325 Ashley Oak Lanedepartment of Geography

JOSEPH RANSFORD OPPONG

325 Ashley Oak LaneDepartment of Geography

Lake Dallas, TexasUniversity of NorthTexas

75065 P.O. Box 305279

Home: (940) 321-3330 Denton, Texas76203-5279

E-MAIL: ffice: (940) 565-2181

EDUCATION

1992 Ph.D. Department of Geography, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada

1986M. A. Department of Geography, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada

1982B. A. (Hons.) University of Ghana, Legon

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

2011 to nowAssociate Dean, Toulouse Graduate School, University of North Texas.

2009 to 2011Interim Associate Dean, Toulouse School of Graduate Studies, UNT.

2008 to presentProfessor of Geography, University of North Texas, Denton Texas

2008 to present Adjunct Professor of Environmental Health, University of North Texas Health Sciences Center, Fort Worth, TX

2002 to 2008Adjunct Associate Professor, University of North Texas Health Sciences Center, Fort Worth, TX

1998 to 2008Associate Professor, University of North Texas, Denton Texas

1992-1998Assistant Professor, University of North Texas, Denton Texas

1991-1992Instructor, Department of Geography, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta Canada

1990-1991 Visiting Instructor, Department of Geography, The University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA

PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITIES

A.Offices and Committee Assignments in Professional Organizations

Member of Editorial Board, The Professional Geographer, 2005-2011.

Member of Editorial Board, African Geographical Review, 2003-2007, 2007-2011, 2011-2015.

Steering Committee Member and US Representative, International Geographers Union (IGU) Commission on Health and Environment (CHE), 2000-2004, 2004-2008, 2008-2012.

Panelist, National Science Foundation, Graduate Research Fellowship, 2014-2016

Panelist, National Science Foundation, Coupled Natural and Human Systems, 2013.

Panelist, National Science Foundation (NSF) Geography and RegionalScience Program Doctoral Dissertation Research Improvement AdvisoryPanel, 2007-2008.

Reader/Scorer, College Board Advanced Placement Human Geography June 2007 - now.

Member of Scientific Board. 12th International Symposium in Medical Geography, Bonn, Germany July 9-13, 2007.

Organizer and Chair of Planning and Local Arrangements Committee, 11th International Medical Geography Symposium, Ramada Plaza Hotel, Fort Worth, TX, 2004-2005.

Participant, PanDefense 1.0.Closed Workshop of 49 invited international experts on the global threat of Pandemic Influenza. Hotel Sofitel, SanFrancisco:November9-12, 2005.

Chair, Medical Geography Specialty Group, Association of American Geographers, 2002-2005

Chair, Africa Specialty Group, Association of American Geographers,1999-2002

Board Member, Medical Geography Specialty Group of the Association of American Geographers,1997 to 2000

Director, Africa Specialty Group of the Association of American Geographers, 1994-97

Member, Jacquez May Thesis/Dissertation Award in Medical Geography Committee, 1997

Member, 1997 AAG Annual Meeting Local Arrangements Committee, 1996-97.

B.Administrative Accomplishments as Associate Dean TGS

• Established professional development workshops for UNT graduate students modelled after Michigan State’s Planning, Resilience, Engagement and Professionalism (PREP). Currently offer about 3 workshops weekly – face to face and live stream.

• Established Thesis/Dissertation Boot Camps to provide concentrated writing time and dedicated support for graduate students. Currently one boot camp each month serves about 30 students.

• Established the Graduate Students Teaching Excellence Program (G-STEP) to prepare graduate students for teaching roles in higher education by equipping them with teaching skills, knowledge about teaching strategies, and peer support. Currently, GSTEP is run by CLEAR and serves about 120 students. Graduates from GSTEP continue to win teaching awards.

• Established Graduate Research and Fellowship Training program to provide training and support to graduate students to seek and obtain funding to support their research scholarship. Working with Office for Nationally Competitive Scholarships, this program selects and provides intensive grant writing training and mentoring to apply for nationally competitive scholarships. The yield rate is about 40%, includingNSF Graduate Research Fellowship, Rotary and Fulbright.

• Established the 3-Minute Thesis Competition at UNT. Obtained $5,000.00 in private donation to fund the awards – winner received $3,000.00, and will represent UNT at Council of Southern Graduate Schools 3MT competition in Charlotte, NC. Currently 2 competitions each year – Fall for doctoral students, Spring for Masters.

• Working with the Office for Research and Economic Development, established UNT’s RCR policy for graduate students. Obtained $300,000 National Science Foundation grant to develop Responsible Conduct in Research program using a gaming approach. Two games have been developed and have been played by graduate students at UNT, TWU and University of Northern Iowa. The goal is to develop 3 games for teaching research ethics to graduate students.

• Secured dedicated staff and services for graduate students at UNT Career Center, Learning Center, Writing Center (), UNT Libraries (Dr. Susan Smith),

PUBLICATIONS

[g = grant research]

A.Books

Oppong, J. R. 2010. Pandemics and Global Health. Philadelphia: Chelsea House Publishers.

