TXST Geography & Environmental Studies

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TXST Geography & Environmental Studies Geography... without it, you'd be lost!

Dr. Hilary Ansah, who earned her Ph.D. in Geography, won the Graduate College's 2026-2027 Outstanding Dissertation Award...
10/14/2026

Dr. Hilary Ansah, who earned her Ph.D. in Geography, won the Graduate College's 2026-2027 Outstanding Dissertation Award in the Social Sciences, Business, and Education. Her dissertation, Gentrification, Foodscape, and Food Access: A Case Study of East Austin, Texas, was directed by Yongmei Lu, Ph.D.

Congratulations Dr. Ansah!

Geography and Environmental Studies faculty, students, and alumni attended the official ribbon cutting for the new weath...
10/12/2026

Geography and Environmental Studies faculty, students, and alumni attended the official ribbon cutting for the new weather station on the Round Rock campus on Friday, October 9. The 30-foot tower collects real-time weather and environmental data, including wind speed and direction, temperature, humidity, solar radiation, soil moisture, and rainfall. The station will enhance student learning, support research opportunities, strengthen community engagement, and contribute valuable data to regional forecasting efforts through TexMesonet.

The station is the product of GES faculty member Kenny L. Tapp’s hard work over the past year and a half. Prof. Tapp partnered with the LBJ Institute for STEM Education and Research, TexMesonet, the Texas Water Development Board, and the Texas State Round Rock campus to bring this to fruition. Real-time data will be available at https://www.geo.txst.edu/research/weather.html



🌎🏆 TXST GEOGRAPHY & ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES SWEEPS SWAAG! 🏆🌎What a weekend for the Texas State University Department of Ge...
10/05/2026

🌎🏆 TXST GEOGRAPHY & ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES SWEEPS SWAAG! 🏆🌎

What a weekend for the Texas State University Department of Geography & Environmental Studies!

The Southwest Division of the American Association of Geographers (SWAAG) brings together geographers and geography students from across the Southwest, providing opportunities to share research, compete in student paper and poster competitions, and test geographic knowledge in the GeoBowl.

And this year, TXST students made their mark across the board! 🐾🌎

🎓 GRADUATE PAPER COMPETITION
🥇 1st Place: Madeline Wade — TXST alumna
🥈 2nd Place: Fatema Tarin
🥉 3rd Place: Elizabeth Kubacki

📚 UNDERGRADUATE PAPER COMPETITION
🥈 2nd Place: Margo Harrison

📊 GRADUATE POSTER COMPETITION
🥇 1st Place: Md Munir Mahmud

📍 UNDERGRADUATE POSTER COMPETITION
🥇 1st Place: Zoe Cooper

🧠 GEOBOWL INDIVIDUAL COMPETITION
🥈 2nd Place: Brock Burford
🥈 2nd Place: Elizabeth Kubacki

🏆🌎 GEOBOWL TEAM CHAMPIONS
🥇 TXST WILDRICE!

From outstanding research presentations and posters to an impressive showing in the GeoBowl, our Bobcats demonstrated the depth, talent, and competitive spirit of TXST Geography & Environmental Studies.

👏 Congratulations to all of our students on an incredible showing at SWAAG! Your hard work, scholarship, and passion for geography make us proud.

What a way to represent Texas State! 🐾🌎🏆

🌎🧤 Calling all volunteers!Join us on Saturday, October 17, from 9–11 a.m. for the 2026 Fall Watershed Clean Up! 🌊Help pr...
10/02/2026

🌎🧤 Calling all volunteers!

Join us on Saturday, October 17, from 9–11 a.m. for the 2026 Fall Watershed Clean Up! 🌊

Help protect our local creeks and rivers by removing litter before it has a chance to enter our waterways through stormwater runoff. Every piece of trash we remove makes a difference! 💚

📅 Saturday, October 17, 2026
⏰ 9–11 a.m.
📍 Watersheds throughout San Marcos

Ready to get involved? Visit the volunteer sign-up page and choose the watershed where you’d like to help:
https://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/03f8daafcdf146668e7d5aa086064ef8

⚠️ If your preferred sign-up is full, email [email protected] by October 12 for assistance.

