The overall mission of the Department of Geography is to conduct theoretical and applied geographic research in a dynamic and responsive manner that educates and inspires students to become critical and committed citizens who contribute to solutions for our planet.
Department head: Brian King
Associate Head of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion: Bronwen Powell
Associate Head of Undergraduate Programs: Chris Fowler
Associate Head of Resident Graduate Programs: Trevor Birkenholtz
Director of Online Geospatial Education: Anthony Robinson
Degrees offered: B.S., B.A., M.S., M.GIS, Ph.D., minors, and certificates
Visit Department Website: https://geog.psu.edu
A large-format map created by Penn State students now hangs in a California theater as a tribute to conservationist David Myers, while also reflecting the growing impact of donor support on the Department of Geography’s GeoGraphics Lab.
Penn State has announced academic promotions for tenured and tenure-line faculty members at Penn State, effective July 1, 2026.
For Sailor Walter, undergraduate research offered a chance to move beyond classroom discussion and study a complex issue close to home. Walter, who recently earned a bachelor of science degree in geography from Penn State, is from the Pittsburgh area and spent the spring semester working with Jennifer Baka, associate professor of geography, on research related to the petrochemical industry in Western Pennsylvania.
Penn State Sustainability has announced the 2026 recipients of its annual awards. These accolades, including the John Roe Sustainability Impact Award and the Student Sustainability Advisory Council Tree Award, commend the extraordinary contributions of students in spearheading sustainability initiatives.
When Isabel Rivera arrived at Penn State, she did not expect undergraduate research to become such a defining part of her college experience. Now, as she prepares to graduate this month, the senior double majoring in geography in the College of Earth and Mineral Sciences and community, environment and development (CED) in the College of Agricultural Sciences said research helped give her both direction and a clearer sense of the kind of work she hopes to pursue next.
Jimmy Kroon’s work at the Delaware Department of Agriculture has changed over the years, but the focus has stayed rooted in the same place: helping people solve problems. Kroon, a Penn State alumnus who earned his master of geographic information systems (MGIS) in 2011, recently was appointed deputy secretary of the Delaware Department of Agriculture after more than two decades with the agency.
Penn State's College of Earth and Mineral Sciences (EMS) recognized exceptional students and faculty for their academic excellence, service and leadership during its annual Wilson Awards Celebration, held on March 29. The Wilson Awards are named in honor of Matthew and Anne Wilson, major benefactors of the college.
As he prepares to graduate in May, James Rowley is completing an honors thesis focused on one of the most remote and rapidly changing places on Earth: Antarctica. A Penn State Schreyer Honors Scholar majoring in geography and economics with a certificate in geographic information science, Rowley is studying uncertainty in satellite estimates of Antarctic surface hydrology as an undergraduate research assistant in Penn State’s Cryosphere and Climate Lab, led by Luke Trusel, associate professor of geography.
The Communication, Science & Society Initiative (CSSI), a research partnership between Penn State’s Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences and the Department of Communication Arts and Sciences in the College of the Liberal Arts, has announced the grant recipients from its 2025 request for proposals.
Jazmyn Clark did not come to Penn State planning to study geography, and she did not picture herself building a career in GIS. She arrived with a different major in mind and a clear idea of what her future was supposed to look like.
