Geographers Take Action

Introduction to Geographers Take Action

Fairmont State University is dedicated to encouraging others to explore geography and geospatial for themselves in their everyday lives. These events are led by the Geography and Geographic Information Science  Minor/Geographic Information Science & Systems Lab. Featuring a range of distinguished speakers, hands-on activities, and community-oriented projects, this year-long exploration is designed to foster a GeoInquiring mind, geography collaboration, and new approaches. Everything is geography and we are all geographers. Let’s take action in 2025! 

 Fairmont State University  is a proud Core Partner of  American Association of Geographers 's #GeoWeek, #Geographyawareness along with our fellow geo-organizations:

- American Geographical Society  - American Geosciences Institute  - Esri  - EDGE Geospatial  -Esri Young Professionals Network - National Council For Geographic Education 

Take part in  National Geography Awareness Week: Geographers Take Action , November 18-22, 2024.

• Lightning talks of geography and GIS work being done by campus & community
• Guest speakers in-person and virtual
• Hands-on activities including a interactive art exhibit, storymap training, and a GeoBee
• Community oriented citizen science map-a-thon and more

Interactive Gerrymandering Art Exhibit and Library Display Date: November 10-14th

Locations: SciTech Quad and Ruth Ann Musick Library Geography, Graphic Design, and Museum Studies students showcase an interactive art exhibit that explores the complexities of gerrymandering. QR codes and augmented reality bring the exhibit to life across the campus.

Geography of the 2024 Elections

Keynote Speaker: Dr. Ken Martis

Date: November 13th Time: 12:30pm - 1:30pm Presenters: Dr. Ken Martis 

Format: In-person (Room 308 Hardway Hall and Virtual - link to be provided prior to event Geography of the 2024 Elections

Dr. Martis is the author or coauthor of nine atlases on American elections and politics.  He will delve into the geographical patterns of voting in the November 2024 elections on the national, state, and local levels.  His presentation last year was a full house! 

City of Morgantown GIS Day

Date: November 20th: 9am-4pm

Format: Open House

Come see how the Morgantown Geospatial Services Division assists multiple departments daily, along with displays of various products and projects completed! See how the City of Morgantown gets spatial!

Volunteered Geographic Information Short-course and Citizen Science Mapathon Hosted by: GISC Minor 

Date: November 23 - 25

Format: Virtual and In-Person Join us as we put Fairmont State University on the map and make a difference in the world. Citizen science event combines hands-on fieldwork with mapathons designed to map everything from humanitarian disaster response, to biodiversity, local infrastructure, historical journals, and even early alphabets. Join us virtually or in person and invite your friends and family!

Traditional Music Jam at the The Frank & Jane Gabor West Virginia Folklife Center

Time: November 29th at 6:30pm

Location: Squibb Wilson Blvd, Fairmont, WV, United States, West Virginia 26554

Format: Public 

Join us in experiencing cultural geography by participating in a traditional music jam at the  Folklife Center.   Interested in traditional music but can’t attend? Check out the  Smithsonian Folkways Recordings  

"Listen Like a Geographer" Get Outside Activity

Date: Mid-November - weather dependent

 Location: Falcon Trail and Outdoor Learning Lab Open to Students, Faculty/Staff, Alumni, Community Format: Self-Paced In-Person or try it at your own trail

Get outside and learn about how geographers use sound to better understand our environment and the world. Try out our  Listen Like a Geographer  activity. If you can’t attend in person, check out the WV Trail inventory ( https://www.mapwv.gov/trails/ ) or trails and parks near you ( https://www.alltrails.com/ ). 

Geocaching at Fairmont State University

Fairmont State University is an official stop on the  Fighting Falcons Geotrail  created by a Fairmont State University alumn. 

GIS in Movies and TV, Part III

Date: December 4th Time: 12:30 pm - 1:30pm

Presenters: Gene Del Greco and Todd Tucky,  West Virginia Association of Geographers  (WVAGP) members 

Format: Virtual - link to be provided prior to event

What  does contempory media  have to say  about GIS and geography? Explore this subject in depth with this fascinating and fun  presentation. Part III. of Del Greco's and Tucky's presentation continues to examine how GIS is portrayed in the media, and takes a closer look at how cartographic issues, such as mapping ethics, mapping techniques, and best practices, are portrayed on TV and in the movies.

