UMD Geography Department
| Department Head, Associate Professor Tongxin Zhu 319 Cina Hall 1123 University Drive Duluth, MN 55812 Phone: 218-726-8480 tzhu@d.umn.edu |
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Tongxin Zhu is an Associate Professor in Geography. His research interests focus on the hydrological and geomorphic processes at the small watershed scale by integrating field investigations into simulation modeling. His recent research includes simulating overland and tunnel flows using the Topog model, quantifying the geomorphic and hydrological roles of tunnel flows in drainage development, investigating soil crusting process and its impact on soil moisture and runoff generation, and examining gully erosion and development. Tongxin teaches courses in physical geography, hydrology, environmental conservation, and environmental applications of geographic information science (GIS). |
Faculty:
| Assistant Professor Sutapa Chattopadhyay 314 Cina Hall 1123 University Drive Duluth, MN 55812 Phone: 218-726-8416 schattop@d.umn.edu |
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Sutapa Chattopadhyay is on leave for the 2008-2009 school year. Sutapa teaches courses in Geography of Cultural Diversity; Economic Geography; Geographies of Development; Geography of Population, Gender, and Migration; and Geography of South Asia. |
| Associate Professor Pat Farrell 313 Cina Hall 1123 University Drive Duluth, MN 55812 Phone: 218-726-7076 pfarrell@d.umn.edu |
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Geography fascinates me because, at its best, it is the most holistic of all academic disciplines. I became interested in geography when bicycling across the United States and marveling at how the cultural and physical terrain changed as my tires turned. That curiosity changed the topography of my own life by opening my eyes to geography as a perspective and a career. I am particularly interested in the dark, dynamic world of the soil and its connection to people in both past and contemporary contexts. My research pays particular attention to the imprint of past peoples on soil. My primary focus has been in Latin America and the Caribbean, where I have collaborated with archaeologists to study ancient cultures through the medium of soil and sediment analysis. I also collaborate with local archaeologists on geoarchaeological investigations in Minnesota and the region. Other interests include soil education, physical geography education, and science education for girls. My courses at UMD include Introduction to Physical Geography, Geography of Soils, Environmental Conservation, Weather and Climate, and Geography of Latin America and the Caribbean. View personal page. |
| Associate Professor Scott Freundschuh sfreunds@d.umn.edu |
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Scott M. Freundschuh is an Associate Professor in the Department of Geography at the University of Minnesota Duluth. Scott is currently serving as a Program Director at the National Science Foundation. Scott teaches courses in map design and theory, geo-visualization and in geographic information science. He also maintains a research program in spatial cognition, exploring how age and sources of spatial information inform and shape spatial knowledge and spatial concepts. He has served as editor of Cartographic Perspectives (2000 through 2007), co-edited the book Cognitive Mapping: Past, Present and Future with Rob Kitchin in 2000, and has published articles in The Professional Geographer, Geographical Systems, Transactions in GIS, Cartographica and The Cartographic Journal. |
| Interim Dean: College of Liberal Arts (CLA), Associate Professor, and Director of CCRR Olaf Kuhlke 306C Kirby Plaza 1208 Kirby Dr Duluth, MN 55812 Phone: 218-726-8981 okuhlke@d.umn.edu |
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Olaf Kuhlke is an Associate Professor and Interim Dean of the College of Liberal Arts (CLA). His research and teaching interests are in three principle areas: culture, population and environment. As a cultural geographer, he examines the socio-spatial construction of nationalism and its expression in public spaces. In the area of population geography, he has worked on projects ranging from studying migrant behavior and representation to local demographic mapping using Geographic Information Systems. In the field of environmental studies, his focus is on urban ecology, especially habitat mapping and urban water issues. At UMD, Dr. Kuhlke teaches courses in human geography, geographic thought, remote sensing, urban ecology, field techniques, and political geography. Click here to get to his website. |
| Director of the Center for Sustainable Community Development, Assistant Professor, and Director of the ES Program Mike Mageau 328 Cina Hall 1123 University Drive Duluth, MN 55812 Phone: 218-726-6133 mmageau@d.umn.edu |
