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As many as 280 geographers have just one destination on their minds this week: NIU

October 24, 2012

globeThe NIU Department of Geography is hosting the annual meeting of the West Lakes Division of the Association of American Geographers.

This year’s meeting will be held jointly with the East Lakes Division. The meeting begins with an evening reception on Thursday, Oct. 25, and concludes with afternoon field trips on Saturday, Oct. 27.

“Based upon pre-registration totals to date, we expect 230 to 280 geography faculty, professionals and students here in DeKalb,” said Andrew Krmenec, geography chair.

Meeting highlights include:

  • A keynote address by Kenneth Foote, professor of geography at the University of Colorado and past-president of the Association of American Geographers.
  • Paper and poster presentations by more than 130 undergraduate and graduate-level students.
  • A field trip to Nachusa Grasslands examining restoration ecology and dynamic soil properties, led by NIU Professors Mike Konen and David Goldblum.
  • A field trip into the Fox Valley area examining edge city, exurban and other suburban forms of Chicago, led by Professor Richard Greene.
  • A demonstration by representatives of Nokia of their geospatial, street-view imaging data collection vehicle.

The full conference program is posted online.

The Department of Geography also has a display of the world of NIU Geography in the Founders Memorial Library main lobby. The display will run through National Geography Awareness Week in mid-November.