Join MSU for Geography Awareness Week and discover how Geography is mapping the future
November 4, 2026 - Diane Huhn
Every year during the third week of November, communities around the world take time to celebrate the power of place, space, and spatial thinking. Established by presidential proclamation over thirty-five years ago, Geography Awareness Week highlights how deeply our lives are connected to the environment, geographic systems, and spatial relationships—and how we, in turn, shape the world around us.
Each year, Geography Awareness Week highlights a theme that showcases the many ways geographers explore, understand, and shape the world around us. These themes reflect the diversity of the discipline—from the power of place to the future of our changing world— demonstrating how geography helps us recognize possibilities, ask questions, and make sense of where we are and where we’re going.
This year, Geography Awareness Week will focus on the theme of “Mapping the Future.” In wildlands and cities, on farms and in factories, amid high-stakes disasters and under conditions that can seem unbearable, geographers seek out people and places where the answers are not so easy to pinpoint. Using geographical skills and training to spot spatial patterns, convey information in vivid terms, and open up what we can know about places, geographers are doing their part to map the (almost) unknowable future.
This year, the Department of Geography, Environment, and Spatial Sciences at Michigan State University is excited to host a vibrant lineup of events, hands-on workshops, panel discussions, and community traditions. Whether you are a student exploring career options, a researcher working with spatial data, or simply curious about geography, there is something for everyone!
Current and Upcoming Geography Awareness Week Events at MSUGeography is Everywhere Photography Contest | October 21-November 11 | Online
Geography isn't just about maps. It’s in our everyday landscapes, architecture, culture, and natural environment. Capture what geography means to you and share it with us!
The Geography is Everywhere Photography Contest is open to the entire Spartan community, including students, scholars, faculty, staff, retirees, and alumni. Submit your entry by November 11 for a chance to win. Winners will be officially announced during Geography Awareness Week!
Click to get more information, contest rules and entry form. Winners will be announced during Geography Awareness Week.
3D Printing Terrain Elevation Models Workshop
Tuesday, November 17 | 2-4 PM | Digital Scholarship Lab, MSU Main Library
Take your maps off the flat screen and bring them into the physical world! Learn to produce a 3D model of terrain elevation for printing on a 3D printer. We will learn about digital elevation models, where to find DEM data to create our printable export, and then use the QGIS plug-in DEMto3D to create a model.
Click to register for the workshop. Limited to 25 participants. Please register by November 15 to secure your spot.
GIS Day: Data-Data-Data!
Wednesday, November 18 | 2:30-4:30 PM | Main Library | Green Room on 4th Floor
Join the MSU GIS Users Community and MSU Libraries Map & Geospatial Services for their annual celebration of GIS Day. They will host an insightful panel discussion on navigating modern geospatial data challenges and triumphs across various research and professional projects. No registration required. All skill levels and backgrounds welcome!
Click for more information about GIS Day 2026.
Your Future with Geography: A Discussion with MSU Geography Alumni
Wednesday, November 18 | 4:30-6:00 PM | Kellogg Center, Lincoln Room
Wondering where a background in geography can take you? Hear directly from MSU Geography alumni as they share their career trajectories, professional advice, and insights into how spatial thinking powers industries ranging from urban planning and environmental management to location intelligence. Featured panelists will include members of the MSU Geography Alumni Advisory Board including Josh Bocks (Planning Director for Macomb Township), Melissa Faustich (Group Product Manager for the Geospatial Services & Data unit at General Motors), Brandon Lambrix (Transportation Planner & GIS Analyst for the Michigan Department of Transportation) and Lindsay Maki (Senior GIS Planner for WSP).
Click to RSVP for the panel.
Visit geo.msu.edu for more details.