriela Rocha Sales Wed, 12/18/2024 - 12:34

Thank you for reading our departmental newsletter. We publish newsletters at the end of the Fall and Spring semesters. If you have any updates, please let us know using our alumni update form or send an email with your information to the department. We would love to hear from you about how your career has progressed since attending CU....

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Geography Alumnus Joseph Kerski: Be a Positive Change Agent Through Applying Geography!

Gabriela Rocha Sales — Mon, 09 Dec 2024 22:38:12 +0000

Geography Alumnus Joseph Kerski: Be a Positive Change Agent Through Applying Geography! Gabriela Rocha Sales Mon, 12/09/2024 - 15:38

Geography gives you superpowers! I truly believe that as I have seen how the geographic perspective, content knowledge, and skills have empowered people to make wiser decisions from local to global scale. I hold 3 degrees in geography including 2 from ��ϳԹ�. My research focuses on teaching and learning with geotechnologies. My dissertation title at the University of Colorado was “the implementation and effectiveness of GIS in education”, and I have been living and breathing this topic ever since. In fact, that is a major focus of my role on the Esri education team, which supports schools and higher education use of GIS in teaching, research, and in campus facilities. I have had the honor of serving in all 4 major sectors of society: Government (USGS, Census Bureau), academia (I currently teach at the University of Denver, the University of Minnesota, Au Sable Institute, and Harrisburg Area Community College), private industry (serving on the Esri education team), and nonprofit organizations (I served as president of the National Council for Geographic Education and have been active in AAG, AGU (science), ISTE (technology education), and elsewhere). I have authored 12 books including Interpreting Our World [bloomsbury.com], a new book on teaching mathematics with interactive mapping, Tribal GIS, The GIS Guide to Public Domain Data, and have created 6,000 videos visible here on my Our Earth channel [esriurl.com] I operate a spatial data and society blog on https://spatialreserves.wordpress.com which includes many ethical issues related to mapping. My podcast, called Thinking Spatially, is published monthly: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/thinking-spatially/id1441426924 I spend about 40% of my time on travel, visiting 35 campuses and 10 conferences annually; I also spend a great deal of time writing curriculum helping people to think spatially and use geotechnologies, including this new set of lessons. On my recent last visit to ��ϳԹ�, I visited faculty, and conducted guest presentations to Professor Schlosser’s cartography course, and about “GIS for good” to the CU Atlas data-and-society students.

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Geography Alumnus and Professor Contribute to the Swastika Counter Project

Gabriela Rocha Sales — Mon, 09 Dec 2024 22:33:33 +0000

Geography Alumnus and Professor Contribute to the Swastika Counter Project Gabriela Rocha Sales Mon, 12/09/2024 - 15:33

Jason Miller, a recent graduate of the University of Colorado with a Bachelor of Arts in Geography, has made a significant contribution to the Swastika Counter Project, led by Dr. Laurie E. Gries and Dr. Kelly L. Wheeler. This project documents and maps instances of swastika sightings reported in U.S. social and news media to shed light on the persistence and spread of these symbols. Equipped with an accessible, interactive map, the Swastika Counter Project is a public humanities project that aims to educate the general public about the targets, circulation, and intensity of antisemitic signs on the streets of the United States.

Jason developed the interactive map under the guidance of Professor Morteza Karimzadeh at ��ϳԹ� Geography, drawing inspiration from his mentorship.

Jason’s background in geography provided a foundation in spatial analysis and geo-visualization, which he has since expanded into both front-end and back-end web development, computer programming, and 2D/3D graphic design. His passion for these fields—particularly in web design and programming—demonstrates his commitment to combining creativity with technology. Outside of his professional pursuits, he enjoys exploring the mountains and plains of Colorado, writing songs, and developing video games.

Looking ahead, Jason plans to deepen his work at the intersection of interactive media and creative programming, creating dynamic experiences that engage audiences in meaningful ways. Inspired by his professors and mentors, he aims to apply his skills across disciplines, bridging technical expertise and creative innovation in his future projects.

