News
Blue Box Seminar Presents
Lissandra Souto Cavalli
Postdoctoral Fellow, MUN
Ms. Cavalli will discuss occupational health and safety in aquaculture under Brazilian Perspective
and present some overview of risks and hazards, decent work, minorities and social organization of work, and some official and survey collected injury data.
When: Friday, October 21, 2022
Where: SN2025, 3 - 4 pm
Blue Box Seminar Presents
Jim Thorne
Environmental Science & Policy
University of California, Davis
Climate Change and Terrestial Conservation Planning
When: Thursday, October 13th, 2022
10:30 am by Zoom
Zoom link: https://ucdavis.zoom.us/j/92506683149
Geography Blue Box Seminar presents
Keith Storey Department of Geography, MUN
Wish you were here: Confessions of a carto-deltiologist
When: Friday, October 7, 2022 3-4 pm
Where: SN2025
Blue Box Seminar Presents
Dr. Alistair Bath
MUN Geography
- Alistair Bath will speak on: Lessons learned to achieve conservation success: A_Bath_Blue Box Sept 23 2022
When: September 23, 2022 3-4 pm
Where: SN2025
Dr. Alistair Bath will take us all around the world where he has combined human dimensions research and applied conflict resolution and facilitation skills to achieve conservation successes. Whether working with lion killers to become lion guardians in Kenya, Israelis and Palestinian authorities working on urban biodiversity issues, wolves and brown bear management issues all across Europe, tigers in India, bison restoration in Alaska, Indigenous peoples and caribou issues in Canada's north, jaguars in Brazil, and most recently Andean cat conservation in the high Andes of Argentina, conservation successes occur when you understand that you are born with two ears and one mouth, so you should be listening at least twice as much as talking when working with local communities, key interest groups and government authorities. Listen to Alistair share stories of how listening and learning from people is the key to conservation success.
MUN Geography GIS Position Open
The Department of Geography at Memorial University invites applications for a permanent Assistant Professor position in Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and Geospatial Analysis
For any questions, please contact Arn Keeling, the Department Head, at akeeling@mun.ca or Max Liboiron, the search committee chair, at mliboiron@mun.ca.
For detailed information, please click here Geography GIS Position
2023
September
Academic-in-Residence Unpacked, Settled and ready to Help
In partnership with Memorial’s Office of Public Engagement and the Department of Geography, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, Signal Hill Campus opened its doors to Dr. Richard Shearmur, professor of economic geography and former director of McGill’s School of Urban Planning. While staying at Signal Hill Campus for the fall and winter semesters, Dr. Shearmur will draw on his more than 25 years of academic experience to help students and the public better understand what it is to be a researcher in academia.
One of the most important aspects of his tenure is his connection with Memorial’s graduate students.
The first student office hours will take place on Sept. 22. Students can register by visiting the AIR website.
Dr. Shearmur will also work with graduate students from the Department of Geography, including guest lecturing in one of Dr. Nicholas Lynch’s courses in January.
Knowing, doing and being
The initiative of the project, the IndigeLab Network: Building Research Collectives Through Gendered Indigenous Theories of Change, led by Dr. Max Liboiron, professor, Department of Geography, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences. is receiving a Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) Partnership Grant.
The research collaboration provides an opportunity to strengthen and enhance connections among international Indigenous scholars and community members. The project, the IndigeLab Network: Building Research Collectived Through Gendered Indigenous Theories of Change.
Global Climate Strike
MUNL Geographers for Climate Justice.
We call for justice for people and the planet.
Memorial University of Newfoundland is committed to: taking immediate and decisive action against one of the most globally urgent crises of our time - climate change.
Global Climate Strike – St. John’s
Sustainability and Climate Actions for support and to bring a contibution to a thriving planet.
Fantastic Four
The group of four Memorial Researchers earn top honours from the Royal Society of Canada’s College of New Scholars, Artists and Scientists (RSC).
Dr. Carissa Brown, professor, Department of Geography, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences – is among the latest cohort elected to the Royal Society of Canada’s College of New Scholars, Artists and Scientists (RSC) – one of the nation’s highest scholarly honours.
Blue Box Seminar Presents
Dr. Mauro Lucherini
a leading conservationist in South America
presenting a talk on the Andean Cat Conservation and its challenges
When: Friday, September 8, 2023
Where: SN 2025, at 3 pm.
Child-care advocate Dr. Yolande Pottie-Sherman, Department of Geography at Memorial University,focuses the attention on the government's child-care update.
Childcare advocates say the provincial government needs to do more to help with the demand in Newfoundland and Labrador.
Dr. Yolande Pottie-Sherman points out to needs in the expansion of the child-care system to be a government-led public system, like the healthcare system or the school system.
Read more on CBC News: Advocates criticize N.L. government’s child-care update
August
Geographer contributes to Smithsonian cellphone exhibit
A major exhibition at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History in Washington, D.C. explores the technological, environmental and cultural impact of the devices.
Dr. Josh Lepawsky, professor, Department of Geography, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, played an important role in helping bring the first-of-its-kind exhibit to life, providing input on the design, narratives and the overall visitor experience.
Read here: seeing the unseen Geographer contributes to exhibit exploring impacts of cellphones.
MUN new local research is diving into the housing experiences of international students.
Dr. Yolande Pottie-Sherman, Memorial University Department of Geography, is conducting research on housing experiences of international students and newcomers to St. John's Newfoundland.
To view the talk on NTV News click on the link below
about the housing experiences of international students and newcomers
June
Upcoming Fall 2023 Undergraduate Courses
For 2023 Fall Semester Undergraduate Courses in Geography
Please check Fall 2023 Course Offerings
New course GEOG 4261 Offering in Fall 2023
New course announcement!
The Department of Geography is please to announce an offering in Fall 2023 of a new, combined undergraduate/graduate course in Advanced GIS/Geospatial Modelling and Analysis (GEOG 4261 6120). See attached for more information.
For details on course and lab slot, please visit https://www.mun.ca/hss/upcoming-undergraduate-courses/?subject=GEOG.
What it means to practice values-based research
Environmental scientist Dr. Max Liboiron ties principles of humility and accountability to research that respects people and their relationship with the land.
Click featured in an article “nature” to read.
MUN Geography Per Course Instructor Position Open
The Department of Geography invites applications from individuals interested in teaching the following undergraduate course in the Fall 2023 Semester (September 2023- December 2023) for Geography 2195 (Intro to GIS).
For more information please click here - PCI Geog 2195 Fall 2023 Semester
May
Doctoral Research
Memorial University Geography PhD Student
Maro Adjemian
Discussed her doctoral research in collaboration with Atikamekw Nation Council on the Conversation through Reconciliation Partnership website.
Dean's Awards - HSS
An Annual Celebration of Success in HSS
A Fine Crowd 2023
Winners of the 2022 Dean’s Awards in the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, Department of Geography are:
Pamela Murphy – was awarded the Dean’s Award for Exceptional Service to the Faculty (Staff).
Keith Storey – was awarded the William J. Kirwin Award for Research by Retired Faculty.
Congratulations on this great accomplishment!
April
Teaching Term Appointment: Department of Geography
Memorial University of Newfoundland's Department of Geography is seeking applicants for a 9-month teaching term appointment during the Fall 2023 and Winter 2024 semesters. Contract begins August 1 and on-campus teaching duties commence with the 2023 Fall semester.
The successful candidate will teach the following course configuration during the 2022-2023 academic year:
Fall 2023:
Geography 1050 (Geographies of Global Change)—2 sections
Geography 2302 (Economic Geography)
Winter 2024:
Geography 1050 (Geographies of Global Change)—2 sections
Geography 2302 (Economic Geography)
Please forward a curriculum vitae, a cover letter demonstrating evidence of effective teaching, and the names and contact information of three referees, to: Dr. Arn Keeling, Head, Department of Geography (akeeling@mun.ca), by May 15, 2023.