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Mike is an Assistant Professor of Environmental Studies and Director of the Center for Sustainable Community Development (CSCD). He received his Ph.D. from the University of Maryland in Environmental Science with a certificate in Ecological Economics. His teaching activities cover a variety of sustainable development topics including the basics of ecosystem structure and function, global environmental problems along with their root economic and political causes, US and global energy issues and Ecological Economics. For the past few years his primary research and project activities at the CSCD have focused on the development of community based renewable energy production and distribution solutions. This work includes analyzing the technical capabilities, cost, job creation, local economic development potential, and environmental health impacts associated with these emerging technologies, as well as community implementation. |
| Assistant Professor and Director of URS Program Adam Pine 317 Cina Hall 1123 University Drive Duluth, MN 55812 Phone: 218-726-8474 apine@d.umn.edu |
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My research interests revolve around the interconnections between culture and the process of urban economic redevelopment, with a focus on the role of the state in mediating this process. In my work I have examined the issues of race, migration, gender, citizenship, and transnationalism as they relate to the process of urban change. For example, I studied Philadelphia’s move to encourage tourists to visit the city’s “ethnic neighborhoods” as a way of bolstering the city’s tourist economy. Likewise, I completed a larger research project examining the relationship between neighborhood grocery stores in Philadelphia owned by immigrants from the Dominican Republic and the process of neighborhood economic redevelopment. In this research I examined how conflicting understandings of “citizenship” and “belonging” held by grocers, their shoppers, and local community activists worked against the inclusion of the grocers in neighborhood redevelopment projects. I am primarily a qualitative researcher who explores issues from a variety of perspectives; hence developing relationships with governmental entities, community groups, public-private partnerships and individuals is an essential component of my research strategy. |
| Executive Director of Northeast Minnesota Sustainable Development Partnership, Adjunct Professor Okechukwu (Okey) Ukaga Cloquet Forestry Center 179 University Road Cloquet, MN 55720 Phone: (218) 341-6029 Fax: (218) 879-0857 ukaga001@umn.edu |
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As Executive Director of Northeast Minnesota Sustainable Development Partnership, he provides leadership for integrated, education, research and outreach projects/programs that promote sustainable development. He is also an Adjunct Professor in the Geography Department, and an Extension Professor of sustainable development with the University of Minnesota Extension. Before coming to Minnesota, Okey Ukaga served as the Managing Director of the International Institute for Sustainable Development at Colorado State University for five years. In that capacity, he managed a variety of sustainable community development projects and worked with organizations and people from countries in Africa, South America, Asia and the Middle East. He has also previously worked/taught at Penn State University and Florida A & M University. His current professional interests are in applying the philosophy and methods of participatory planning in the design, implementation and evaluation of sustainable development projects, programs and partnerships at the local, regional, state, national and international levels. |
Instructors:
| Instructor Kate Carlson 315 Cina Hall 1123 University Drive Duluth, MN 55812 Phone: kbcarlso@d.umn.edu |
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| Adjunct Instructor Susan Hartley 230A Heller Hall 1114 Kirby Drive Duluth, MN 55812 Phone: 218-726-6237 shartley@d.umn.edu |
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Staff:
| Research Associate Steve Graham 328 Cina Hall 1123 University Drive Duluth, MN 55812 Phone: 218-726-6081 steveg "at" d.umn.edu |
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Click to view personal page |
| Executive Ofc and Admin Spec Linda Klint 329 Cina Hall 1123 University Drive Duluth, MN 55812 Phone: 218-726-6300 lklint@d.umn.edu |
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| Director of the GIS Lab Stacey Stark 326 Cina Hall 1123 University Drive Duluth, MN 55812 Phone: 218-726-7438 slstark@d.umn.edu |
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Stacey's GIS expertise contributes to a wide-range of research applications in many fields, though her background is in landscape and water resources analyses. Currently, she is using GIS to explore the geographic and demographic factors that contribute to rural and independent pharmacy closure as well as patron access to these pharmacies. Another funded project is developing GIS methodology to identify indicators of past surface hydrologic features in order to update Mn/Model, a GIS predictive model of archaeological site potential, with a layer representing historic hydrology for Mn/DOT. Stacey is interested in the development of internet mapping solutions as interpretive resources for public lands, and has just begun initiating projects in this area. Click to view personal page |














