UCA’s Geography Awareness Week & GIS Day Celebrations are here!!
Welcome to Geography Awareness Week 2023. Join the UCA Geography Department, Geography Club, and Gamma Theta Upsilon for a celebration of Geography and GIS through the theme of “The Power of Place”. See the schedule below for details of specific events and be sure to check out our social media throughout the week (links below) for Geography trivia and the 2023 edition of our Google Earth Scavenger Hunt.
Schedule of Events
- Monday, November 13: Promoting Geography and GIS at UCA
- 10am-3pm, Ronnie Williams Student Center
- Students and faculty from UCA Geography programs will be at the Student Center with information about our courses, helpful tips for accessing our campus-wide GIS platform, and geography-based trivia and games.
- 10am-3pm, Ronnie Williams Student Center
- Tuesday, November 14: Humanitarian Mapping at Global Expo
- 12noon-3pm, Student Center Courtyard
- Members of the Geography Club will represent UCA Geography during the Global Expo ’23 as part of International Education Week at UCA, an annual event that coincides with Geography Awareness Week. The group will be facilitating a drop-by Humanitarian Mapathon centered on Global Engagement and Community Service through Geographic Information Systems:
- GIS can be used to support disaster relief efforts around the globe and understanding how geospatial data are organized can be beneficial regardless of your major or career. During the Mapathon, we will be using OpenStreetMap through their volunteer outreach arm, the Humanitarian OpenStreetMap Team, to contribute to important mapping projects that will help areas recovering from natural disasters and other crises. Bring your laptop to join the campaign for as much time as you want; NO PRIOR GIS KNOWLEDGE IS REQUIRED!!!
- Members of the Geography Club will represent UCA Geography during the Global Expo ’23 as part of International Education Week at UCA, an annual event that coincides with Geography Awareness Week. The group will be facilitating a drop-by Humanitarian Mapathon centered on Global Engagement and Community Service through Geographic Information Systems:
- 12noon-3pm, Student Center Courtyard
- Wednesday, November 15: GIS Day
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- Several events on GIS Day will highlight the role of Geospatial Technology as a tool for analysis and investigation.
- 1:30-2:30pm, URC Faculty Research Symposium (Virtual)
- UCA Geography faculty member Dr. Yaqian He will present a research summary titled “Land use change across the globe: trends, drivers, and impacts” as part of this round-table symposium with faculty from across UCA. More information and a link to register for this online event can be found on this posting from UCA Inform.
- 3-4:30pm, GIS at UCA: A Beginners Guide to Using ArcGIS Online – Lewis Science Center 174
- Join UCA faculty for an overview of our campus-wide GIS software, ArcGIS Online. Any UCA student, faculty, or staff has access to this incredibly powerful platform and we’ll show you how to create an account, make maps, and analyze data. No prior experience is necessary and beginners are encouraged to attend. This will be a drop-in event.
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- Thursday, November 16: Celebrating the Power of Place Through Local Histories – “Far East Deep South” and the Stories of Asian Americans
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- UCA Geography is happy to co-sponsor the following events with UCAs Center for Chinese Language and Culture:
- 1:40-2:30pm, Reframing Asian American History with Baldwin Chiu – Keystone Steps at the Windgate Center for Fine & Performing Arts
- Filmmaker Baldwin Chiu (Far East Deep South) will discuss his film and the context of history for Asian-American families.
- 6:30-9pm, Screening of “Far East Deep South” – Integrated Health Science Building, Room 245
- Following the public screening of the documentary Far East Deep South, filmmaker Baldwin Chiu and Chinese American community members from Arkansas will participate in a panel session and Q&A.
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- Friday, November 17: Celebrating Geography Awareness Week
- 3pm-4:30pm, Lewis Science Center Atrium Lobby
- Join members of UCA Geography for a final celebration of Geography Awareness Week. Faculty and student research posters will be on display, geography-themed games will be played, and information about using GIS at UCA will be available. Refreshments will be served.
- 3pm-4:30pm, Lewis Science Center Atrium Lobby
Faculty and student research posters will be on display all week in the front hallways of Lewis as well as the displaced Geospatial & Environmental Applications Research (GEAR) Lab in Lewis 112.
Check out our Social Media feeds throughout the week for Geography & Environment-related trivia and facts, including new posts our annual Google Earth Scavenger Hunt at 9am, 1pm, and 5pm each day.
UCA Geography on Twitter
UCA Geography on Instagram
UCA Geography on Facebook
Make sure you stay in touch after Geography Awareness Week as UCA Geography for news and announcements throughout the remainder of the 2023-2024 academic year.
For more information, contact the department at geography@uca.edu.