For detailed information, please click here
Teaching Term Appointment
Mark Earth Day on April 22
Dr. Josh Lepawsky
Department of Geography –
His capstone course "Geography in Action" was featured in the Gazette as part of Earth Day celebrations. The course partnered with MUN's Sustainability and Climate Action Office.
Blue Box Seminar
Blue Box Seminar Presents
Carissa Wasyliw
Geography MSc Candidate
Beyond Black Spruce: Alternate Trajectories in Subarctic Yukon
When: Friday, April 21st, 3-3:30 pm
Where: online https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82820660139?pwd=dGFTZkNDTkp6VmxqVHFaemZYNGs5Zz09
Blue Box Seminar
Blue Box Seminar Presents
Dr. Deondre Smiles (Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe)
assistant professor in the Department of Geography at the University of Victoria, B.C.
Dr. Smiles will speak on his current work which seeks to draw connections between the ways that Indigenous nations protect cultural resources
and what this might mean for Indigenous political and cultural sovereignty in an era of climate crisis.
Geographic Indigenous Futures Lab
Please join us from the Webinar Link
|
https://mun.webex.com/mun/j.php?MTID=mf2eba7b69a6d4c41d77c83a2a15c975b |
Upcoming Undergraduate Courses
2023 Spring-Intersession-Summer Undergraduate Courses in Geography
Blue Box Seminar
Blue Box Seminar Presents
Dr. Robert Briggs
Researcher, Ocean, Coastal and River Engineering group (NRC)
Chasing Your Passions: sensing ice for community, government and industry needs.
When: April 6th from 3-4pm
Where: SN2025
March
Blue Box Seminar
Blue Box Seminar Presents
Caitlynn Beckett
PhD Exit Seminar
Reclamation in Northern Canada: Confronting, Caring for and Living with the Legacies of Extractive Industries
When: Friday March 31st
Where: Join us remotely
Plastics vs. Land Protectors
Max Liboiron (Geography)
Featured in the Telegram for their work investigating plastics pollution in Nunatsiavut and receiving the Killam Fellowship for their work.
Geography PhD sharing his love of the ocean with N.L. school children.
Workshops will share ocean opportunities with N.L. classrooms.
Simone Cominelli, the PhD student in Memorial’s Department of Geography share hands-on activities and a chance to better understand what is happening below the surface of our oceans.
Profiled in the Gazette for his outreach work with elementary & junior high students.
Blue Box Seminar Series
Blue Box Seminar Presents
Ellise Proctor & Hannah Kosick
MUN, Geography
Forest management alternatives to prescribed burning in Terra Nova National Park, NL
Ellise Proctor
Drivers of change in the temperate-boreal forest refugium of Cape Breton Highlands National Park
Hannah Kosick
Blue Box Seminar March 24th 2023
When: Friday, March 24th, 3-4pm
Where: Remote: Please use this link to join us
Killam Program recognizes Memorial Scholar
Dr. Max Liboiron, one of Memorial’s most inclusive interdisciplinary researchers,
is a recipient of a high-profile academic award:
National Killam Fellowship.
https://gazette.mun.ca/research/sharpening-focus/
Blue Box Seminar Series
Blue Box Seminar Presents
Dr. Katherine Side
Professor, MUN Department of Gender Studies
Place Making and Citizenship in
Mosney’s Transitions
The presentation highlights the site of Mosney in County Meath construction as a borderscape and its various relations to gendered citizenship.
When: Friday, March 17th, 3-4pm
Where: SN2025
Blue Box Seminar
Blue Box Seminar Presents
Dr. Steve Bonnell
Adjunct Professor, MUN Geography
Director, Impact Assessment Agency of Canada
50 Years of Environmental Assessment in Canada
Challenges, Changes, Lessons, Opportunities
This presentation will provide an overview of the EA process, the continued evolution of its nature and scope, and some key areas of on-going discourse - based on observations from my 25 years as an EA practitioner in Canada.
When: Friday, March 10th, 3-4pm
Where: SN2025
Lab Manager Position at CLEAR Lab, Department of Geography
CLEAR lab, directed by Dr. Max Liboiron, Department of Geography, St. John's
Campus, is hiring for the position of full-time (35 hours/week) lab manager
with full benefits. Please see the complete position description here:
https://civiclaboratory.nl/2023/02/22/job-posting-ft-lab-manager/
February
Winner of Royal Canadian Geographic's Trebek Initiative Grant
Jenine Otto - Geography Grad student
Won a Royal Canadian Geographic’s Trebek Initiative Grant for her project: on reimagining housing policy to account for climate change across Inuit Nunangat.
Ms Otto's research contributes to our understanding of how storytelling can be used to bridge communication gaps between governments and communities to ultimately address urgent climate change priorities.
Per Course Instructor Spring 2023 Semester
The Department of Geography invites applications from individuals interested in teaching the following undergraduate course in the Spring 2023 semester (May - August 2023) for Geography 1050 (Geographies of Global Change).
For Ad, please click here PCI Spring 2023
January
Tolulope Victoria Akerele was the inaugural winner of HSS’s Three Minute Thesis competition for her pitch.
Mrs. Akerele, a PhD candidate in the Department of Geography, was the inaugural winner for her pitch, titled Building Inclusive Cities and Mobility Systems for Immigrants in Atlantic Canada.
Why Study That? Featuring Dr. Carissa Brown
Dr. Carissa Brown (Geography) won the 2022 President’s Award for Outstanding Research. Check out the unexpected things her lab is discovering about climate change impacts in the inaugral episode of Why Study That?
2022
December
President's Award 2022 in Outstanding Research
Recipients of the President’s Award for the outstanding research for 2022:
Dr Carissa Brown and Dr Max Liboiron
President’s Awards for Outstanding Research were awarded to
Dr. Max Liboiron, Department of Geography, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences;
Dr. Carissa Brown, Department of Geography, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences.
Below is the link to the YouTube video from the 2022 President’s Awards ceremony:
MUN President's Awards 2022 - YouTube
Go to the clip that starts at 17:02.
President’s Award November 30, 2022
The story on the Gazette:
https://gazette.mun.ca/campus-and-community/exceptional-and-exemplary-2/
Dr. Carissa Brown
Associate professor, Department of Geography, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, is recognized worldwide for research examining impacts of climate change and fire activity on tree distributions in the boreal forest.
She has led a circumpolar-wide synthesis of data on reproduction at treeline -- where forests transition to non-forested ecosystems -- which was published in the leading journal, Ecography.
Dr. Max Liboiron
Associate professor, Department of Geography, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, is a globally renowned Métis/Michif scholar and leading figure in feminist science studies, Indigenous science and technology, and discard studies.
At the forefront of plastic pollution research, Dr. Liboiron’s work has had a direct influence on national policy for plastic pollution.
November
MUN Research Week and Geography Awareness Week
The Department of Geography marked the beginning of the Memorial University's research week — and the end of Geography Awareness Week — by showcasing its research efforts through a floor map of Newfoundland and Labrador with researchers stationed at different parts of the province.
The successful Giant Floor Map event saw about 125+ visitors to the map at The Rooms on Sunday, November 20th and CBC dropped by at the QEII library event on Monday, November 21st.
You can find coverage of the Monday event on the CBC Here and Now program. Click on the November 22 episode and go to the clip that starts at 47:50.
See the web site story here.
MUN Geography students presenting their research work at The Rooms.
