KU: Department of Geography

I got a dual B.A. at KU in geography and German. Pete Shortridge was my mentor for an honors thesis on the historical geography of a German town in north-central Kansas. After graduation, I took a year to do a graduate direct exchange at the University of Erlangen, Germany, where I dabbled in geography, history and politics. If KU still offers these scholarships, they are an excellent way for students to get some international experience in that period of uncertainty that inevitably comes after graduating. That year abroad also led directly to my first job as a media analyst at the German Embassy in Washington, DC. In that role, I called upon my general geography skills on a daily basis.

After three years in Washington, I decided to return to school. While considering a variety of grad school options, I came to the conclusion that geography offers really powerful tools for understanding our complex and dynamic world, despite its so-so reputation among the non-converted. Pete Shortridge called my attention to the department at Oregon, where I have now completed my M.A. and Ph.D. under the supervision of Prof. Alec Murphy.

I began a tenure-track position in political geography at UNC-Greensboro in August 2008. This is a rapidly growing department with a relatively new Ph.D. program, and thus an exciting place to begin my career.

I'm happy to chat with KU folk interested in geography careers.

Corey Johnson
University of Oregon
corey_johnson@uncg.edu