It’s Geography Awareness Week, so let me present the current faculty teaching in the Geography department at Gustavus. Below I give a brief description of our research specialties–a sampling of the types of questions that interest geographers.
Prof. Anna Versluis is interested in land use and land cover change over time and space: How and why do humans change local land uses like deforestation or agriculture, and with what consequences for natural and social systems? She currently teaches courses on earth system science and nature-society interactions.
- Prof. Ruth Baker studies snow: What are the historical patterns of snowfall in the Upper Midwest? How is climate change impacting extreme weather events? She is currently teaching a course on weather and climate.
Prof. Lencho Bati is interested in processes of globalization, sustainability, and conflict resolution, especially those involving Africa and the Middle East. He currently is teaching courses on Sub-Saharan Africa and world regional geography.
Prof. Bob Douglas is interested in the cultural and historical geography of places: How are patterns of new immigrants to Minnesota similar to older waves of migration to the area? His study of Southern Minnesota waterfalls can be purchased in the BookMark. Bob currently is teaching courses on the American South and world regional geography.
Prof. Thomas Sigler is interested in global cities: How do changes in urban areas reflect broader processes of globalization? He currently teaches courses on urban analysis, human geography, and GIS.