Dear geographers,

On July 21, 1944, the UK Board of Trustees unanimously approved the recommendation by President Herman L. Donovan to create a Department of Geography at the University of Kentucky. Citing the University of Wisconsin, Johns Hopkins, Clark, and the University of Chicago as institutions with longstanding and important departments of geography, President Donovan asked the Board to consider the new urgency of the field in the wake of the Second World War: “This field of knowledge has become an essential part of the liberal education of an educated citizen”.

As we round the corner on the 80th year of our Department of Geography, I invite you to reflect on the continued importance of geographic inquiry in a world that continues to confront social and environmental crises. We renew our efforts to ensure greater inclusion and belonging, to ask what does a geographic education enable? What impacts might Kentucky Geography make?

As we mark our 80th year, we recommit to ensuring that Kentucky Geography continues to be an important site to advance geographic perspectives on the issues that impact the Commonwealth and the world. Thank you for your support.

Sincerely,
Matt Wilson
Chair and Professor
 

Contact our Department Leadership

Department Chair: Prof Matt Wilson

Director of Graduate Studies: Prof Michael Samers
Director of Undergraduate Studies: Prof Andrew Wood

Department Manager: James Hands
GIS Program Coordinator: Jeff Levy

Elected Advisory Committee:
Dr Liang Liang
Prof Tad Mutersbaugh
Boyd Shearer