Data analysis by The Swastika Counter Project found at least 1,300 documented incidents of swastikas in the United States between Jan. 1, 2016, and Jan. 20, 2021.

Residents of Eugene, Oregon, responded against swastikas found in a city neighborhood in 2017. (Photo: SBG Photo)

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Geography Alumnus Chris McMorran, Forever in the Field

Gabriela Rocha Sales — Mon, 09 Dec 2024 22:29:10 +0000

Geography Alumnus Chris McMorran, Forever in the Field Gabriela Rocha Sales Mon, 12/09/2024 - 15:29

I stumbled into Geography, and it has made all the difference.

I majored in Anthropology for my Bachelor's degree back in Iowa, and never took a Geography course until I started my MA at CU in 2000. Thankfully, my courses at CU and work as a Teaching Assistant opened my eyes to the conceptual tools of Geography, while supporting my passion for field-based research. My MA (2002) and PhD (2008), both supervised by Prof Timothy Oakes, explored the landscapes and labor of tourism in rural Japan, which I have written about extensively and have taught about at the National University of Singapore since 2010.

During my time in the Guggenheim building, I was lucky to be surrounded by supportive, fascinating, and fun fellow grad students, some of whom remain close friends. I fondly remember Friday colloquia, weekday escapes to the mountains, potluck dinners, TA support sessions, holidays together, and more. I will also be forever grateful to my Professors, who pushed me to engage with complex ideas and created an atmosphere of deep, open conversation in their classrooms. That said, one of my most profound memories was a semester spent doing GIS labs in the dark recesses of the Guggenheim basement. The experience made me appreciate my instructors who helped me survive the journey, and it reminded me why I prefer being out in the field, talking with people and walking through the Japanese countryside.

These days I share my love for Geography and the field with my own students. As the lone Geographer in the Department of Japanese Studies at NUS, I have the opportunity to teach about deeply-Geographical concepts, like in my course called "Home", and field-based research methods, like in my course about the politics of heritage tourism, which includes 10 days in Japan. (https://news.nus.edu.sg/exploring-japans-heritage-and-tourism-in-kyushu/), I also continue to write about Japan and field-based research, including a book about the landscapes and labor of Japanese hospitality called "Ryokan: mobilizing hospitality in rural Japan" (2022).

I treasure my time at ��ϳԹ� and my luck at becoming an accidental Geographer.

Chris (left), with Dan Trudeau (PhD, CU-Boulder) and Ken Foote (former faculty CU-Boulder) at the 2024 AAG meetings

Chris observing the sunset in Aso, Japan with a student

Chris in the field with students in Fukuoka, Japan

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Viviana Huiliñir-Curio Receives Wenner-Gren Fellowship for her Dissertation Research in Wallmapu/Chile

Gabriela Rocha Sales — Mon, 09 Dec 2024 22:21:30 +0000

Viviana Huiliñir-Curio Receives Wenner-Gren Fellowship for her Dissertation Research in Wallmapu/Chile Gabriela Rocha Sales Mon, 12/09/2024 - 15:21

Viviana Huiliñir-Curio

Viviana is a Mapuche scholar from Southern Chile and a graduate student in the Geography doctoral program at CU-Boulder. In her previous work in Chile, Viviana has been exploring the production of landscapes through various forms of Mapuche mobilities in the Andes borderlands in the context of colonialism, nation-state formations, commodification, and extractivism. Her areas of interest are at the intersection of cultural geography, political ecology, and critical Indigenous studies.

The Wenner-Gren Foundation supports doctoral research on anthropological knowledge, integrating two or more subfields. This dissertation fieldwork grant will fund a one-year-long fieldwork in Chile for her dissertation project called: “Green Borders: Protected Areas and Mapuche Mobilities in the Southern Andes in Wallmapu.” Her dissertation project explores the intersections between mobility, conservation, and dispossession from an Indigenous perspective, focusing on the role of national parks in transforming the Mapuche territory in the Andes borderlands.

