The beginning of November found UCSB Geography students and faculty gearing up for Geography Awareness Week. Launched in 1987 by the National Geographic Society, Geography Awareness Week occurs each year in the third week of November to promote geographic literacy. This year’s theme for the week was “Freshwater.” As in years past, the Department offered two events: presentations by students and faculty to local school groups, and a campus-wide geocaching competition.
The Department sent out nine graduate students and two professors into local K-12 schools, giving a total of 15 presentations. The presentations reached an estimated 500 students. Topics included water in California, geography Down Under, redistricting and political geography, the geography of freshwater, new dimensions in landscape mapping, and Canadian geography.
“Teaching to such a young audience was definitely a challenge, and I think I ended up learning as much from them as they did from me. I would highly recommend that all Geography grad students try it at least once during their time here,” said presenter Grant McKenzie. Presenter Marta Jankowska summarized her experience by saying: “I had a lot of fun giving presentations and hearing from the kids!”
Back on campus, rainy weather didn’t stop two teams of UCSB students from competing in the geocaching competition on Friday, November 19. The intrepid participants represented seven diverse undergraduate majors ranging from Biology to Religious Studies. Armed with a GPS receiver and set of clues, the teams raced all over campus to complete the scavenger hunt in the shortest time possible. Less than two minutes separated the teams’ sprinting finishes, and everyone left with prizes.
The above was contributed by Heather Berry, Kitty Currier, and the rest of the Grad Student Outreach Committee. Background info on Geography Awareness Week is from MyWonderfulWorld.org.
