University of Louisville Geographic and Environmental Sciences

Congratulations to undergraduate student (and soon to be graduate) Dominic LaDuke! Check out his story via a Here and Beyond spotlight from University of Louisville College of Arts & Sciences.

Life-long dream within reach for UofL student Dominic LaDuke After a deadly tornado touched down near his hometown, UofL student Dominic LaDuke has been focused on the weather.

Mark your calendars! is excited to host Dr. Smita Ramnarain from the University of Rhode Island, who will speak on "Social reproduction, agrarian crisis, and work in rural India: Lessons from Punjab."

The talk will take place on Wednesday March 5th, 3:30-4:30 pm in BAB 125 (UofL Belknap Campus).

This event is co-sponsored by University of Louisville Geographic and Environmental Sciences, UofL Women's, Gender, and Sexuality Studies, and U of L Anne Braden Institute for Social Justice Research.

Abstract: The presentation will discuss findings from multiple rounds of field work in rural India – specifically in the state of Punjab – carried out over a period of several years, detailing the impacts of a long-standing agrarian crisis in the Indian subcontinent, and its consequent impacts on the social reproduction of rural families, distinguished by class, caste, and gender. The presentation argues for a greater consideration of non-waged and reproductive labor, especially in the context of the Global South and proposes understanding work through an expanded lens of social reproduction. Time-use data gathered from rural households in Punjab bolster the case for incorporating the labor of social reproduction as a significant axis to obtain a full picture of the lives and livelihoods of rural families in Punjab. The second part of the presentation will also unpack the pivotal role of this labor of social reproduction in the recent farmers’ protests in India and examines its potential to coalesce different and disparate struggles against capital. While the success of the farmers’ protests was promising, unresolved questions around rural inequality and the differentiated ways in which the crisis of social reproduction in the context of a generalized agrarian crisis has impacted rural families across class and caste must be taken seriously for any kind of sustained anti-capitalist struggle.

Our first DGES Seminar of the semester will feature Dr. Karen King, from the University of Tennessee.

It will take place on Monday January 27th, 3:30-5:00 pm in BAB 125.

Karen will present: Increasing prevalence of hot drought across western North America since the 16th century

Abstract: Across western North America (WNA), 20th-21st century anthropogenic warming has increased the prevalence and severity of concurrent drought and heat events, also termed hot droughts. However, the lack of independent spatial reconstructions of both soil moisture and temperature limits the potential to identify these events in the past and to place them in a longer-term context. In this lecture, I will discuss the development of the Western North American Temperature Atlas (WNATA), a data-independent 0.5° gridded reconstruction of summer maximum temperatures back to the 16th century based on tree-ring data. My team's evaluation of the WNATA with existing hydroclimate reconstructions reveals an increasing association between maximum temperature and drought severity in recent decades, relative to the past five centuries. The synthesis of these paleo-reconstructions from tree rings indicates that the amplification of the modern WNA megadrought by increased temperatures and the frequency and spatial extent of compound hot and dry conditions in the 21st century are likely unprecedented since at least the 16th century.

Calling all alum, friends, family, & lovers of all things ! It's time to ! You can contribute to our students via https://fundraising.louisville.edu until midnight tonight & spread the word through social media, email, phone, text. Thanks for your support!

Today at 2:30 pm! Check out the Alumni Career Panel, virtual via Teams.

Calling all alum, friends, family, and just lovers of and all things ! It's time to for our students! This is a special opportunity for all of us to make a difference! Each year, we rely on department gift funds to support our students’ academic activities, such as conference travel. I strongly encourage everyone to (1) contribute to our department funds at https://fundraising.louisville.edu/ ; and (2) spread the word through social media, email, phone, text.

You can direct your donation to a specific department fund, including Geographic and Environmental Sciences Gift Fund, Geographic and Environmental Sciences DEI Fund (G3589), and Helton Geographic Info Sci Lab. These can be found under College of Arts and Sciences/A&S Departments (or A&S Additional Funds). You can also donate any time via https://louisville.edu/geogeo and the "Give Now" Banner. Thanks for your support!

Check out the first in our lineup of amazing speakers for the seminar series - Dr. Savannah Collins-Key. Hope to see you there! Tuesday 9/24 at 2:30 pm!

Mentored Undergraduate Research Grants at UofL!

This is your chance to gain funding to engage in creative research in the natural sciences, social sciences, or the humanities! Apply today for the opportunity to gain incredible experience that will advance your future career.

IMPORTANT NOTE: The due date for applications for funding for fall, spring, and summer combined is Oct. 15, 2024.

Apply today at the link:

Funds for Spring and Summer Projects will be deposited during the Spring semester. Summer projects must be presented at the late summer Research Day (end of July/beginning of August.) Spring projects must be presented at either the April Showcase or the late summer Research Day (end of July/beginning of August).

Check out this semester's line up for the DGES Seminar Series, starting on Tuesday September 24th with Dr. Savannah Collins-Key's presentation on "Millennial-length climate reconstructions for the Greater Yellowstone from Quantitative Wood Anatomy." All seminars will take place on UofL's Belknap Campus, in BAB131 at 2:30 pm eastern time. UofL Office of Community Engagement

Our next seminar will feature Dr. Aaron Comstock of UofL Anthropology, who will speak on in the Middle Ohio Valley

Check out this feature on major Austin Brimm:

Austin Brimm – University of Louisville | Here and Beyond His great-grandfather was in the Navy and both grandfathers served; one with the 101st Airborne Division during World War II made famous by the Band of Brothers miniseries. But he followed most closely in his father’s footsteps. The elder Brimm, Glenn Brimm ’00, attended UofL and was a member of...