Pair of Geographers win President's Award for Outstanding Research
The President's Award for Outstanding Research recognizes young researchers who have made significant contributions to their scholarly disciplines. In 2022, 2 of its 3 recipients were in our Department of Geograpghy: Drs.Max Liboiron and Carissa Brown. Read more in the Gazette.
Blue Box Seminar Presents
Blue Box Seminar Series
Department of Geography Presents
November 25, 2022, Blue Box Seminar
Erin Pearson
MUN, Geography
Searching for climate change solutions in Newfoundland’s urban forests
Emi Husband
Northumbria University, UK
The formation and evolution of Caribbean coral reef islands
When: Friday, November 25, 2022 @ 3 - 4 pm
Where: SN 2025
Blue Box Seminar presents
Department of Geography Blue Box Seminar presents
Roza Tchoukaleyska
Schools of Science and the Environment, MUN Grenfell Campus
Dawn Pittman
Western Regional School of Nursing, MUN Grenfell Campus
Marie Louise Aastrup
Faculty of Business Administration, MUN
Building community-university partnerships on the Great Northern Peninsula.
Through this presentation, will introduce the Great Northern Peninsula Research Collective,
GNP-RC, a community-academic partnership, and will reflect on the role of the network in creating
durable research relationships that positively contribute to the local area.
When: Friday, November 18th, from 3 - 4pm
Where: SN 2025
Congrats to All Students Named to the 2021-2022 Dean's List!
Congratulations to all students named to the 2021-2022 Dean's List, as well as the Program Book Prize winners, and receipients of the Dean's Award for Academic Excellence, and the HSS International Student Excellence Award.
Blue Box Seminar
Blue Box Seminar
Department of Geography Presents
Norm Catto
MUN, Department of Geography
Storms, Seas, Sensitivity, Sustainability. Coastal Newfoundland 2022
When: Thursday, November 10, 2022 @ 3 - 4 p.m.
Where: SN2025
October
Blue Box Seminar Series
Department of Geography Presents
Gregory Jeddore
Miawpukek First Nation
The Gateway: Indigenous-led conservation on Miawpukek
First Nation lands and waters
When: Friday, November 4, 2022 @ 3:00 pm
Where: New Core Science Facility, CSF1302
Blue Box Seminar
Geography Blue Box Seminar Presents
John Jamieson
Canada Research Chair in Marine Geology
When: October 28th, 3-4pm
Where: SN2025
Description: Deep-sea mining of hydrothermal vents: Who? Where? When? How? and Why?
Deep-sea mining of hydrothermal vents
Seafloor massive sulfide (SMS) deposits form at sites of “black smoker” hydrothermal vents on the seafloor. These deposits form in all ocean basins and are being targeted as potential sources for Cu, Zn, Pb, Au, and Ag. However, these deposits also host rare chemosynthetic-based ecosystems found nowhere else on Earth. In this talk, I will describe where these deposits form, how we find them, and the current state of the deep-sea mining industry. I will present the primary arguments in favor of and against the proposed exploitation of these deposits and offer some predictions for the future of this industry.
Per Course Instructor Winter 2023 Semester
MUN Geography Per Course Instructor Position Open
The Department of Geography invites applications from individuals interested in teaching the following undergraduate courses in the Winter 2023 semester (January 2023 - April 2023) for Geography 1050 (Geographies of Global Change), Geog 2195 (Intro to GISciences), and Geog 3260 (Intro to GISystems).
For ad, please click here PCI Winter 2023
Blue Box Seminar
Blue Box Seminar Presents
Lissandra Souto Cavalli
Postdoctoral Fellow, MUN
Ms. Cavalli will discuss occupational health and safety in aquaculture under Brazilian Perspective
and present some overview of risks and hazards, decent work, minorities and social organization of work, and some official and survey collected injury data.
When: Friday, October 21, 2022
Where: SN2025, 3 - 4 pm
September
Finding an elective has never been easier
The Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences (HSS) has hundreds of courses that have zero or one prerequisite. To make it easy for our students to find electives of interest, we have launched a searchable listing of electives that you can browse by semester and subject.
August
Fall Welcome Session for New Students
On Sept. 6, the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences is hosting a welcome event to help new students get started on the right track. At this interactive event, you'll hear from the Dean and Associate Dean of Curriculum and Programs, learn more about areas of study in HSS, and meet other HSS students! Register now: https://loom.ly/TTXWfYo
June
Per Course Instructor Fall 2022 Semester
The Department of Geography invites applications from individuals interested in teaching the following undergraduate courses in the Fall 2022 semester (Sept-Dec 2022) for Geography 1050 (Geographies of Global Change) and Geog 2195 (Intro to GIS).
For ad, please click here PCI fall 2022
HSS Commons Student Space Cozier Than Ever
When we think of university campuses, we picture lecture halls and labs. But what about a space for that time between classes? It is equally essential to have a comfortable space to study or kick back and relax between lectures. The newly refurbished Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences (HSS) Commons, in SN-1107, offers HSS students such a space. Check out this Gazette article on why interim Dean, Dr. Craig, wanted to rejuvenate this space for students.
May
Gradcolades 2022
In the last academic year, graduate students in the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences at Memorial University won more than 40 awards, 40 grants, and 140 fellowships & scholarships. Additionally, they produced more than 40 publications and creative endeavours. Watch the video celebration of all this success.
April
More Mindful Mining
Department Head of Geography, Arn Keeling, is on the organizing and scientific committees for this month's Mining the Connections conference in Quebec. He says "the main goal is to connect researchers, community members, stakeholders, industry actors and others around the social aspects of mineral development for mutual exchange and learning.” The conference is another example of his ongoing efforts to improve the legacy of mining. Read more in the Gazette.
March
Geography Blue Box Seminar presents Dr. Thomas Froelicher, Marine heatwaves and ocean biogeochemical extremes: Key processes, changes and impacts
When: April 1, 2022 3-4 pm
Where: online https://us06web.zoom.us/j/84804173562?pwd=WHFsNnpnZ0V5ai9QdzlPTERBQ1Rvdz09
Blue Box Seminar
Who: Sarah Martin (Political Science) and Charlie Mather (Geography)
When: March 25, 2022, 3:00 – 4:00 pm
Where: online https://us06web.zoom.us/j/84872527714?pwd=alNXeW93N3VkUmF0NDhIZ241ZERaZz09
Blue Box: PhD Exit Seminars – Friday, March 18, 2022
Candidate: Mairi Miller-Meehan, PhD Candidate, Geography Department
When: March 18, 2022, 3:00-3:30 pm
Where: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/83219713031?pwd=UG9UODJ1a0NYVkFVNGVYRWNKOXUzZz09
Who: Geography Blue Box Seminar presents Dr. John Robinson, University of Toronto When: March 17, 2022, 3-4 pm Where: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/8967298556
Description: Regenerative Sustainability
Abstract: Conventional approaches to sustainability focus mainly on the environmental dimensions and tend to adopt an approach oriented toward damage reduction and harm limitation. This presentation argues instead for thinking of sustainability as embracing both human and environmental wellbeing, and as aiming at outcomes that are net positive in both dimensions. Examples of such a regenerative sustainability approach will be given and some if its implications discussed.
About the author: John Robinson is a Professor at the Munk School of Global Affairs and Public Policy, and the School of the Environment, at the University of Toronto; an Honorary Professor with the Institute for Resources, Environment & Sustainability at The University of British Columbia; and an Adjunct Professor with the Copenhagen Business School.
At the University of Toronto, he is also Presidential Advisor on the Environment, Climate Change and Sustainability. Prof. Robinson’s research focuses on the intersection of climate change mitigation, adaptation and sustainability; the use of visualization, modelling, and citizen engagement to explore sustainable futures; sustainable buildings and urban design; the role of the university in contributing to sustainability; creating partnerships for sustainability with non-academic partners; and, generally, the intersection of sustainability, social and technological change, behaviour change, and community engagement processes.
