Geography Major
Geography is a bridge between the social sciences and the natural sciences. As a Parkside geography major, you will examine the relationship between humans and the environment through field work, laboratory analysis, and literature research. Geography is an exciting discipline for you to learn about culture and the environment both in and out of the classroom.
In Geography we study the interrelation of the natural and cultural features of the Earth’s surface. The UW-Parkside geography curriculum is designed to reflect the complexity of society and nature so that you will gain an understanding of the varied spatial factors that influence life in today’s interconnected world. The geography department’s mission is to extend geographic knowledge through exceptional educational programs, research projects, and service activities using advanced technology to train students and to solve problems.
UW-PARKSIDE GEOGRAPHY STUDENTS PARTNER WITH RACINE ARTS COUNCIL FOR QUILTS ON BARNS PROJECT
Also featured on WUWM (Milwaukee’s NPR) and received an Outstanding Partnership Award!
CAREER PATHS
Archaeologist | Natural Resource Manager | Soil Conservationist | Urban Planner GIS Specialist | Environmental Analyst | Museum Specialist | Cultural Researcher
The department is strengthened by an internship program with placement in local public or private sector locations. Students can gain valuable experience in a variety of real-world settings which increases their skills and adds to their resumes.
Our students might be found coring trees in the forest to explore vegetation and fire dynamics, visiting a local windmill to learn about alternative energy, meandering along a stream to collect data on biological invasion and river channels, digging a soil pit in the prairie to uncover the rich world of the underground, mapping trails or neighborhoods with a GPS unit, Geocaching in Petrifying Springs Park, exploring Wisconsin’s glacial landscapes, or camping at Devil’s Lake.
PROGRAM CONTACT INFO
John Ward | 262-595-3327 | wardj@uwp.edu
Faculty Highlights
Caitlin Curtis Whitaker, PH.D.
Assistant Professor, Geography and Anthropology Department
Caitlin’s research interests include participatory mapping, GIS applications to social questions, cultural heritage studies, and community engagement in heritage management. She received her PhD in Anthropology with specialization in Archaeology in 2017, and her MA in Geography with specialization in Geographic Information Systems (GIS) in 2012. In addition to her longstanding archaeological and heritage research in Turkey, she is also currently developing a heritage research project in Armenia and a community mapping project focused on UNESCO sites in Greenland. She is excited to bring these projects and research interests into the classroom to engage students at the forefront of heritage and GIS.
Kenneth “Kenny” French
Associate Professor, Geography and Anthropology Department
Kathleen “Kate” Gillogly, Ph.D.
Associate Professor, Department of Geography and Anthropology
Originally from the Midwest, Kate Gillogly returned after years living in the South Pacific, Southeast Asia, and Hawaii, working in consulting in applied anthropology of agricultural ecology and international development. She currently lives in Kenosha , focusing on undergraduate education, applied anthropological work in watershed management and environmental activism, as well as writing projects on sustainability, kinship & adaptation, and social structure.
Robert “Bob” Sasso, Ph.D., R.P.A.
Associate Professor of Anthropology
Geography and Anthropology Department
John Ward, Ph.D.
Associate Professor, Department Chair
Geography and Anthropology Department
I am originally from West Virginia and have lived many other places including Maryland, Alabama, Georgia, Arkansas, Washington State, and Scotland before coming to Wisconsin. I received a BS in Anthropology and a MS in Cultural and Environmental Resource Management from Central Washington University. I then received a PhD in Environmental Dynamics from the University of Arkansas. I serve as Director of GIS in the College of Social Sciences and Professional Studies at UW-Parkside.
Keith Biddle
Assistant Professor of Criminal Justice/Anthropology
My research explores the cellular and biochemical properties of bone tissue to locate the best places to get DNA during forensic anthropological investigations. This research offers increased accuracy of forensic DNA analyses in an effort to aid law enforcement and other forensic experts in identifying unknown human remains in both active and “cold” cases.
