Announcements

Graduate Student Erin Torkelson receives Best Dissertation award from AAG Economic Geography Specialty Group

April 10, 2021
Erin Torkelson has received the Best Dissertation award from the Economic Geography Specialty Group of the American Association of Geographers for her dissertation “Taken for Granted: Geographies of Social Welfare in South Africa.”

Geography Department Statement on Anti-Asian Violence and Racism

March 25, 2021

March 22, 2021

We are appalled by the spread of anti-Asian violence and racism this past year. This week saw the killing of 6 Asian women in the Atlanta area, as part of a murderous rampage that claimed 8 lives. Since the pandemic started, Asian Americans have increasingly been attacked and harassed with racial slurs, getting coughed and spat upon, and subjected to physical and deadly violence. From March 2020 to February 2021, nearly 3800 incidents of racism and hate against Asian Americans have been logged, and over 700 anti-Asian hate incidents in...

Extraordinary Teaching Awards for Desiree Fields, Diana Negrín and Emily Weiss

April 22, 2021

Three Geography Department instructors -- Dr. Diana Negrín, Emily Weiss, and Prof. Desiree Fields – were honored with this year’s Extraordinary Teaching in Extraordinary Times award. The award recognizes UC Berkeley faculty, staff, and student instructors who embraced the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, and engaged in or supported excellent teaching in 2020. These instructors and staff used innovative methods and worked beyond their traditional roles to ensure that students...

Geography Professor Jake Kosek awarded 2021 AC Excellence in Teaching Award

July 15, 2021

Professor Jake Kosek was selected as one of 2021's American Cultures Excellence in Teaching Award recipients, and is now featured on the AC Center website.

The American Cultures Center will also recognize Professor Kosek as a recipient of the 2021 AC Excellence in Teaching Award during the AC 30th Anniversary celebration on November 16, 4-6 pm at Doe Library in the Morrison Reading Room.

2021 AC Excellence in Teaching Award

Jake Kosek Geography 10AC...

Geography Professor Laurel Larsen explains how Data Science can help California's Drought in Q&A

July 29, 2021

Geography Professor Laurel Larsen explains how Data Science can help California's Drought in Q&A

California’s Drought is Getting Worse. In a Q&A, Laurel Larsen Explains How Data Science Can Help.

Rachel Leven

California is amidst a period of intensifying drought. As of July 8, Governor Gavin Newsrom (D-Calif.) had issued drought emergency declarations for 50 of the state...

Geography Alum Kaily Heitz (PhD 2021) interviewed on how concepts of Blackness and Black culture are deployed in the making and marketing of Oakland, California

September 12, 2021

Social Science Matrix interviews Kaily Heitz on her work on Black Oakland.

https://matrix.berkeley.edu/research-article/a-photographic-interview-ka...

Faculty member Desiree Fields testifies before the U.S. Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs

October 26, 2021

Faculty member Desiree Fields testified before the U.S. Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs committee this week.

Fields testified on the ways that private equity landlords are impacting the U.S. housing market.

For more, including a transcript of the testimony, see here.

https://www.banking.senate.gov/...

Graduate students April and Bobby publish Black Geographies Library Guide

January 14, 2022

Graduate students april l. graham-jackson and Robert Moeller publish Black Geographies Library Guide

Dear Geography community,

April and I are excited to report that the Black Geographies library guide we composed last semester is finally published and live on the Berkeley Library website! Please use the link embedded above to review the guide.

Our purpose in creating...

Geography Professor Jake Kosek discusses "Worldings: Regions, Peoples, and States" on Berkeley Pedagogy Podcast

December 1, 2021

Geography Professor Jake Kosek discusses Worldings: Regions, Peoples, and States on Berkeley Pedagogy Podcast

Check out Jake’s interview and discussion on Worldings: Regions, Peoples, and States with the Berkeley Pedagogy Podcast, where he discusses Geography 10AC and the radical possibilities of teaching. This interview comes off the back of Jake...

In Memory: Late Professor Emeritus of Geography, Paul Groth

January 11, 2022

Paul Groth

Paul Groth (1949-2022)

Dr. Paul Groth passed away at the age of 72 on January 16, 2022 in Berkeley, California. Paul was a beloved friend, son, brother, cousin, brother-in-law, and uncle.

Paul joined UC Berkeley faculty in 1983 and spent much of his career studying architecture that organized the lives of low-income and working class people. His overarching...