HSU Geographers Make Strong Showing At State Conference

More than 20 HSU geography majors, accompanied by department chair Joe Leeper, professors Joy Adams, Stephen Cunha, Dennis Fitzsimons and Chris Hayne, attended the California Geographic Society's 62nd annual Conference. Adams chaired a panel discussion on “Strategies for Mentoring and Supporting Female Students and Faculty,” along with geography students Anna Leeper, Diana Muncy, Corinne Cogger and Angela Crane. Adams was also elected to the CGS board of directors. Leeper presented “Challenges Confronting Humboldt County Agriculture” and Cunha presented “The Changing Face of Vietnam.”
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Humboldt continued its large presence and strong showing in the competitions with 18 other universities, including University of Southern California, University of California Los Angeles, Cal Poly Pomona, San Diego State University,UC Davis, University of Nevada, Reno, and more, competing at both the undergraduate and graduate level. In total, more than 360 geographers participated in the conference.

On Saturday, 10 HSU geography majors and recent graduates Mike Boruta, Willie Shubert, Daniel Stauning, Jared Wolfe, Megan Helms, Christopher Haynes, Sarah Warnock, Jorge Sanchez, Michael Owens and Colin Leslie competed in the undergraduate research competitions.

HSU students won the following awards:

McKnight Undergraduate Paper Awards
2nd: Megan Helms, “The Ecological Importance of Fire: A Case Study Using Tree Ring Dating”

3rd: Michael Owens, “Past, Present, and Future: Transitions in Resource Use and Landscape in Shelter Cover, Calif.”

Mapping Awards – Digital
1st: Jared Wolfe, “Distribution of Neotropical Migrants in Response to the El Niño Southern Oscillation in Costa Rica”

2nd: Michael Boruta, “The Tourist Traps of Northwest California”

3rd: Willie Shubert, “The Modern Middle East: A Survey of Chaos and its Contributors”

Lantis Scholarship Award
Undergraduate: Diana Muncy (HSU)

CGS Travel Award
Sarah Warnock (HSU)