Ms. Peiling Zhou will defend her dissertation.

Title:  PHYSICAL ACTIVITY OF OLDER PEOPLE, THERAPEUTIC LANDSCAPES AND PUBLIC SPACES IN URBAN CHINA

Please contact Sharon Ruggles ruggles@msu.edu if you would like an electronic copy of the dissertation.

The defense will consist of two steps:  a 30-60 minute uninterrupted presentation by the student summarizing the dissertation research, and a subsequent two-stage questioning session.  Anyone, including faculty, students and staff, is welcome to attend the presentation and to participate in the initial portion of the question session, which will be moderated by the Advisor.  The Advisor and Guidance Committee will ask questions in the second stage of this session.  Faculty are welcome to stay for this stage.  Graduate students and other non-committee members (e.g., family and friends) may attend the second questioning stage with prior permission of the defending student.  Successful completion of the defense and approval of the dissertation will be determined by a majority vote of the dissertation committee.

Committee:
Sue Grady, Chair
Guo Chen
Kyle Evered
Anne Hughes (Social Work)
Mark W. Rosenberg (Queen’s University)

Ms. Leah Mungai will take her oral comprehensive examination on Monday, August 28, 2017 starting at 9:00 am in Rm. 218B Manly Miles Bldg.

All Geography faculty may attend and participate in the oral examination.  Geography graduate students and other non-committee members (e.g., family and friends) may attend with prior approval of the student being examined.

Committee:
Joseph P. Messina (chair)
Jiaguo Qi
Leo Zulu
Sieglinde Snapp (Plant Soil and Microbial Sciences)

Mr. Bradley Peter will take his oral comprehensive examination on Monday, August 28, 2017 starting at 1:00 pm in Rm. 218B Manly Miles Bldg.

All Geography faculty may attend and participate in the oral examination.  Geography graduate students and other non-committee members (e.g., family and friends) may attend with prior approval of the student being examined.

Committee:
Joseph P. Messina (chair)
Leo Zulu
Kyla Dahlin
Sieglinde Snapp (Plant Soil and Microbial Sciences)

Ms. Toni Walkowiak will defend her thesis.

Title:  FRESHWATER RESOURCES: AN EVALUATION OF MICHIGAN RESIDENTS’ PERCEPTION OF WETLAND ECOSYSTEM SERVICES

The defense will consist of two steps:  a 30-60 minute uninterrupted presentation by the student summarizing the thesis research, and a subsequent two-stage questioning session.  All faculty and students are welcome to attend the presentation and to participate in the initial portion of the question session, which will be moderated by the Advisor.  The Advisor and Guidance Committee will ask questions in the second stage of this session.  Geography graduate students and other non-committee members may attend the second questioning stage with permission of the defending student.

 A copy of the thesis is available electronically.   Contact Sharon Ruggles ruggles@msu.edu if you would like the thesis sent to you electronically.

Committee:
Raechel White (chair)
Nathan Moore
Gail Vander Stoep (Community Sustainability)

Mr. Nicholas Ronnei will defend his thesis.

Title:  “A Minimalistic Data Distribution System to Support Uncertainty-aware GIS”

The defense will consist of two steps:  a 30-60 minute uninterrupted presentation by the student summarizing the thesis research, and a subsequent two-stage questioning session.  All faculty and students are welcome to attend the presentation and to participate in the initial portion of the question session, which will be moderated by the Advisor.  The Advisor and Guidance Committee will ask questions in the second stage of this session.  Geography graduate students and other non-committee members may attend the second questioning stage with permission of the defending student.

 A copy of the thesis is available electronically.   Contact Sharon Ruggles ruggles@msu.edu  if you would like the thesis sent to you electronically.

Committee:
Ashton Shortridge (chair)
Nathan Moore
Raechel White

Mr. Joshua Vertalka will defend his dissertation.

Title:  THE AUGMENTATION, POTENTIAL, AND PRACTICALITY OF TWITTER DATA IN PREDICTING INFLUENZA EMERGENCY ROOM ADMISSIONS

Please contact Sharon Ruggles ruggles@msu.edu if you would like an electronic copy of the dissertation.

The defense will consist of two steps:  a 30-60 minute uninterrupted presentation by the student summarizing the dissertation research, and a subsequent two-stage questioning session.  Anyone, including faculty, students and staff, is welcome to attend the presentation and to participate in the initial portion of the question session, which will be moderated by the Advisor.  The Advisor and Guidance Committee will ask questions in the second stage of this session.  Faculty are welcome to stay for this stage.  Graduate students and other non-committee members (e.g., family and friends) may attend the second questioning stage with prior permission of the defending student.  Successful completion of the defense and approval of the dissertation will be determined by a majority vote of the dissertation committee.

Committee:
Eva Kassens Noor, Chair (School of Planning, Design, and Construction)
Ashton Shortridge
Igor Vojnovic
Theresa Bernardo (Veterinary Medicine)

GEO online courses offered during 2017 Summer Sessions.  Enrollment in summer courses begins on March 13.

For more information visit us online at onGEO.msu.edu or email us at onGEO@msu.edu

Ms. Mattie Bene will take her oral comprehensive examination on Friday, April 28, 2017 starting at 9:00 am in Rm. 219 Geography Bldg.

All Geography faculty may attend and participate in the oral examination.  Geography graduate students and other non-committee members (e.g., family and friends) may attend with prior approval of the student being examined.

