Although the economy remains troubled and UC budgets do not look likely to improve in the near term, good news continues to echo down the halls of UCSB Geography. A number of faculty won prestigious awards, including Oliver Chadwick who was elected as Fellow of the American Geophysical Union, Mike Goodchild who was named a Fellow of the University Consortium of Geographical Information Science, and Catherine Gautier who was elected a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. Geography excellence continues to be recognized across the University, with Rick Church accepting an appointment as Associate Dean for the Division of Mathematical, Life and Physical Sciences. Several research projects gained national recognition, including the NSF sponsored Twin Cities Household Ecosystem Project, a project led by Joe McFadden and Jennifer King that was only one of four NSF awards selected as a finalist for a 2010 White House report on high-impact research funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. The Department also continues to evolve: we are saddened to see Martin Raubal depart the sunny shores of Santa Barbara for ETH Zurich, but pleased to say hello to Krzysztof Janowicz. With a formal background in Computer Science, Cognitive Science, Philosophy, Ecology, and Geography, “Jano’s” academic training and research interests exemplify the multidisciplinary nature of geography.
I am also pleased to announce continued improvements to undergraduate education in Geography, including the development of a website tailored for undergraduates and a new undergraduate scholarship, the Samantha C. Ying Gamma Theta Upsilon Scholarship, named after Samantha Ying who graduated from UCSB in 2004. While excellence in Geography graduate education has been acknowledged by a number of prestigious awards over the past twenty years, the excellence of an undergraduate education in Geography often goes unrecognized, something the Department would like to see changed. If you have a story of how your degree has helped you in your career, we would love to hear about it.
Like 2010, which gave us the Deepwater Horizon Gulf Spill, 2011 had its own share of disasters that reminds us how deeply connected the world has become and how incredibly important Geography is. On March 11, 2011, a magnitude 9.0 earthquake struck off the coast of Japan, creating a tsunami that led to over 15,000 deaths in Japan and crippled the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant, leading to one of the worst nuclear disasters in history. Beyond the local impact, which remains severe, the economic impacts of this disaster were felt in virtually every country around the globe, reminding us how connected we really are. Geographers were involved at all stages of the disaster response, from assessing damage using satellite imagery to helping with relief efforts using GIS. Geography is even helping us better understand some of the least explored areas of our planet, the ocean floor, through efforts such as the ESRI’s Ocean Basemap and Google Oceans.
The generous support of alumni and friends is important to the advancement of the Department in the face of a troubled economy and shrinking state budgets. External support is critical in providing the best education and training for our students and maintaining the excellence of our world-class research. We hope you will consider a gift to support the education of our talented and deserving students in the Department. Whether you have a preferred gift fund, such as the David Simonett Memorial Fund or the newly created Samantha C. Ying Gamma Theta Upsilon Scholarship, or would prefer an unrestricted gift to the Department, all are valued highly. Our Geography faculty continue to excel in research and teaching, and our undergraduate and graduate students are impressive. An education from the Department of Geography at UC Santa Barbara is a huge asset in a tight job market, and your help can make it even better.
Your ongoing support is vital to our undergraduate and graduate programs. One reason the Department of Geography at UC Santa Barbara is able to deliver on its promise to students is because of the support of alumni and friends like you, which is why I encourage you to consider making an investment in the Department. These gifts enable us to recognize our best students and support their educational and research expenses. You, as alumni and friends of the Department, have a lot to be proud of. We, in turn, are grateful for your continued involvement with our educational mission.
Sincerely, Professor Dar Roberts, Chair, Department of Geography
