Shaul Cohen selected for 2012 Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Award

Shaul Cohen has been selected to receive the 2012 Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Award from the University of Oregon. Shaul is being recognized for his many efforts and achievements that uphold and exemplify the ideals set forth by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

“In nominating you, your colleagues have highlighted the amazing contributions you have made to the diversity and equity efforts in your department and the university community … Congratulations on being a member of this prestigious group of awardees. Persons of your caliber and outstanding effort ensure the success of the university." Dr. Robin Holmes, Interim Vice President for Institutional Equity and Diversity

Professor Cohen was recognized for his many contributions to our community and to the larger global community. Specifically, his nominators noted his commitment to peaceful co-existence among traditional adversaries in Ireland and the Middle East, his contributions to educating the campus community about the human cost of military conflict, and his work with students in the Inside-Out Prison Exchange Program. Nominators noted his "tremendous moral courage and humanitarian spirit" and his "savvy and courageous leadership."

The Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Award ceremony will be held on Thursday, January 19th from 11:30 to 1:00 p.m. in the EMU Ballroom.

Chris Bone joins the department

Geographer Chris Bone’s interests center on the ways in which spatial analysis and modeling can help us understand the impacts of natural and human disturbances on forests. He is developing new ways of using geographic information systems to explore the causes and consequences of changes in forest dynamics. After receiving a B.A. in Environmental Studies from the University of Toronto, Chris pursued graduate work in geography at Simon Fraser University, earning an M.S. in 2005 and a Ph.D. in 2009. At the conclusion of his studies, Chris received the Simon Fraser University Dean of Graduate Studies’ Convocation Medal for Academic Excellence. Chris then embarked on a postdoctoral fellowship at the University of Alaska, Anchorage. During the past year he has worked as as postdoctoral research scientist at the Pacific Forestry Centre in Victoria, British Columbia. In his spare time, Chris enjoys playing jazz piano, swimming, and getting lost in the woods.

Mark Fonstad joins the department

Mark Fonstad is a geographer with particular interests in geomorphology, hydrology, and remote sensing. He has published widely on matters ranging from the physical geography of rivers to the fusion of physical geography with geographic information science. The son of geographer Todd Fonstad and cartographer Karen Wynn Fonstad, Mark received a B.S. in geography from the University of Wisconsin, Madison, and an MA in geography from Ohio University. After receiving a Ph.D. in geography from Arizona State University in 2000, Mark accepted a post-doctoral research fellowship at Montana State University. In 2001, Mark moved to Texas State University where he was a member of the geography faculty before coming to Oregon. Mark currently serves as the Environmental Science Editor of the Annals of the Association of American Geographers. In 2005 he received the G. K. Gilbert Award for Excellence in Geomorphic Research. In his spare time, Mark wanders the Cascades and is a Sci-Fi/Fantasy addict.

Geography Ducks get jobs

Congratulations to our recent PhD and MA/MS graduates! We are proud that many of our grads have landed excellent jobs in geography-related fields, many in academic positions and others in government and industry.

• Paul Blanton, PhD; now Visiting Assistant Professor, Department of Environmental Studies, Southern Oregon University
• Matt Derrick, PhD projected in Fall; now Assistant Professor, Department of Geography, Humboldt State University
• Shangrila Joshi, PhD (Environmental Studies); now Visiting Assistant Professor, Department of Environmental Studies, Denison University
• Megan Lawrence, PhD; now Project Manager, Spatial and Map Cognition Research Lab, University of Oregon
• Suzanne Walther, PhD; now Assistant Professor, Department of Earth Science, Utah Valley University

• Vincent Artman, MA; now Geography PhD student at the University of Kansas
• Ian David Crickmore, MS; now an Environmental GIS Technician for JL Patterson
• Mahmood Khan, MA; now Geography PhD student at UCLA
• Stephanie Michelson Correa, MS
• Jess Phelps, MS
• Denise Tu, MS; now Spatial Analyst and Geomorphology Researcher, Hydrology Program, University of California, Davis