Committee:
Sue Grady (chair)
Julie Winkler
Leo Zulu
Anne Hughes (Social Work)

ESPP Research Colloquia Series presents a roundtable discussion on the Zika virus.  Several experts in the field, including Dr. Joseph Messina from Geography, will be discussing challenges associated with Zika outbreak. This discussion will include topics like  mosquito control, pesticide use/toxicology, international governance, the geographical distribution of risk, and the risks of further outbreak this coming summer.

Light refreshments will be served.

Registration available at: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/social-political-and-scientific-challenges-of-the-zika-outbreak-tickets-33854622086

Mr. Ameen Kadhim will take his oral comprehensive examination on Monday April 17, 2017 starting at 10:00 am in Rm. 105 Geography Bldg.

All Geography faculty may attend and participate in the oral examination.  Geography graduate students and other non-committee members (e.g., family and friends) may attend with prior approval of the student being examined.

Committee:
Ashton Shortridge (chair)
Lifeng Luo
Jiaguo Qi
Warren Wood (Earth and Environmental Sciences)

To: All GEO undergraduate and graduate students, faculty, staff, Geography Club, GTU and Triple G members, and guests

You are invited to attend:  The Department of Geography, Environment, and Spatial Sciences GEO-GTU Annual Spring Reception

Recognizing student academic achievement, GEO graduating seniors,GTU initiates, and department award winners

Friday, April 21, 2017

3:00-4:30PM

Radiology Building Atrium

Refreshments served at 3:00 – Program begins at 3:15

GTU initiates, award winners, and all graduating students are encouraged to bring parents or others who have encouraged them to get through their program at MSU!

Please sign up on Geography office door 116 or contact Judy Reginek 5-4653 (reginek@msu.edu)

Final headcount due: Thursday, April 13^th.

Mr. Kevin Credit will present and defend his dissertation proposal.

Title:  “Business Location and Performance: How Space, Place, and Movement Influence Urban Entrepreneurship.”

Two hours will be allowed for the presentation and subsequent questioning. An initial uninterrupted presentation of the proposed research should be 20-30 minutes in length. Anyone, including faculty, students, and staff, is welcome to attend the presentation.  The question session that follows will be moderated by the student’s Advisor, and all Guidance Committee members will actively participate. However, all persons attending may ask questions and offer comments.

Committee members:
Elizabeth Mack (Chair)
Ashton Shortridge
Igor Vojnovic
Zenia Kotval (School of Planning, Design, & Construction CSS)

Join the Department of Geography, Environment, and Spatial Sciences as we co-sponsor the UAB Fire & Ice Event.  Open ice skating plus free food and giveaways.  Free for MSU students plus one guest, all must show ID.

Click on the UAB Event Calendar for more information.

Please join the MSU Geography celebration, Thursday, April 6 @ 7PM, during the 2017 American Association of Geographer’s Annual Meeting in Boston, Massachusetts.

ALL ARE WELCOME |  Cash Bar  |  Appetizers Provided

Mr. Yahn-Jauh YJ Su will defend his dissertation.

Title:  “The carbon sequestration and soil respiration after land use conversion in biofuel cropping ecosystems”

Please contact Sharon Ruggles if you would like an electronic copy of dissertation.

The defense will consist of two steps:  a 30-60 minute uninterrupted presentation by the student summarizing the dissertation research, and a subsequent two-stage questioning session.  Anyone, including faculty, students and staff, is welcome to attend the presentation and to participate in the initial portion of the question session, which will be moderated by the Advisor.  The Advisor and Guidance Committee will ask questions in the second stage of this session.  Faculty are welcome to stay for this stage.  Graduate students and other non-committee members (e.g., family and friends) may attend the second questioning stage with prior permission of the defending student.  Successful completion of the defense and approval of the dissertation will be determined by a majority vote of the dissertation committee.

Committee:
Jiquan Chen (chair)
Jeffrey Andresen
Stephen Hamilton (Kellogg Biological Station Nat Sci)
Philip Robertson (Plant Soil and Microbial Sciences)

The Event will start in Bessey Hall, Room 108 at 2:30 for a brief introduction of each participant, followed by the selection of door prize winners.  Then talk one-on-one with participants of your choice.  If you are actively seeking a position, either job or internship, please bring copies of your resume!

This Friday, February 24, 2017 we will be having the second quidders talk of the semester.  This week we will be discussing permafrost in the the Alaskan Arctic.  Dr. Frederick Nelson and MSU PhD student Kelsey Nyland will be presenting about the Circumpolar Active Layer Monitoring (CALM) Program.  Please join us in room 126 of the Geography Building at 4:30 pm this Friday as we journey North to Alaska.

Please join us to prepare for the annual Geography Career Day & Job Fair.

Career Consultant, Amy Deitrickson, from the Career Services Network will be on site at the Geography building to help you prepare your resume for the event.  Feel free to stop in at any time for a presentation to help you to write your resume and prepare for interviews.  Students can attend any or all of the events.

The Geography Career Day & Job Fair will be on Friday, February 24, 2:30-4:30pm, in Room 108, Bessey Hall.

Please join us this Friday, February 17, as we host MSU GEO Alum John Nelson as our Colloquium Speaker at 2:00 p.m.  John is a Cartographer and User Experience Designer for Esri, and his talk will be very interesting.