How to PASS GEO 407/507

Another important part of "Geographic Research" is to "know thy speaker." Oftentimes in the "real world" of academia we challenge or inspire ourselves by reading the works of others who are publishing in a different part of our field, or in a different field altogether. We are especially prompted to do so if introduced to the person's work in a departmental seminar or at a conference. This may even lead us to a new direction of inquiry or a brand new research specialty. To give you a sense of this process, you will also need to the do the following in order to pass the course:

• CHOOSE one talk that was particularly interesting to you (NOT including the graduate student talks on May 26th).

• FIND a paper, technical report, book, web page, etc. that the speaker has produced (more than likely it will be related to their talk). If you have difficulty locating the speaker's work in the library or on the web, go the Interlibrary Loan route. Or feel free to contact the speaker directly and ask him/her to send you a reprint. This is done all the time between academic colleagues. If nothing else, the speakers will be flattered by your continued interest in their work.

• READ the paper, web page, etc. and then WRITE a one-page (single-spaced) reaction paper (i.e., critique/assessment) of the person's presentation within the context of the written work of their's that you've read outside of class. So in a sense it is a reaction to both the presentation and the outside work. This should be more than just an impersonal abstract or review. Feel free to share your own reactions/opinions.

  Here is an example of an EXCELLENT reaction paper.

• TURN IN your paper to me before the end of the quarter. Emailing the text is fine (dawn@dusk.geo.orst.edu).

April 3rd (FRIDAY - Wilkinson 207 - Optional)
Mr. Darius Bartlett, Department of Geography, University College, Cork, IRELAND
"Models of Reality, but Whose Models? And Whose Reality? Developing GIS for Integrated Coastal Zone Management Within a Heterogenous Scientific and Administrative Environment"
Hostess: Dawn Wright

April 7th
Dr. Esther Jacobsen, Department of Art History, and Mr. Jim Meacham, Department of Geography and InfoGraphics Lab, both at University of Oregon
"Archaeological Mapping in the Altay Mountains, Northwest Mongolia: Applying GPS/GIS to the Analysis of Culture and the Landscape"
Host: Fritz Klasner

April 14th
Mr. Nate Wood, Department of Geosciences, OSU
"Sedimentary Dynamics of a Shallow-Water Embayment and Open-Marine Marsh System: Waccasassa Bay, Florida"
Hostess: Dawn Wright

April 22nd (WEDNESDAY - Wilkinson 108)
Dr. Alan MacEachren, Pennsylvania State University
Topic: Cartographic visualization, Title TBA
Host: Jon Kimerling

April 28th
Dr. Julia Jones, Department of Geosciences, OSU
"Juniper Invasion and Islands of Soil Fertility in Central Oregon"
Hostess: Sharon London

May 5th
Ms. Xanthippe Augerot, OSU Geosciences
"Comparative History of Salmon Fisheries in the Amur and Columbia River Basins"
Host: Nate Wood

May 12th
Dr. Richard Walker, Department of Geography, UC Berkeley
"California's Debt to Nature"
Hostess: Sharon London

May 19th
Dr. David Post, Research Associate, OSU Geosciences and Forestry Sciences Laboratory
"An Examination of the Controls on Hydrologic Response Across a Range of Hydroclimatological Regimes"
Hostess: Angie Schaefer
BOMB'S AWAY Happy Hour afterwards!

May 26th
Grad Student Talks
Sharon London
Fritz Klasner
Titles TBA
Hostess: Angie Schaefer

June 2nd
Dr. Barbara McDade, Department of Geography, University of Florida
"Traditional Industries and Nontraditional Exports: Opportunities for Rural Development in Ghana"
Hostess: Lisa Gaines

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