Nov. 13: Geographer to speak on “A Geographer’s Life List” and “Environmental Change in the Himalayas”

Nov. 4, 2009--One of the nation’s top geographers, Dr. Richard Marston, will give two public talks Friday, Nov. 13, at Texas State University-San Marcos. Marston is Chair of the Department of Geography at Kansas State University, Editor of the journal Geomorphology, and former President of the Association of American Geographers.

At 10 a.m. in Alkek Theater, Marston will speak on “The Geographer’s Life List.” Drawing on ideas first presented in 1991 by the geographers Kit Salter and Peter Meserve in The Professional Geographer, Marston’s talk will describe a geographer’s life list as more than a list of "places to see before you die." Rather, it ought to explore major themes in geography such as the diversity of physical and cultural landscapes and major ecoregions and special geomorphic environments. Travel within a country should emphasize appreciation of its cities and the diversity of food, wine, language, dress, crops, industry, climate, and landforms. Travel might follow an explorer’s route or go by means other than air or auto. It might include participation in religious ceremonies and visits to sites that reflect environmental and societal impacts. The talk should stimulate ideas among the audience of how they will organize their own life lists.

At 1 p.m. in Evans Liberal Arts 116, Marston will speak on “Land, Life, and Environmental Change in the Himalayas.” One of the greatest challenges facing mountain scholars is to separate environmental change caused by human activities from change that would have occurred without human interference. Focusing on three groups of Himalayan inhabitants, Marston will discuss how geographers can discern the causes of environmental change, the physical processes that can rapidly degrade sensitive mountain ecosystems, and mountain populations’ vulnerability to natural hazards and political-economic marginalization.

Both talks are sponsored by the Department of Geography Colloquium Series. More information is available from Mark Fonstad, mfonstad@txstate.edu.