For additional information and updates, follow Keep San Marcos Beautiful on Facebook.

🌿 Grab your gloves, bring a friend, and help keep our waterways clean! 💧

🏆🌎 TXST GEOGRAPHY & ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES SWEEPS THE SWAAG GEOBOWL! 🌎🏆It was a Wild Rice night at the SWAAG GeoBowl! Con...
10/02/2026

🏆🌎 TXST GEOGRAPHY & ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES SWEEPS THE SWAAG GEOBOWL! 🌎🏆

It was a Wild Rice night at the SWAAG GeoBowl!

Congratulations to the Texas State University GeoBowl team for taking home the championship!

SWAAG GeoBowl Champions:
• Md Munir Mahmud
• Jong-Ku Park
• Elizabeth Kubacki
• Adriana Montoya
• Brock Burford
• Zoe Cooper
• Margo Harrison

The GeoBowl is a competitive geography trivia contest where university geography departments go head-to-head answering questions across the field of geography — and our Bobcats brought their A-game!

🥈 Individual Competition: Congratulations to Elizabeth Kubacki and Brock Burford, who tied for 2nd place in the individual competition! Both will represent SWAAG at the national AAG GeoBowl competition in New York City. 🗽 🌎

And a special shoutout to the 20+ TXST students who stayed late to cheer on their teammates. That Bobcat support was going strong all night! 🐾

Congratulations to our champions and everyone who helped make it such a memorable night!

Texas State Geography & Environmental Studies — SWAAG GeoBowl Champions!

🌎 Strengthening Global Food Security Through Geography & Environmental StudiesWe’re proud to reshare this reflection fro...
09/28/2026

🌎 Strengthening Global Food Security Through Geography & Environmental Studies

We’re proud to reshare this reflection from Ambassador Lynda Blanchard following her recent visit to Texas State University.

“It was inspiring to visit Texas State University and see how their dedicated faculty and strong leadership are driving resource-efficient agriculture, which has applications in some of the world’s most challenging situations.”

Ambassador Blanchard highlighted the TXST Geography & Environmental Studies Department’s work on drought in the Dry Corridor and the innovative practices taking place at Freeman Ranch—examples of how research, education, and collaboration can contribute to global food security.

We’re grateful for Ambassador Blanchard’s visit and her interest in the work being done by our faculty and students. We look forward to exploring opportunities to work together in the years to come! 🌱🌎

🎉 Congratulations, Brian Cooper! 🎉Last Thursday, Brian Cooper was presented with the Everette Swinney Faculty Senate Exc...
09/28/2026

🎉 Congratulations, Brian Cooper! 🎉

Last Thursday, Brian Cooper was presented with the Everette Swinney Faculty Senate Excellence in Teaching Award, recognizing his outstanding contributions to teaching and student success. We are proud to celebrate this well-deserved honor!

Each year, the Faculty Senate recognizes the Piper Professor nominee and up to two runners-up with the Everette Swinney Faculty Senate Excellence in Teaching Award. Award recipients receive an honorarium and commemorative plaque.

The award was named in 1996 in honor of Dr. Everette Swinney, a longtime Faculty Senate leader who served on the Senate for 16 years, including eight terms as Senate chair.

Please join us in congratulating Brian on this wonderful achievement!