Geography Blue Box Seminar presents Ken Paul, Maliseet First Nation at Tobique, New Brunswick, Canada (wolastoqew neqotkuk)
When: March 11, 2022 3-4 pm
Where: online https://us06web.zoom.us/j/82163409743?pwd=WE9XMmZyOE9OZHVVVWJUNXJTWmJIUT09
Description: Issues between Indigenous Knowledge Systems and Western Science Systems
Abstract: This talk will highlight some paradigms that have created the foundation of Indigenous Knowledge Systems and Western Science to highlight similarities, differences and efforts to pull both approaches together. There will also be an introduction of the 4-directions model for First Nations and explore concepts on why balance is essential in areas such as ocean and coastal management.
February
Geography Blue Box Seminar presents Dr. Roger Pielke Jr. Department of Environmental Sturdies – University of Colorado
When: March 4, 2022 3-4 pm
Where: online https://us06web.zoom.us/j/86588596629?pwd=VDhEVmlISXdKSmVISjRzUkZCME9aZz09
Blue Box Seminar: Towards a mechanistic science of global change: from cells to ecosystems and human well-being
Dr. Joey Bernhardt
NSERC Postdoctoral Fellow, Biodiversity Research Centre, UBC
3 - 4 pm | February18th 2022
Towards a mechanistic science of global change: from cells to ecosystems and human well-being
2021
November
Huge congrats to professor Trevor Bell (Geography) for winning the Martin Bergmann Medal for Excellence in Arctic Leadership!
The Department of Geography would like to send out a huge congratulations to Dr. Trevor Bell on his winning of the Martin Bergmann Medal for Excellence in Arctic Leadership from the Royal Canadian Geographical Society.
A link to the announcement can be found here.
June
Geography Department Publishes Research Report for 2020-21
The Geography department is pleased to announce the production of our fifth annual Research Report,, sharing the exciting research happening in the department with the wider university community and beyond!
Course offerings for Fall 2021
The course offerings for Fall 2021 have now been determined.Click here!
We are looking forward to welcoming all our majors and minors as well as all Geography course registrants “back to class” this fall. Below you will see our course offerings for the fall. As you will see, we have planned for a blend of remote offerings and in-person, on-campus courses. This both follows the university recommendations for large courses, but also aims to provide some choice for students as we all transition from fully remote delivery to more on-campus learning. There are remote and in-person courses available at every level (except first-year, which are required to be remote). A reminder that our second year core courses (with the exception of 2102) will all be offered again in Winter, so you can choose the semester you prefer to take them.
If you have questions about meeting your degree requirements and general registration issues, you can contact our undergraduate program co-ordinator, Norm Catto (ncatto@mun.ca) or email geog@mun.ca. If you have questions about specific courses, please contact the instructor listed. Have a great summer, and see you in the Fall!
For tentative Winter 2022 courses, click here.
2020
March
2019
November
HSS Researcher of the Month!
Dr. Yolande Pottie-Sherman is an assistant professor in geography at Memorial University of Newfoundland and co-lead of the Adaptive Cities & Engagement (ACE) Space, a research collective promoting social justice and inclusivity in small cities. She is an urban and political geographer who writes primarily about human migration.
October
Public Lecture
As Part of the George Story Distinguished Lecture Series
The Market for Human Rights: The Politics of Global Bottled Water Consumption within a Human Right to Water Framework
A Lecture by Dr. Raul Paheco-Vega
October 29 from 7-9pm
Bruneau Innovation Centre IIC 2001
September
Blue Box Seminar
This week's Bluebox will be by our very own Robert Deering presenting his PhD exit seminar so please come out to support him!
MUGS will be serving a new and improved selection of beverages after the talk.
September 30th 2019
3-4pm
SN-2025
July
In memoriam - Dr. Alan G. Macpherson
Memorial University’s flags will be displayed at half-mast on Tuesday, August 6, from 6 – 9 p.m. in remembrance of Dr. Alan G. Macpherson, professor emeritus, Department of Geography, who passed away on Oct. 26, 2018. A memorial reception to celebrate the life of Dr. Macpherson will take place in the atrium of the Bruneau Centre, St. John’s Campus, on Aug, 6. Details of the memorial, including RSVP information, can be found on the Google form: https://forms.gle/apnyWeybjavpSDV27. The online obituary can be found at: http://www.inmemoriam.ca/view-announcement-2358663-alan-macpherson.html.
New Horizons at L'Anse Aux Meadows
New archaeological information uncovered at L’Anse aux Meadows
Memorial University researchers have discovered a previously unknown archaeological layer at the L’Anse aux Meadows National Historical Site. While working about 30 metres from the 1,000-year-old Norse ruins at the very tip of Newfoundland's Great Northern Peninsula, Dr. Paul Ledger and his colleagues, including Dr. Veronique Forbes, encountered new evidence for human activity at the site. While the new location did not produce any culturally specific artifacts, archaeologists did discover charcoal and wood-working debris. Laboratory analyses also confirmed insect remains, including early records for beetle species assumed to be post-Columbian (1492) additions to the Canadian fauna. “We are still not sure what this new deposit is,” said Dr. Ledger, Department of Archaeology, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences. “Its general character and microscopic content resembles Norse deposits elsewhere in the North Atlantic, but carbon dating indicates it dates from the late 12th to mid-13th century, after the Norse settlement.” This would suggest the deposit contains material left by the region’s Indigenous Peoples. Their findings are published today in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. View the full article online.
June
CLEAR launches documentary: GUTS- Does Recycling Matter?
Check out our new documentary showcasing CLEAR's feminist, anti-colonial plastic pollution science! For link to the documentary, click here
April
Congrats to Jessica Hogan
Huge congratulations to former Master's student Jessica Hogan for being awarded Memorial's 2019 Rothermere Fellowship which will fund the full cost of her PhD studies at the University of St. Andrews in Scotland under the supervision of Dr. Charles Warren. http://bit.ly/2IUoskp
March
Fall 2019 course list
Geography course listing for the Fall 2019 semester: Undergraduate and Graduate
February
Blue Box Seminar
The next presentation in the Geography's Department Seminar Series will be a presentation by Quin Webber. He is a PhD student in the Cognitive and Behavioral Ecology (CABE) interdisciplinary program at MUN where he studies social behaviour and space use of caribou in Newfoundland. Prior to starting his PhD he completed his BSc and MSc at The University of Winnipeg where he studied bats.
Sn 2025
3-4pm
Feb 8, 2019
2018
October
Senior Research and Teaching Fellow in Resource Sustainability and Coastal Community Development
The Department of Geography at Memorial University invites applications for a Senior Research and Teaching Fellow in Resource sustainability and coastal community development (regular term position, 3 years, non-renewable, Assistant Professor rank), subject to budgetary approval. It is intended for senior post-doctoral candidates interested in developing a teaching portfolio and research experience on topics related to economic and resource geography, coastal and ocean sustainability, fisheries governance, and community development. The position will be based at the Department of Geography in St John’s. The appointment is for three years, non-renewable, beginning on July 1, 2019 and will involve both teaching (limited load) and research.
September
What's SUP, anyway? Here's what you need to know about single-use plastics
Dr. Max Liboiron, a geographer at Memorial University in St. John's, studies the effect of plastics on the ocean and marine wildlife.
Of all the plastic the world throws away, half of it is just packaging. About 150 million tonnes of bottles, bags, cigarette butts, coffee lids, straws, Styrofoam containers and more all wind up being thrown out. Tonnes of that petroleum-based waste makes its way into the ocean, putting the marine environment and species at risk. Designed to be discarded in moments, single-use plastics have an afterlife that can last for centuries.
