The Department of Geography welcomes its newest faculty member, Daehyun Kim Dr Kim joins the Physical Geography program from the Geography department at Texas A&M University, where he received his PhD. His areas of specialty include biogeography, coastal/forest ecology, soil-landform modeling, and multivariate/spatial statistics.

The Department of Geography hosted Professor Rob Kitchin from the National University of Ireland, Maynooth. Dr. Kitchin gave a colloquium entitled Soft Cities: Software and the Remaking of the City.

New Publication: Kentucky's Frontier Trails
During America's colonial period, the trans-Appalachian west, though largely terra incognita to people living on the eastern seaboard and occupied by significant numbers of native peoples, lay open to initial forays by hunters, explorers, surveyors, and settlers. The earliest overland travel routes to traverse western Virginia lands, country that eventually became the Commonwealth of Kentucky, were established between the 1750s and 1780.

Recent Departmental Awards Following the March 2009 AAG, our very own Dr. Paul Karan received a Special Award from the Association of Japanese Geographers. The award recognizes his research accomplishments, and his contribution to the many connections he has built with Japanese geographers.