After the talk, test your knowledge with our companion Kahoot! to  GIS in the Movies & TV 

End-of-Semester GeoBee Contest Date: December 4 Time: 2:30pm - 3:30pm 

Host: Dr. William Harrison Judges: Prof. LaFone and Prof. MacLennan

Format: In-person and Virtual Join the Fairmont State University geography course cohort as we engage in friendly competition in a GeoBee from a student-created question bank. Who will be awarded the coveted trophy? Can’t attend, then try out one of the many geography quizzes on our GeoSavvy Guide. A fun way to celebrate geographic literacy and the end of the semester. Our student-created GeoBee is available for any interested organizations. Next stop is the West Virginia Association of Geographers Annual (WVAGP) Conference (and a GeoTroll Trophy) 

Try out our Kahoots! on your own

 Companion to GIS in the Movies and TV III  (don't need to watch to do)

 North America GeoBee with musical cues 

 Foundations of Geography Bee 

 Cultural Geogrpahy Bee 

Do you have 2 hours to commit to making a difference? Join Us for the Humanitarin OpenStreetMap Global Tele-mapathon on December 4th, 2024!  https://www.hotosm.org/ 

This is a unique opportunity to join mappers, NGOs, corporate partners, and changemakers from across the globe as we map in support of communities facing disasters, poverty, and instability. Each session will run for 2 hours, with mapping activities hosted by HOT staff and volunteers across 12 time zones. 

December 5th GISS Lab Open House Events 

Zoom link to use for all Open House Events

Topic: Fairmont State Geography Events 12/5

Time: Dec 5, 2024 10:00 AM Eastern Time (US and Canada)

Join Zoom Meeting:

https://us06web.zoom.us/j/82336540578?pwd=aJp2Mu2bHRXx6Fzf1x5avZpnhOrfJC.1

Meeting ID: 823 3654 0578 Passcode: 976303

Talk about Geography and Spatial Resources at Fairmont State University and Beyond Dates: December 5th Time: 10am 

Host: GISC Minor at Fairmont State University 

Format: In-person and Virtual - link to be provided prior to event

Learn more about the essential geography and spatial resources being created and taught at Fairmont State University for use on campus and beyond. An essential resource for students, educators, and community, Fairmont State University has developed and shares resources from the in-process GeoSavvy Guide with the support of AAG and a cross-disciplinary team including the  Ruth Ann Musick Library , Fairmont State University  Center for Teaching and Learning Innovation  (CTLI),  and  OpenLearning WV . We will also present resources from the NASA Globe Program at Fairmont State University, and more. These resources promote geographic literacy and provide geography awareness materials for beginner mappers to spatial data analysts. Learn about resources from the West Virginia Association of Geospatial Professionals, AAG, ESRI, and others. 

Preparing and Applying to Geography and Geospatial Internships, Jobs, and Graduate Schools 

Dates: December 5th Time: 11am 

Host: GISC Minor at Fairmont State University 

Format: In-person and Virtual - link to be provided prior to event

Talks by potential geography and GIS related graduated programs and internships 

Dates: TBA Format: Virtual

Closing Showcase Date: December 5 Time: 1:00 - 2:00pm Join us as we kick off with a showcase of student work and lightning talks in the GISS Lab, featuring research projects, maps, and data visualizations by students from across campus. This symposium celebrates the diverse applications of geography and acknowledges the hard work of GISS Lab interns and contributors.

And finally, Finals Week Geography Game Night Date: Will be rescheduled December 10 Time: 3pm 

Format: In-Person Relax and have fun with geography-themed board games and puzzles. Can’t attend in person? Check out our games from the library or how to host a game night on our GeoSavvy Guide. 

 Thank You to Our Sponsors and Contributors

Thank you to our incredible sponsors, volunteers, student interns, and faculty members who make this event series possible. We look forward to an impactful Year of Geography, connecting our campus with the world through the lens of geographic knowledge and action.

Host: Fairmont State University Date: November 12th kickoff Time: noon Location: Fairmont State University

Interested in more Geography Awareness and GIS Day events 

•  AAG Geography Awareness Week 
•  GIS Day 
•  Library of Congress GIS Day 
•  Open GIS Day 

 AAG Geography Awareness Week  and GIS Day events are taking place around the globe. Find one near you, or register your own, to get involved and connect with others.

 Geography Resource Hub ,  American Association of Geographers