Single-use plastics — collectively known by the acronym "SUP" — are also called disposable plastics, because they're manufactured to be used just once. The most common types are plastic straws, grocery bags and water bottles, but they also include a lot of the materials you buy every day, and may not have noticed.
Blue Box Seminar
Lynda Collins, Professor with the Centre for Environmental Law & Global Sustainability at the University of Ottawa Faculty of Law, will be giving a presentation called Strange bedfellows? The uncomfortable marriage between science and law in environmental decision-making. The seminar will be held from 12:00 - 1:00 pm in SN 2025.
Student Success: Emilie Novaczek
Emilie Novaczek came to Memorial for a master of science but was inspired to pursue a PhD in geography instead. Her experience with Dr. Devillers’ Marine Geomatics Research Lab introduced her to a research topic she could be passionate about and gave her an ideal learning environment in which she could thrive. She credits the strong relationships she built with her supervisors as the secret to her successful graduate student experience. Ms. Novaczek now studies seafloor mapping and marine biogeography, particularly how marine habitats change over time, and hopes her research will aid conservation planning.
July
Postdoctoral study opportunity
Applications are invited for a postdoctoral fellowship in marine forcast production, communication and implementation, funded through the Ocean Frontier Institute and based at Memorial University in St. John's, Newfoundland. Learn more about this opportunity here.
May
Blue Box Seminar
We have a special lunchtime Blue Box lecture next Wednesday (May 30th).
Marilyn and Olivia will be presenting their masters exit seminar: "There's no rhyme or reason to it!": Exploring Climate Variability Perceptions in NL Should be an interesting one! Hope to see you all there.
March
Congrats to Faith Ford
Congrats to Faith Ford on being this years recipient of the James Cook scholarship!
Blue Box
Friday, March 23, 2018
3-4pm Sn 2025
Hillary Bradshaw from MUN Environmental Science: Low Marine Plastic Pollution in Iqaluit, Nunavut.
and
Anna Crofts: The Case of the Missing Seed: biotic filtering of alpine treeline advance.
Blue Box
This week David Mercer from the MUN Map Library will be in to give his talk, Mapping the Royal Newfoundland Regiment at Gallipoli.
Sn 2025
3-4pm
Congratulations to Jenelle Pardy
Congratulations to Jenelle Pardy, winner for the 2018 Stuart Semple Scholarship. The Stuart Semple Scholarship is presented annually by Canadian Geographic Education, Royal Canadian Geographic Society, to a graduating student in Geography who will be pursuing an Education degree. Jenelle will graduate with a B.Sc. in Geography this spring, and will be pursuing a Bachelor of Education degree in the fall, as she works toward certification as an Intermediate/Secondary teacher of Geography. All of us congratulate Jenelle, and appreciate her commitment to Geographical Education!
February
Spring 2018 courses: Undergraduate and Graduate
Geography course listing for the Spring 2018 semester: Undergraduate and Graduate
January
Travel and Wine: South Africa
Join Charlie Mather and Cecile Badenhorst on a virtual tour of South Africa while sampling the region’s wines. What more could you ask for on a winter evening? This is a not-to-be-missed event, and tickets will go quickly. Pre-registration info is on the poster.
2017
December
Bethany Downer, a recent Geography graduate, hopes to be Newfoundland and Labrador's first astronaut.
Newfoundland and Labrador’s Bethany Downer hopes to someday touch the stars she has studied!
November
World Fisheries Day Celebration
World Fisheries Day Celebration Tuesday, Nov. 21, 5-9 p.m. Bruneau Centre, Memorial University Join Too Big To Ignore – Global Partnership for Small-Scale Fisheries Research in celebrating World Fisheries Day 2017!
October
Perfect fit Newly minted master of arts graduate signs up for PhD
Originally from Regina, Sask., Caitlynn Beckett thought attending graduate school in St. John’s, N.L., would be a “fantastic adventure.”
Now about to graduate from Memorial with a master of arts degree in geography on Oct. 19, she is already enrolled in a PhD program in the same department. As an added bonus, she recently received an F.A. Aldrich Graduate Award.
SmartICE a recipient of the UN Momentum for Change Climate Solutions Award
Memorial University’s SmartICE project, headed by Dr. Trevor Bell, Department of Geography, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, has been named one of 19 recipients of the United Nations (UN) Momentum for Change Climate Solutions Award.
E-waste recycling in Palestine
July
Conference: "Adapting Heritage: Engage, Innovate, Rejuvenate!"
"Adapting Heritage... Engage, Innovate, Rejuvenate!" St. John's, October 25-28, 2017
May
Small and Adaptive Cities 2017
This fall Memorial University will host the first-of-its-kind conference in Canada focused exclusively on small and medium-sized cities (SMCs) around the world. Urban scholars and professionals are invited to come together to St. John's, the capital of Newfoundland and Labrador, to present, learn, and discuss the opportunities and challenges facing the contemporary small city. We welcome research and projects on SMCs across four themes: equity and inclusiveness, sustainability and adaptability, policy and governance, and demography and immigration. To learn more and to register, visit www.munacespace.com/conference.
Ready and able: Temporary foreign workers can help solve labour gap in N.L.
Honourary Research Professor, Dr. Keith Storey, director of the Population Project, notes that demographic changes in the province will present some significant policy challenges in the coming years.
March
Blue Box Seminar
Caitlynn Beckett, MA Candidate
"Mine Closure and Community Engagement, A Case Study of Giant Mine, NWT”
and
Dr. John Sandlos, Department of History
"Warning Signs: Communicating with the Future at a Contaminated Northern Mine”
Friday, March 10
3-4pm
SN-2025
February
Andrew Arreak Is Helping Inuit and Arctic Researchers Work Together - Motherboard
A community-led project called Ikaarvik prioritizes traditional Inuit knowledge.
Blue Box Seminar
Blue Box Seminar Series Presents:
Public Dialogue on Social Licence to Operate
Dr. Arn Keeling (presenting) and Dr. Trevor Bell
AND
Ends of Repair
Dr. Josh Lepawsky and Dr. Charles Mather
Friday Feb 10, 3-4pm, Sn 2025
2016
December
SmartICE awarded prestigious Arctic Inspiration Prize!
SmartICE, led by Dr. Trevor Bell of MUN Geography, is one of three projects awarded the Arctic Inspiration Prize at the ArcticNET meeting in Winnipeg.
Nature article featuring PhD student John-Michael Davis
Geography's PhD student John-Michael Davis' has his work highlighted in "Nature." The article focuses on e-waste flows between Israel and the West Bank.
November
New graduate study opportunities
Several geography faculty have announced fully funded studentships MA, MSc., and PhD programs, starting in Spring or Fall 2017. These opportunities include positions studying local immigration practices, place-based knowledge, community participation in mine remediation in Northern Canada, anthropocene and decarbonization and social licence and community planning in Newfoundland's aquaculture sector. Each of these positions comes with an attractive student stipend and exciting research opportunities. Learn more about these opportunities here.
Blue Box Seminar Series presents "Hanging on the Edge of Extincition?"
Hanging on the Edge of Extinction? Managing the future of Limestone Barrens endemic plants to decrease the probably of extinction.
Presentation by Dr. Luise Hermanutz, Dept. of Biology, Nov. 18, 3-4 pm, Sn-2025
Recent MUN Geography PhD, Michelle Porter has been long listed for the National CBC Poetry Prize!
Michelle's poem explores the topic of home and was composed during her dissertation research and writing on decolonizing notions of place and home in Canada.
Please join us in congratulating Michelle for this achievement and for bringing a spotlight on MUN Geo-Humanities research and writing.
October
Congrats to Prof Emeritus Ches Sanger!