🌳🚗 PARK(ING) DAY is coming to San Marcos! 🚗🌳Join the Texas State University Student Urban Planning Organization (SUPO) a...
09/25/2026

🌳🚗 PARK(ING) DAY is coming to San Marcos! 🚗🌳

Join the Texas State University Student Urban Planning Organization (SUPO) and the City of San Marcos Planning & Development Services for the annual global Park(ing) Day celebration! 🌎🏙️

📅 Friday, September 25
⏰ 3:00–8:00 PM
📍 Parking spots in front of The Root Cellar Cafe
215 N. LBJ Dr., San Marcos

Park(ing) Day is a global event where communities temporarily transform on-street parking spaces into creative, vibrant public spaces. Come experience how a little parking space can become a place for creativity, connection, and community! 🌿🎨

Stop by for:
🎨 Chalk drawing competition
🏓 Lawn games
🥤 Snacks & drinks
💬 Conversations about the future of downtown San Marcos

Come hang out, get creative, and reimagine what our streets can be! 💚

📲 Follow for more information.

🌳📚 Dr. Jason P. Julian Hits the Road! 🌎The Geography & Environmental Studies Department is excited to celebrate Dr. Jaso...
09/25/2026

🌳📚 Dr. Jason P. Julian Hits the Road! 🌎

The Geography & Environmental Studies Department is excited to celebrate Dr. Jason P. Julian as he heads out on his first book signing and promotion tour for his new book, Stepping Outside: Nature and Society in Texas State Parks! 🎉📖

Throughout his tour, Dr. Julian will share stories and readings from the book while meeting readers and signing copies along the way.

📍 BOOK TOUR STOPS

🌵 Saturday, Sept. 26 — Abilene State Park
11:00–11:30 a.m. — Book presentation & Q&A
Book signing until 2:00 p.m.
Part of the Buffalo Soldiers Heritage Trails exhibition

🏜️ Sunday, Sept. 27 — Palo Duro Canyon State Park
1:00–5:00 p.m. — Book signing at the Visitor Center

🌾 Monday, Sept. 28 — Copper Breaks State Park
1:00–3:00 p.m. — Book signing

🌅 Tuesday, Sept. 29 — Caprock Canyons State Park
Time TBA — Book signing

🗺️ Sept. 30–Oct. 1 — SWAAG Conference
Texas Tech University
Book presentation & signing opportunities

🌊 Friday, Oct. 9 — Devils River State Natural Area – Dan Hughes Unit
1:00–3:00 p.m. — Official Grand Opening & book signing

From the Panhandle to the Hill Country and beyond, Dr. Julian's tour celebrates the natural, cultural, and environmental stories of Texas state parks—and the many ways these places connect people and nature. 🌿

We couldn't be more excited to see one of our own GES faculty members sharing his research, experiences, and love of Texas parks with communities across the state! 💚🌎

📖 Get your copy of Stepping Outside: Nature and Society in Texas State Parks:
Purchase the book from Texas A&M University Press https://www.tamupress.com/book/9781648433917/stepping-outside/

Congratulations and safe travels, Dr. Julian! We’re cheering you on every step of the way! 👏📚🌳

🌎 GES Faculty Meet with U.S. Ambassador Lynda BlanchardOn Wednesday, September 23, Geography & Environmental Studies fac...
09/25/2026

🌎 GES Faculty Meet with U.S. Ambassador Lynda Blanchard

On Wednesday, September 23, Geography & Environmental Studies faculty had the opportunity to meet with Ambassador Lynda Blanchard, U.S. Representative to the United Nations Agencies for Food and Agriculture, to learn more about U.S. Department of State priorities within the Dry Corridor of Central America.

The conversation explored opportunities for GES faculty to contribute their expertise toward understanding and addressing challenges related to:

🌡️ Climate-hazard modeling
🗺️ GIS-based early warning and decision support
🌎 Population mobility and migration
🌦️ Climate variability and its impacts on communities

We’re excited to see how the expertise of our GES faculty can contribute to research and partnerships addressing some of the complex environmental and human challenges facing communities across Central America.

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601 University Drive
San Marcos, TX
78666

Opening Hours

Monday 8am - 5pm
Tuesday 8am - 5pm
Wednesday 8am - 5pm
Thursday 8am - 5pm
Friday 9am - 5pm

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