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CSBS: 50 Years of Inspiring Solutions

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Geography

 


 

TOP 5 IN 50 YEARS



 


Mapping the past

Geographers explore important challenges impacting society and the environment. Our students learn how to identify and solve problems facing communities, at scales ranging from local to global. The environment, people, and their connections studied in Geography are essential for understanding complex issues like social inequality, climate change, and environmental hazards.

For the college's 50th anniversary we want to share five significant moments from our history. 

 

DIGIT Lab Founded

In 1987 Brian Haslam founded the DIGIT Lab as the hub for GIS projects and services at the University of Utah. DIGIT thrives today, providing both GIS services for a variety of organizations and valuable real-world experience for students. Brian Haslam went on to found Cityworks/Azteca Systems, the leader in GIS and public infrastructure management.  

Geography Comes Home to Gardner Commons


In 2018, the Department of Geography moved all of its offices and labs to the new Gardner Commons(GC) building. Orson Spencer Hall (OSH) was home to Geography offices and classes for nearly 50 years, but many Geography labs were located far from OSH. Offices and labs were finally united in the same building. Gardner Commons was specifically designed with students in mind, hosting 35 classrooms and many collaborative spaces.

Geography Success Story: Dale Quattrochi


Dr. Dale Quattrochi was a noted geographer and research scientist with a long career at the NASA Marshall Space Flight Center. His applied his extensive expertise on thermal infrared remote sensing to public health issues and the urban environment, improving our understanding of urban heat island effects. Dale was a recipient of the NASA Medal for Exceptional Scientific Achievement. He received his Ph.D. from the Department of Geography at the University of Utah in 1990.


New Degrees in Geographic Information Science (GIS)

Over the past 50 years, Geographic Information Science (GIS) has become a central part of the discipline of Geography. To appeal to students interested in specializing in GIS, the Department of Geography has started two new degree programs in the last decade. The Masters of Science in Geographic Information Science (MSGIS) began in 2013, and the Bachelors of Science in Geographic Information Science (BSGIS) began in 2018. Both degrees are designed to provide the GIS skills needed to further students’ careers.



Treasured Times

DON CURREY

 

Dr. Donald Currey was a professor in the Department of Geography from 1970 to 2004. Don’s research on the paleohistory of ancient Lake Bonneville examined the full history of the lake from its inception ~30,000 years ago to its current form as the Great Salt Lake. Don inspired generations of students and scholars, and his legacy continues within the department with a student scholarship and ongoing paleoenvironmental and geomorphology research. The RED (Records of Environment and Disturbance) Lab in the Department of Geography has a current project that was inspired by interactions with Don and continues his tradition of training students on the paleoenvironment of the Bonneville Basin.

  

At Badwater with Don CurrEy April 1978

 

 

Throwback Gallery 
Geography through the Years

Geography Faculty 1998 

Geography Department Faculty at Groundbreaking for new wing of Orson Spencer Hall, 1969 

Geography Faculty, 1982 

Chuck Wullstein and Geographers on a hike, 1987 

Last Updated: 6/8/21