Geography Department

College of the Sciences
Ellensburg
Dean Hall, room 301
Mail Stop 7420
509-963-1188
Fax: 509-963-1047
https://www.cwu.edu/academics/geography/

Faculty and Staff
Chair
Michael Pease, PhD

Professors
John Bowen, PhD, economic geography, transportation geography, Asia
Elvin E. Delgado, PhD, political ecology, energy and capitalism, political economy and nature, critical resource geography, health geography
Robert Hickey, PhD, environmental impacts, coastal zones, GIS, Australia
Karl Lillquist, PhD, physical geography, geomorphology, soils, environmental change in arid and alpine watersheds
Michael Pease, PhD, water resources, watershed planning and analysis, environmental law
Megan Walsh, PhD, biogeography, paleoecology, NW fire history, climate change

Associate Professors
Jennifer Lipton, PhD, cultural ecology, remote sensing, climate change, Latin America
Sterling Quinn, PhD, GIS-geographic information systems, crowdsourced data, critical cartography, Latin America
Craig Revels, PhD, cultural-historical geography, landscape, Latin America

Senior Lecturers
Holly English, MS, environmental policy and energy resources
Elaine Glenn, MS, political geography, world regional geography, Middle East, Russia

Emeritus Faculty
Dee Eberhart, MA
Anthony Gabriel, PhD
Kenneth Hammond, PhD
James Huckabay, PhD
Nancy Hultquist, PhD
Robert Kuhlken, PhD
John Ressler, PhD
Morris Uebelacker, PhD

Staff
David Cordner, instructional and classroom support technician III
Monica Reece-Bruya, secretary senior

Department Information
An understanding of geography is integral to an educated person’s ability to live and act effectively in today’s changing world. Abroad range of human, environmental, and technological factors are at work shaping the future of our planet, and it is the mission of the department of geography to prepare students to be active participants in that emerging future. Geography’s traditional concern with human-environment interactions, the interrelationships between places, and the associated impacts and problems of these processes provides important insights into today’s complex societal challenges. the department emphasizes critical thinking and applied approaches to analysis, while providing our graduates with the skills necessary to deal with issues at scales ranging from local to global.

Courses in the department of geography introduce students to world regions such as Asia and Latin America while also providing a fuller understanding for the patterns and relationships of our home region, the Pacific Northwest. We emphasize field learning and a holistic approach to the physical and societal characteristics of places. Majors in geography hone their written, verbal, and map communication skills while gaining proficiency in specialized tools such as geographic information systems (GIS) and remote sensing technology. Skills in geospatial analysis are useful in addressing a wide range of problems, from choosing a location for a neighborhood coffee shop to minimizing damage from wildfire to assessing the likely impacts of climate change.

The department maintains a state-of-the-art lab for instruction in GIS, air photo interpretation, remote sensing, and quantitative methods. Students also learn from and collaborate with faculty members in the department’s well-equipped soils, paleoecology, and hydrology labs. The department also encourages students to connect their geography training with related university programs, especially those in which the department is an active participant, including : Environmental Studies, Energy Studies, Asia Studies, Latin American Studies, International Studies and Programs, and the Resource Management Graduate Program.

Upon graduation, geography majors work in a wide range of careers, with particular success in geospatial data analysis (e.g. computer mapping and GIS), urban and regional planning, and employment in local, state, and federal government agencies. In addition, the interdisciplinary nature of geography provides many other opportunities for our majors, including graduate school.

All students who wish to major in geography must:

have a 2.25 minimum GPA in all coursework taken up to the time of admission;
apply for acceptance into the geography major;
upon acceptance into the program, meet with their assigned advisor to develop a major contract; and
earn a C- or higher grade in each of the courses in their major contract.

Course Offerings
Frequency of course offering information can be found at the department website: https://www.cwu.edu/academics/geography/ or by contacting the department directly.