"This doctoral program has been crucial in acquiring more theoretical and methodological perspectives for my dissertation project, especially in expanding my own perspectives about Indigenous geographies. Another important point for my personal and academic development is that the Geography department groups grad students worldwide, creating an international and cross-cultural environment. This has been very positive for connecting with grad students from different backgrounds, exchanging points of view, and building a respectful community. Therefore, the PhD has been a very enriching experience in many ways."

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Taylor Johaneman Floating for Science: Fieldwork on the Snake River (WY) and Ninemile Creek (MT)

Gabriela Rocha Sales — Mon, 09 Dec 2024 22:11:43 +0000

Taylor Johaneman Floating for Science: Fieldwork on the Snake River (WY) and Ninemile Creek (MT) Gabriela Rocha Sales Mon, 12/09/2024 - 15:11

My name is Taylor Johaneman - I am a fluvial geomorphologist and a third-year Ph.D. student in Geography. My dissertation work investigates the ecogeomorphic controls (e.g., sediment size, vegetation type, erosional and depositional patterns) on floodplain organic carbon (OC) storage and how human intervention in rivers, specifically artificial levee construction and river restoration, may alter OC storage. My study sites include two rivers, the Snake River near Jackson, WY and Ninemile Creek near Missoula, MT; data from leveed and unleveed sections of the Snake River are being used to investigate ecogeomorphic controls and impacts of artificial levees, while data from Ninemile Creek are being used to investigate the effects of river restoration.

One of the best parts of my work is going out to the field and collecting data. Not only is it a great excuse to camp and float in beautiful places throughout the summer, but being in the field helps visualize and clarify processes discussed in the literature or displayed in aerial imagery. More importantly, fieldwork allows you to observe the finer-scale spatial complexities that cannot be conveyed in aerial imagery.

I spent the last two summers floating the Snake River, collecting hundreds of soil samples and tree cores, measuring large wood and wood jams in the floodplain, and observing the substantial ecological and geomorphic variation that occurs throughout the floodplain. This past summer, I also spent a week on Ninemile Creek to collect samples. The data are still being processed in the lab, so I’ve included a few photos of my fieldwork.

Floating on the Snake River in Grand Teton National Park between sample collection sites.

Picture 2: One of nearly 400 soil cores collected on the Snake River between Summer 2023 and Summer 2024. We would collect cores down to a 1 meter depth or depth of refusal, if refusal was less than 1 meter in depth. The depth of refusal is where coarse alluvium begins; this core was the last sample collected at this site, as indicated by the pebble sticking out of the core.

Picture 3: A recently restored section of Ninemile Creek.

Not pictured: Getting bluff charged by a grizzly bear with my advisor, Dr. Katherine Lininger.

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Shelby Ross Receives the BIE Science Post Graduate Scholarship Fund 2024-2025 provided by the Native Forward Scholars Fund

Gabriela Rocha Sales — Mon, 09 Dec 2024 22:06:42 +0000

Shelby Ross Receives the BIE Science Post Graduate Scholarship Fund 2024-2025 provided by the Native Forward Scholars Fund Gabriela Rocha Sales Mon, 12/09/2024 - 15:06

Shelby Ross

Aŋpétu Wašté' Mitákuyepi (Good Day Relatives),

My name is Shelby Ross, my Lakota name is Wanahca Oblaye Ska Win (White Prairie Flower Woman). I’m currently a Ph.D. candidate within the Geography Department at the ��ϳԹ�. I am an enrolled member of the Oglala Sioux Tribe and was born and raised on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in southwestern South Dakota. I am a former Gate’s Millennium Scholar (2009-2018), which I utilized to earn a B.S. in Natural Science with an emphasis in Conservation Biology from my local Tribal College Oglala Lakota College and a M.S. in Environmental Science and Engineering from the Institute of Environmental Health at the Oregon Health & Science University. After earning my master’s degree, I returned home and began working for the Oglala Sioux Tribe (OST) Natural Resource