Congratulations to Department of Geography, Memorial University's Prof Emeritus Ches Sanger on his nomination for a Saltire Award for his book Scottish Arctic Whaling.
Finding Food Workshop
You are invited to participate in a panel and workshop on local food policy taking place on Thursday, October 20 from 6:30 to 8:30pm in the Foran Room at St. John’s City Hall.
What matters to People
Protecting marine life, promoting sustainable resource development and addressing issues around climate change aren’t the only things that add up to safe and sustainable ocean development.
Congrats to the Dean's List recipients!
“Congratulations to Natalya Dawe, Stephanie Wright, and Christopher Dabon for their academic success in being named to the Dean’s List for Humanities and Social Sciences!”
September
Blue Box Seminar Series Presents "Revitalization and capitalization of heritage landscapes"
Presentation by John Norman from Bonavista Living & Bonavista Creative. Friday, Sept 30th, 3-4pm, Sn-2025.
Advancing Ocean Exploration and Discovery
Memorial is celebrating a milestone that will see researchers and graduate students from multiple disciplines undertake some of the world’s most ambitious research aimed at unlocking the secrets of the North Atlantic.
August
Refugees, Migration, & Arrival by Water: A Public Symposium marking the 30th anniversary of the rescue of Tamil refugees
On August 13th, 2016, from 10:00am to 12:00pm, the Canadian Tamil Congress and the Geography Department at Memorial University invite you to attend a ‘Refugees, Migration, and Arrival by Water’ Symposium at the Sheraton Hotel Newfoundland.
January
Congratulations to Steve Bonnell
Former MUN Geography Grenfell undergraduate and St. John's graduate student, Steve Bonnell, recently successfully defended his PhD dissertation in geography at the University of Dundee, the topic of which was "Strategic Environmental Assessment: Its Potential Adoption and Use in Corporate Strategic Planning and Decision Making."
Steve Bonnell is currently Environmental Assessment Practice Leader at Amec Foster Wheeler in St. John's.
2015
December
SmartICE project takes on climate change
Trevor Bell, geography professor, is the lead investigator of the SmartICE project in the Inuit-controlled region of Nunatsiavut in the north of Labrador, which will see a new system combining traditional ice knowledge with the latest technology in satellite tracking and ice sensing equipment.
November
Launching "Guardians of Eternity"
You are invited to join Arn Keeling and John Sandlos for the St. John’s launch of “Guardians of Eternity,” the collaboratively produced documentary film by France Benoit about the toxic legacies of Yellowknife’s Giant Mine. This free screening is scheduled for Thursday, Nov. 26, 7 p.m., SN 2109. Parking for this event is available in Lot 15B.
October
Dr. Bruce Braun: Geography's Visiting Researcher
Dr. Bruce Braun, Professor at University of Minnesota, will be visiting the department this week as part of our Scholarship for the Arts Speaker Series.
Dr. Stuart Kirsch: Geography's visiting speaker
Dr. Kirsch will speak about the intersections of scholarship and activism this week as he visits Memorial as part of the Scholarship in the Arts speakers series.
July
Canadian Northern Studies Trust Scholarship winners
Geography’s Jeanette Carney and Merran Smith each recently were awarded a Canadian Northern Studies Trust Scholarship. The awards, sponsored by the Association of Canadian Universities for Northern Studies, encourage research and provide experience for graduate students in Canada’s North.
New Opportunities for Graduate Study
We are pleased to announce three new fully funded graduate study opportunities for an interdisciplinary, STS-driven project on Action-Research Methods for the Anthropocene.
June
Geography Department Faculty and Staff Members Celebrate 100 Years Combined Service in 2015
Four faculty and staff in the Geography department recently reached landmarks in years of service at MUN. Charlie Conway (pictured) has worked with the Geography Department for 35 years.
May
Geography’s Trevor Bell featured in cover story of latest issue of Luminus
Trevor Bell is featured in the cover story (and wrote the last word) in the Winter 2015 edition of Luminus, Memorial's alumni magazine.
April
Our Recent Award Winners
MUN Geography is pleased to recognize our most recent graduate award winners!
March
Dr. Lance Morgan, President of the Marine Conservation Institute, to Visit the Geography Department Next Week
Dr. Morgan will participate in a number of activities within the department, the faculty-wide Arts on Oceans program, and a workshop organized by the Marine Institute. His Arts on Oceans talk, “Quest for healthy seas: a lasting future for people and marine life” is part of the Scholarship for the Arts Speaker Series. Dr. Morgan will also speak in the Geography Department’s Blue Box Seminar Series; both events are free and open to the public.
January
Geography's John-Michael Davis awarded SSHRC PhD Fellowship
John-Michael Davis, currently doing his PhD under the supervision of Drs. Yaakov Garb and Josh Lepawsky, has been awarded a PhD Fellowship through the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada.
2014
November
Dr. Donald Forbes Talks about the Martin Bergmann Medal
Dr. Donald Forbes, 2014 recipient of the Martin Bermann Medal, visited the Geography Department within days of the receiving this recognition of "excellence in Arctic leadership and science."
Dr. Keith Storey's Research on Fly-in/Fly-out Jobs Covered by CBC
Dr. Keith Storey, an Honorary Research Professor with the Department of Geography, recently shared a paper at the 4th Newfoundland and Labrador and Quebec Mining Forum; his research was covered in a CBC article on the future of fly-in/fly-out (FIFO) work arrangements.
Dr. Keith Storey's Research on Fly-in/Fly-out Jobs Covered by CBC
Dr. Keith Storey, an Honorary Research Professor with the Department of Geography, recently shared a paper at the 4th Newfoundland and Labrador and Quebec Mining Forum; his research was covered in a CBC article on the future of fly-in/fly-out (FIFO) work arrangements.
October
The 2WSFC was a Resounding Success
We are happy to report on the success of The Second World Small-scale Fisheries Congress (2WSFC) and to acknowledge the major role that Memorial University, and in particular the Geography Department, contributed to the event's realization.
Award winners at the Atlantic Division of the Canadian Association of Geographers
Memorial University's Geography Department hosted a joint meeting of the Atlantic Canadian Association of Geographers and the Canadian Remote Sensing Society (Atlantic Region). Congratulations to our award winners!
September
Geography students shine at Science Faculty Prize Giving
Robert Deering and Piers Evans were recognised for their excellent work at last week's Science Faculty Prize Giving
MUN Geography represented at Arctic-FROST meeting in Alaska
Geography PhD candidate Rudy Riedlsperger presented at the annual meeting of Arctic-FROST at the University of Alaska Anchorage.
MUN Geography represented at Arctic-FROST meeting in Alaska
Geography PhD candidate Rudy Riedlsperger presented at the annual meeting of Arctic-FROST at the University of Alaska Anchorage.
Information Session for Spring Harlow Programme
There will be an information session for everyone interested in finding out more about “Consuming Cultures: From Field to Plate,” a new food studies program to be taught in Harlow during Intersession 2015.
July
Visualizing Transboundary Shipments of E-waste
How are the international trade and traffic of electronic waste organized? New interactive maps available from the Reassembling Rubbish project help answer that question. The maps allow users to click on a country and find out which other countries report importing e-waste from it.
June
Canadian Astronaut Jeremy Hansen visits Memorial University Geography Department
Major Jeremy Hansen, an astronaut with the Canadian Space Agency, was a guest speaker at the Department of Geography.
March
Study finds marine-protected areas tend to be leftovers from extractive uses
A paper co-authored by Memorial University’s Dr. Rodolphe Devillers and an international group of researchers argues that established global marine protected areas (MPAs) are too often a case of all show with no substance and do not adequately protect the most vulnerable areas of the world’s oceans.
