AcademicBlog posts on the academic world, teaching, research and so on.

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Introducing a 3D Google Earth Model of UWFox

At UWFox this spring, GEO 106 encountered a number of technical problems largely related to software and hardware obsolescence. So old were these machines that even our resident Helpdesk miracle workers found the challenges daunting. Despite mounting frustrations, the students kept an overwhelmingly positive attitude and pushed forward.

Just after midterm, an important GIS lesson was again aborted by the software company’s failure to support its older products still in use. At that time, the class discussed alternate project lessons that could provide a laboratory and application for all necessary skills while creating a product useful beyond the limits of this particular course section or semester.

With this, the first three-dimensional model of the University of Wisconsin-Fox Valley campus was born.

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Diversity in Planning Workshop - East Central Regional Planning Commission

I gave the keynote address at the recent Diversity in Planning Workshop held by the East Central Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission, April 27, 2012 in Neenah. Read more

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My Talk at AAG 2012

My talk at the AAG this year was on the final day, early in the morning, during about three other similar sessions, and held in a forgotten corner in the bowels of the Hilton NY. Though it was still well attended (maybe 15-20 folks), it's understandable that some people who may have been interested in what I had to say weren't able to come. That's why I post it here. Read more

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GIS Day 2011 at UWFox: Success!

We had a total of 76 people attend the event, including faculty, staff and community members.  This shattered the FVGISUG's earlier record attendance of 23 set last year.  Of those 76, at least 63 were students, and 44 of those students completed the worksheet I created to encourage engagement with the presenters.  Not bad!

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GIS Day 2011 at UWFox: Publicity

I did want to make a special entry to mention some of the publicity efforts that we've been working on to get the word out about GIS Day. One of the biggest challenges in the past for the Fox Valley GIS User Group has been capturing an interested audience. With my arrival at UWFox this year, we've managed to expand our methods of publicity for the event substantially. Of course, with the event still a day away, we don't know (yet) if our labors will be fruitful. Read more

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GIS Day 2011 at UWFox: Preparation

While I haven't had my feet under me long enough here to put together a week-long program, I was fortunate to be contacted early on about hosting a GIS Day event on November 16 by the Fox Valley GIS Users Group. The FVGISUG is the local GIS professional networking group for Northeast Wisconsin, and they've been putting on a GIS Day event for several years. Last year, they worked with my predecessor to mild success. This year, we're trying again, and we're doing everything we can to make it big. Read more

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A Weather Station for UWFox - Grant Proposal

I recently submitted a campus improvement grant to the UW-Fox Valley Foundation for the purchase of a weather station. We'll see how it turns out... Read more

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Now that was some bad-ass DOPE

My thoughts on the 2011 Dimensions of Political Ecology conference. Read more

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My Talk for Dimensions of Political Ecology in Kentucky

The full (unedited) presentation I prepared for the 2011 DOPE Conference in Lexington, Kentucky. The actual presentation I gave was quite a bit shorter, but these were my notes from which I culled my talk. Read more

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Mapping (Geo-)Autobiography: My Mental Map of the World

At the beginning of every semester, I use a mental mapping assignment in World Geography to stress to the students that memorizing maps isn't what geography is all about. But, up until now, I'd never tried it myself. So, last night, I sat down for a few minutes and drew a map. What I came up with was, well, pretty messy and it took up parts of four sheets, but I scanned it and used Photoshop to put it together and... voila! Read more