UNA HOSTS GEOGRAPHY CONFERENCE, PRESENTS GRANTS, AWARDS
October 21, 2008
By Eric Hanback
UNA Student Writer
FLORENCE, Ala. — Next week will not only mark the University of North Alabama’s Homecoming celebration, but also the fourth annual UNA Geography Alumni Conference.
The two-day conference is being held Oct. 23 and 24 and is open to current students of all majors as well as the community.
“Anyone can come and learn something from it,” said Dr. Bill Strong, chair of the geography department. “Many people have a misconception that geographers simply memorize places on a map and produce maps, but geography is a way of looking at the world.“It’s a perspective on the world. We attempt to answer the question: ‘Why is this like it is where it is?’”
Strong also noted that the conference will highlight geography alumni and their careers.
“Our graduates are doing some incredible work across the country and across the world,” he said. “I think that one of the things people are surprised at is how technologically oriented we are.”
Former teacher-in-residence at National Geographic Peggy Clay, an Alabama native, will be on campus as keynote speaker.
Social events for the conference are scheduled in conjunction with university Homecoming activities and will include announcements regarding student research grants and the 2008 Geographer of the Year.
For more information, contact the UNA Department of Geography at 256-765-4246.