s Regulatory Agency in Pine Ridge, SD. It was during this time that I have observed the extreme weather events happening across my home reservation, which seemed to be occurring more often. In my position at the Natural Resources office, I had access to the OST Tribal climate adaptation plan and was asked to analyze the plan looking for gaps. During this time, I observed limited information about the potential impacts of climate change on the health disparities that persist within our reservation communities. Since this observation, I have been dedicated to becoming an expert around the topic of climate change and Native American health in efforts to help our leaders prepare our people and next generations for the projected impacts of climate change for the Northern Great Plains region not only on human health but also on environmental/ecological health, which are intricately related.

I am a member of the 2020 Tribal Climate Leaders Program inaugural cohort, funded by the North Central Climate Adaptation Science Center in partnership with the Cooperative Institute of Research in Environmental Sciences (CIRES), ��ϳԹ�, and the Great Plains Tribal Water Alliance. My research interests include Traditional Ecological Knowledge or Indigenous Knowledge, climate change and health, and Native American health. I am currently at the stage of conducting data analysis and writing my dissertation. My dissertation, Climate change impacts on the Native American Health in the Northern Great Plains Region, was designed with a mixed methods approach to better understand how extreme weather events (EWE) induced by climate change are impacting Native American health in the Northern Great Plains region. I also aimed to investigate and assess the healthcare needs of the population of Native American individuals who have been diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes during EWE. It was important to me to develop my dissertation research through an Indigenous Knowledge of Health or Indigenous Health lens, which includes understanding how climate change may be impacting the physical, mental, and spiritual/cultural health for Native Americans in the region. In early stages of my program, I conducted interviews of elders on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation with an aim to understand what changes they have experienced over their lifetime on the topics of EWEs, the availability in ecological resources like traditional plants and wildlife, and health impacts caused by EWEs. The analysis of these interviews will be one chapter of my dissertation.

These interviews were then influential in designing my Extreme Weather impacts on Native American Health in the N. Great Plains survey. I distributed the survey to Native Americans (ages 18 and up) across the Northern Great Plains to investigate any variances in impacts felt (infrastructure, healthcare access, and cultural practices access) by Native Americans in this region due to EWEs. I am now analyzing the results from this survey with an eye towards evaluating how EWEs have affected infrastructure, healthcare access, and cultural practices access differentially by location, gender, age, education, employment status, health status (Type 2 Diabetes vs. non-Type 2 Diabetes), and reservation residency status.

I chose this mixed method (interviews and surveys) approach because I believe it is the best option for conducting research with Native American communities. Interviews and surveys allow me to center Native American voices as the experts of their experiences and provide a space for them to express their climate concerns.

As I continue my career as a Native American researcher who is an expert in climate change and Native American Health, my goal is to begin to provide practical climate action projects that can help minimalize the felt impacts of climate change for my home Tribal community and possibly continuing to extend my efforts to all Tribal communities in the Northern Great Plains region. The projects I want to continue to pursue are more community involved projects, emergency response systems that are designed in alignment with the needs of Tribal members in the region and are inclusive to health-related issues, and alternative energy sourcing. I also have a goal to provide a space that builds capacity in Native American climate change research led by Native Americans by becoming a professor and to do my part in educating the next generations of Native Americans in climate change adaptation as much as possible.

Description of the BIE scholarship (from the website):

“The purpose of the BIE Science Post Graduate Scholarship Fund program is to provide financial assistance to eligible American Indian and Alaska Native undergraduate, graduate, and professional students pursuing degrees full-time at an accredited institution in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) fields (i.e., Medical and Life Sciences; Engineering; Physical Sciences; Chemistry; Natural Resources/Conservation; Mathematics and Computational Sciences; Earth, Environmental, and Agriculture/Animal Sciences; Technology; Computer Sciences; Architectural Sciences; Public Health; Psychology; etc.). This opportunity is a need-based award.”

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