Study finds marine-protected areas tend to be leftovers from extractive uses
A paper co-authored by Memorial University’s Dr. Rodolphe Devillers and an international group of researchers argues that established global marine protected areas (MPAs) are too often a case of all show with no substance and do not adequately protect the most vulnerable areas of the world’s oceans.
February
Vincent Lecours recipient of the 2014 ESRI Canada GIS Scholarship Award
Vincent Lecours, graduate student in the Geography department, has been awarded one of the ESRI Canada GIS Scholarship Awards.
January
MUN Geography Major Studies in Antarctica Over Christmas Holidays
Third year Geography student Caitlyn Baikie spent her Christmas holidays in Antarctica studying the impacts and management of tourism in the region.
MUN Geography Major Studies in Antarctica Over Christmas Holidays
Third year Geography student Caitlyn Baikie spent her Christmas holidays in Antarctica studying the impacts and management of tourism in the region.
Carissa Brown to address Women in Science and Engineering
Carissa Brown is the featured presenter at next week's Women in Science and Engineering Newfoundland and Labrador (WISE-NL)-Statoil Speaker Series.
Blue Box Seminar Series: Evan Edinger
This week's Blue Box presentation is by Dr. Evan Edinger (MUN Geography and Biology).
2013
December
Memorial graduate research featured on Nunavut Government website
Memorial geography master’s program graduate Tara Cater’s research on mining and development is having an immediate impact on communities and decision-makers in Nunavut.
November
Fly-in/Fly-out: Community tensions and planning approaches in Canada and Australia
Fly-in/Fly-out is now common practice among resource sector workers. However, transient workers may be a cost to host communities through their use of infrastructure and services and contribute little to community development. Addressing these problems is the focus of this research.
Climate Change and Energy in Atlantic Canada with David Suzuki
The Department of Geography, along with the Newfoundland & Labrador Environmental Network (NLEN), is pleased to announce an evening with David Suzuki on November 23rd. The event will close our annual Geography Awareness Week activities, and will include a screening of a documentary on climate change in Atlantic Canada followed by a panel discussion with local climate experts. All proceeds from the event will be donated to the NLEN.
Congratulations to Geography scholarship recipients
Congratulations to the Geography undergraduate students who are receiving scholarships for the 2013-14 school year.
Climate Change and Energy in Atlantic Canada with David Suzuki
The Department of Geography, along with the Newfoundland & Labrador Environmental Network (NLEN), is pleased to announce an evening with David Suzuki on November 23rd. The event will close our annual Geography Awareness Week activities, and will include a screening of a documentary on climate change in Atlantic Canada followed by a panel discussion with local climate experts. All proceeds from the event will be donated to the NLEN.
Congratulations to Geography scholarship recipients
Congratulations to the Geography undergraduate students who are receiving scholarships for the 2013-14 school year.
Three of our own participate in the Harris Centre Coast of Bays Regional Workshop
On October 22, two Geography graduate students, Chris Baird and Sharmane Allen, and post-doctoral fellow Easkey Britton travelled to the south coast of the Newfoundland to participate in the Harris Centre’s Coast of Bays Regional Workshop.
October
Geography graduate student Beth Cowan recognized for excellence
Over the past couple of months Beth Cowan (BSc Dalhousie, 2012), a second-year MSc student in Geography at Memorial University, has been earning awards for her hard work and creativity.
Geography graduate student Beth Cowan recognized for excellence
Over the past couple of months Beth Cowan (BSc Dalhousie, 2012), a second-year MSc student in Geography at Memorial University, has been earning awards for her hard work and creativity.
Kyle White, Honours Geography Student awarded Economic Development Legacy Award
Kyle White is this year’s recipient of the Economic Developers Association of Canada Student Legacy Scholarship for outstanding contributions to Economic Development in Newfoundland and Labrador.
September
Blue Box Seminar Series: Ryan Gibson
The first talk in our Blue Box Seminar Series will be given by Ryan Gibson, a PhD candidate in the department.
Kristen Lowitt successfully defends her PhD thesis
Kristen Lowitt, a student in the Interdisciplinary Programme at Memorial University, successfully defended her PhD thesis on Friday the 13th of September. Kristen was co-supervised by Barbara Neis (Sociology) and Charles Mather (Geography) and her thesis examined the intersections of community food security and fisheries restructuring in the Bonne Bay region on Newfoundland’s west coast.
August
Geography Department releases research report for 2012-13
The Geography Department's first research report was released last week. The report covers the period 2012-13 and was produced as part of the Provost's Scholarship in the Arts programme.
Long-range climate projections to assist climate adaptation in the province
The Province of Newfoundland & Labrador has released a summary of climate projections for the province, prepared by the Department of Geography’s Dr. Joel Finnis.
Long-range climate projections to assist climate adaptation in the province
The Province of Newfoundland & Labrador has released a summary of climate projections for the province, prepared by the Department of Geography’s Dr. Joel Finnis.
May
Geography Speaker Series: Hugues Lantuit
The final speaker in the Geography Speaker Series is Dr. Hugues Lantuit (Alfred Wegener Institute for Polar and Marine Research & University of Potsdam). He will be speaking about "Arctic coasts in a changing climate" on Friday, May 24 at 3:00 p.m. in SN 2025. The abstract can be found at the end of this post.
Geography Grads shine at the annual Aldrich Interdisciplinary Conference held in St John’s
Several geography graduate students presented papers at the annual Aldrich Interdisciplinary Conference held in St John’s in April this year, and two were award winners!
April
Geog 3907 celebrates end of semester with a potluck
Students in Geography 3907: Globalizing Food Systems finished the semester with a class potluck featuring foods from near and far. From toutons and molasses to guacamole, the students each contributed a dish to share.
Geography Speaker Series: Michael Woods
Dr. Michael Woods, Professor of Human Geography and Director of the Institute of Geography and Earth Sciences at the University of Aberystwyth, joins us this week for the final presentation in the Geography Speaker Series this semester. He will be discussing "Grounding Global Challenges and the Relational Politics of the Rural" on Friday, April 5 at 3:00 p.m. in SN 2025.
March
In memoriam: Dr. William F. Summers
Dr Bill Summers, the first Head of Geography, passed away yesterday at the Veteran’s Memorial Caribou Pavilion in St. John’s. He is survived by his many children, grandchildren, and great grandchild.
MPs visit St. John's campus to discuss marine biodiversity
NDP MPs Ryan Cleary and Jack Harris came to Memorial last month to meet with researchers involved with the Canadian Healthy Oceans Network.
Blue Box Seminar Series: Rachel Hirsch
This week's Blue Box Seminar will be presented by Dr. Rachel Hirsch, a postdoctoral fellow at the Labrador Institute. She will be discussing "Building connections for community resiliency: Working together to implement and evaluate a youth-hunter mentoring program in Nain, Nunatsiavut" on Friday, March 8 at 3 p.m. in SN 2025.
Ratana Chuenpagdee provides keynote speech at Gulf and Caribbean Fisheries Institute meeting
Dr. Ratana Chuenpagdee was a keynote speaker at the most recent annual meeting of the Gulf and Caribbean Fisheries Institute (GCFI), an organization that promotes information exchange on marine resources use and management through the organization of an annual meeting devoted to technical presentations and workshops on issues relevant to marine resources in the Gulf and Caribbean region.
February
Economic Geography position
The Department of Geography is currently seeking applications for a tenure-track position in Economic Geography. The deadline for application is March 29, 2013.
Geography Speaker Series: Lawrence Hamilton
Dr. Lawrence Hamilton (University of New Hampshire) is joining us this week as part of the Geography Seminar Series. He will be discussing "Integration of Social and Natural-Science Data" on Friday, March 1 at 3:00 p.m. in SN 2025. Click on the "read more" button to see his abstract.
