“Looking back on The Geography of Surfing, I see one of the most rewarding experiences in my academic career. From Professor Sweeney I learned that there is a science behind waves that cannot be learned in the water, but rather in the library. As promised, in ten weeks I became a smarter surfer. I learned how to use available information to predict when a swell will hit, and where it will hit the hardest. With this information I have adjusted my priorities, never skipping class for a sub-par surf session.” That’s the conclusion that Communications major Vanessa Hill reached about Professor Stuart Sweeney’s Geography 20 honors class on The Geography of Surfing which she had taken two years earlier; and her article ended up being a feature titled “Academics Who Surf” in BlueEdge, “the Central Coast’s ocean adventure magazine” (May 2007, Vol. 4, no. 5, p. 28).
Stuart’s course covers “social and physical science concepts manifested in the sport of surfing. Topics include wave generation and forecasting, economics of the surf industry, spatial search, strategic behavior under crowding, territorialism, and the generation / diffusion of regional surf cultures.” The honors course includes “field study methods from physical, human, and regional geography applied to surfing. Physical methods focus on coastal engineering: hydrographic surveys, wave measurement, etc. Human methods include spatial population distribution, attitude surveys, etc. Project or term paper, and presentation required.”
As Vanessa points out in her article, “the class, which was started by Professor Stuart Sweeney in the Spring of 2004, is the first of its kind in the world. When asked how he came up with the idea, Sweeney recalls, ‘The Geography department was looking for something that would attract undergraduate students to the major. I knew from experience that people learn best when they can relate Geographic concepts to something they know and love. I sketched my original idea out on a napkin.’ While the Geography department was stoked on his idea, Sweeney admits that he was only ‘mildly enthusiastic’ about the class, knowing that the next year would bring a lot of work. Without a text book to depend on Sweeney would have to sift through extensive literature on surfing, choosing only what would satisfy the goals of his Geography class. As a human geographer, he would also have to look to colleagues for advice on how to approach the physics of waves and the geography of the ocean. From the start, Sweeney’s idea presented a very distinct challenge.” Stuart not only met the challenge, but, in the process, he created one of the most popular undergraduate courses on campus!
Stuart’s research interests include urban and regional modeling and planning, human migration, local economic development/policy, and spatial point process models of economic activity. And, yes, he’s also a surfer. To quote Vanessa, “When inquiring about office hours, I was told that I could make an appointment at any time, but that on Friday mornings Sweeney prefers to be out surfing. As the quarter goes on, students begin to recognize Professor Sweeney out in the water. He is a great surfer with a classic style.” He’s also a great geographer who has created a classic class. For a complete pdf version of Vanessa’s article in BlueEdge, click here; for an on line version of Stuart’s Winter 2007 class, check out.
