According to comments included with his nomination, Haynes is the Pied Piper of geography. One commentator noted, "He is the best field geographer I !http://now.humboldt.edu/inline_images/Chris%20Haynes%20promo.jpg! have been around in my forty plus years of teaching. His abilities to interpret landscapes are simply first rate. Chris is one of the very best instructors I've seen. He has backpacked in every inch of Northern California."
Sixteen HSU geography majors attended this event and were accompanied by Department Chair Joe Leeper, Professors Dennis Fitzsimons and Joy Adams and trip organizer Chris Haynes. The trip also included a campout at Anza Borrego Desert State Park as part of the GEOG 469 Field Experience course.
Professor Joy Adams presented a paper titled, "Authentically German-Texan: A case for symbolic place identity," drawn from her dissertation research on heritage tourism in Central Texas. Her main argument was that the authenticity of ethnic-themed destinations should be evaluated in light of changing conceptions regarding the meaning and content of ethnic identity in contemporary American society.
Four HSU geography majors (Kathy Dicker, Jenny Wrye, Aaron Salles and Sean Boone) competed in the research competitions. Students from USC, UCLA, CSU Chico, Sonoma State, UC Davis, UC Berkeley, San Diego State and more competed at both the undergraduate and graduate level.
Mapping Competition Second Place: Aaron Salles "Mapping Population in the People's Republic of China"
Geosystems Award (Awarded to the top graduate or undergraduate physical environment paper): Kathy Dicker "Shake, Rattle and Roll: Perceptions of Seismic Hazards on the Humboldt State University Campus. Are Students Prepared?"