Geographers get engaged
Drs. Trevor Bell and Kelly Vodden will be participating in Engage Memorial, a week of events launching Memorial's new Public Engagement Framework, February 12th - 15th, 2013. They will be giving workshops on Wednesday, February 13, as part of Lessons from the Field, a day-long series of workshops focussed on practices of public engagement.
Geographers get engaged
Drs. Trevor Bell and Kelly Vodden will be participating in Engage Memorial, a week of events launching Memorial's new Public Engagement Framework, February 12th - 15th, 2013. They will be giving workshops on Wednesday, February 13, as part of Lessons from the Field, a day-long series of workshops focussed on practices of public engagement.Geography Speaker Series: Danika van Proosdij
The Geography Speaker Series continues on Friday with a presentation by Dr. Danika van Proosdij, Associate Professor in the Department of Geography at St. Mary's University. She will be discussing "Vulnerability of dykelands in the Bay of Fundy to climate change" on Friday, February 8 at 3:00 p.m. in SN 2025.
January
Carly Sponarski to present at the Geological Survey Winter Seminar Series
Geography PhD student Carly Sponarski will help kick off the Geological Survey Winter Seminar Series on Thursday, January 31. She will be presenting a paper co-authored with Drs. Alistair Bath (MUN; Geography) and Jerry Vaske (Colorado State University) entitled "Using Potential Conflict Index to understand attitudes towards wildlife: A case study using human-coyote interactions". The talk will be held in the basement cafeteria of the Natural Resources Building, starting at 3:00 p.m.
Geography Speaker Series: Heather Castleden
The Geography Speaker Series resumes with a talk by Dr. Heather Castleden (Dalhousie University) on Friday, February 1 at 3:00 p.m. in SN 2025. She will be discussing "Relationships Before Research: Friendship, Partnership, and Being Researched – Are Any/All Possible in Community-Based Participatory Research?"Congratulations to Alistair Bath
Dr. Alistair Bath has been nominated three times in his career for the prestigious President's Distinguished Teaching Award by his undergraduate students and this year he was successful.Blue Box Seminar Series: Joel Heath
Joel Heath (University of British Columbia) is the first Blue Box seminar speaker this semester. He will be discussing "Dynamics of winter sea ice and ecology in Hudson Bay: impacts of hydroelectric developments" on Tuesday, January 15 at 1:00 p.m. in SN 2025.
Upcoming meeting of the NL section of the Geological Association of Canada
The annual Spring Technical Meeting of the Newfoundland and Labrador Section of the Geological Association of Canada will be meeting at the Johnson GEO Centre next month.
Upcoming meeting of the NL section of the Geological Association of Canada
The annual Spring Technical Meeting of the Newfoundland and Labrador Section of the Geological Association of Canada will be meeting at the Johnson GEO Centre next month.2012
November
Geography Speaker Series: Sharron A. FitzGerald
Dr. Sharron A. FitzGerald from Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München joins us this week as part of the Geography Speaker Series. She will be discussing "Securitisation through vulnerability: Human trafficking, sexuality and extraterritoriality’" on Friday, November 30 at 3:00 p.m. in SN-2025.
Geography Speaker Series: Sharron A. FitzGerald
Dr. Sharron A. FitzGerald from Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München joins us this week as part of the Geography Speaker Series. She will be discussing "Securitisation through vulnerability: Human trafficking, sexuality and extraterritoriality’" on Friday, November 30 at 3:00 p.m. in SN-2025.Geography lecturer elected CRRF President
Ryan Gibson, lecturer in the department, was elected President of the Canadian Rural Revitalization Foundation in Olds, Alberta.
Charting the Canadian North: Seabed mapping along the coast of Baffin Island, NU
Geography Master’s student Beth Cowan began her fieldwork last month along the eastern coast of Baffin Island, NU aboard research vessel, MV Nuliajuk. The fieldwork involved seabed mapping within coastal fjords and inlets, in search of submerged postglacial sea-level indicators.Grabbing ‘Green’: Questioning the Green Economy
Students and faculty are encouraged to submit abstracts to Grabbing ‘Green’: Questioning the Green Economy, a conference that will be held at the University of Toronto May 17-19, 2013. The deadline for abstract submission has been extended to Wednesday, November 21.October
Memorial Geography well represented at Atlantic Conference
Memorial students were among the record-high 114 participants at the Annual Meeting of the Atlantic Division of the Canadian Association of Geographers. With topics ranging from cultural and physical geography, presentations were a learning experience for both audience and presenters.
Steve Sutton presents on marine protected areas in Australia
Steve Sutton from the School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, at James Cook University in Australia is presenting a seminar this Friday on marine protected areas and the response of commercial and recreational fishers in Australia’s Great Barrier Reef Marine Park.
An ill wind good news for Memorial geographers
While the debris from Leslie remains piled in parks and yards in through St. John's, Dr. Trevor Bell and Maggie Danek of the Department of Geography have used tree falls to further lead research. Follow the link for more.
An ill wind good news for Memorial geographers
While the debris from Leslie remains piled in parks and yards in through St. John's, Dr. Trevor Bell and Maggie Danek of the Department of Geography have used tree falls to further lead research. Follow the link for more.September
TA Position Available
The Department of Geography is seeking a teaching assistant (TA) for the Fall's GEOG 2102 (Physical Geography) session. Click on the title for more information.June
Job Opportunities, Fall 2012
The department is currently seeking instructors for two courses in the Fall semester: GEOG 2915 (Intro to GIS), and GEOG 2425 (Natural Resources).May
Geography Student's Climate Adaptation Research Highlighted
Geography M.A. student Rudy Riedlsperger's research on climate adaptation efforts in Labrador was recently presented at the International Polar Year Conference in Montreal.April
Beatrice Frank successfully defends her PhD dissertation >
On March 22, 2012, one of our geography PhD students, Beatrice Frank, supervised by Dr. Alistair Bath, successfully defended her PhD dissertation: The conflict-coexistence continuum: a human dimension case study on wild boar management in Italy.March
Residential soil analysis in St. John’s reveals elevated levels for 10 metals
Geography-led research team explores soil geochemical hazards of residential St. John'sA collaborative approach to food security in Labrador
A piece in the latest MUN Gazette highlights Dr. Rachel Hirch's research on Labrador food security. Dr. Hirsch is a postdoctoral researcher with the Geography Department, working through the Labrador Institude.
February
Avalon Field School: Meeting March 6th
Dr. Norm Catto will be leading a one week field school this August. This is an excellent opportunity to explore the Avalon Peninsula, while gaining experience with field research methods. An info meeting will take place Tuesday, March 6 at noon (SN2000). Visit the News page for more information.
Avalon Field School: Meeting March 6th
Dr. Norm Catto will be leading a one week field school this August. This is an excellent opportunity to explore the Avalon Peninsula, while gaining experience with field research methods. An info meeting will take place Tuesday, March 6 at noon (SN2000). Visit the News page for more information.In memoriam: Dr. Joyce C. Macpherson
The Department of Geography is remembering former colleague and Professor Emerita Dr. Joyce C. Macpherson. Dr. Macpherson studied physical geography at the University of London (BSc 1950, MSc 1956) and McGill University (PhD 1966) and was an active member of MUN Geography from 1966-1994. She made major contributions to knowledge of the postglacial climate and vegetation of Newfoundland and was named a Fellow of the Royal Canadian Geographical Society.
As the obituary below notes, Dr. Macpherson was a leading palynologist and contributed important work to the study of the changing Newfoundland climate. Along with her husband and colleague, the cultural geographer Alan G. Macpherson, she established an annual graduate research award in the department to support student research and conference travel.