Oppong, J. R. 2010. Sudan. Philadelphia: Chelsea House Publishers.

[g] Kalipeni E, J. R. Oppong and A. Zerai. (eds.) 2007. HIV/AIDS, gender, agency and empowerment issues in Africa. Social Science and Medicine 64(5).

Oppong, J. R. 2008. Rwanda. Philadelphia: Chelsea House Publishers.

Oppong, J. R. and T. Woodruff. 2007The Democratic Republic of the Congo.Philadelphia: Chelsea House Publishers.

Oppong, J. R. 2006. Africa South of the Sahara. Philadelphia: Chelsea House Publishers.

[g] Kalipeni, E., S. Craddock, J. R. Oppong, and J. Ghosh (eds.) 2004. HIV & AIDS in Africa: Beyond Epidemiology. Oxford, UK: Blackwell Publishing.

Oppong, J. R and E. D. Oppong. 2004. Kenya. Philadelphia: Chelsea House Publishers.

Oppong, J. R and E. D. Oppong. 2003. Ghana. Philadelphia: Chelsea House Publishers.

[g] Kalipeni, E. and J. R. Oppong (eds.) 1996. AIDS, Health Care Systems and Culture in Sub-Saharan Africa: Rethinking and Re-appraisal. East Lansing: MichiganStateUniversity Press.

B.Refereed Articles in Scholarly Journals

Oppong, J. R., Kwadwo Boakye, Regina Edziyie, Adobea Yaa Owusu &Chetan Tiwari (2016): Emergency fire response in Ghana: the case of fire stations in Kumasi,African Geographical Review, DOI: 10.1080/19376812.2016.1231616.

Briggle A, Holbrook JB, Oppong JR, Hoffmann J, Larsen EK, Pluscht P. 2015. Research Ethics Education in the STEM Disciplines: The Promises and Challenges of a Gaming Approach.Science and Engineering Ethics. 2016 Feb;22(1):237-50. doi: 10.1007/s11948-015-9624-6. Epub 2015 Feb 19.

Wu, Jianyong, Petra Tschakert, Erasmus Klutse, David Ferring, Vincent Ricciardi,Heidi Hausermann, Joseph Oppong, and Erica Smithwick. 2015. Buruli Ulcer Disease and Its Association withLand Cover in Southwestern Ghana. PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases. Available at:

Oppong, J. R., Jonathan Mayer and Eyal Oren. 2014. The global health threat of African urban slums: the example of urban tuberculosis. African Geographical Review, DOI: 10.1080/19376812.2014.910815.

Oppong, J. R., Libbey Kutch, Chetan Tiwari and Sonia Arbona. (2013). Vulnerable Places: Prison Locations, Socioeconomic Status and HIV Infection in Texas. Professional Geographer.Available at:

Oppong, J. R., Chetan Tiwari, Warangkana Ruckthongsook, Jody Huddleston and Sonia Arbona. 2012. Mapping Late Testers for HIV in Texas. Health and Place. Volume 18(3):568–575. Available at:

[g] Mensah, J., J. R. Oppong and C. M. Schmidt. 2010. Ghana’s National Health Insurance Scheme in the context of the health MDGS: an empirical evaluation using propensity score matching. Health Economics. 19: 95–106 (2010).

Oppong, J. R., C. Denton, P. K. Moonan and S. E. Weis. 2007. Foreign-Born Status and Geographic Patterns of Tuberculosis in Tarrant County, Texas. Professional Geographer 59(4):478-491.

[g] Kalipeni, E., J. R. Oppong, and A. Zerai. 2007. Introduction. HIV/AIDS, gender, agency and empowerment issues in Africa. Social Science and Medicine 64(5): 1015-1018

Moore, A. R. and J. R. Oppong. 2007. Sexual Risk Behavior Among People Living with HIV/AIDS in Togo.Social Science and Medicine64(5): 1057-1066.

Oppong, J. R. and C. Denton. 2006. HIV/AIDS Among Teens and Young Adults (13-24) in Dallas County, TX, 1999-2002. Public Health GIS News and Information 72:22-24.

Moonan, P. K., J. R. Oppong, B. Sahbazian, K. P. Singh, R. Sandhu, G. Drewyer, T. LaFon, M. Marruffo, T. N. Quitugua, C. Wallace and S. E. Weis. 2006. What is the Outcome of Location-Based Targeted Tuberculosis Screening Based on Universal Genotyping? American Journal of Respiratory Critical Care Medicine 174(5):599-604.

Reddy, S., D. Henry and J. R. Oppong. 2005. Diamonds and Political Instability in Africa. African Geographical Review 24: 51-70.

Oppong, J. R. and E. Kalipeni. 2005. The Geography of Landmines and Implications for Health and Disease in Africa. Africa Today 52(1):3-25.

Moonan, P. K., M. Bayona, T. N. Quitugua, J. R. Oppong, D. Dunbar, K. C. Jost, G. Burgess, K. P. Singh and S. E. Weis. 2004. Using GIS Technology to Identify Areas of Tuberculosis Transmission and Incidence.International Journal of Health Geographics 3(1):23-33.

Williamson, D. A, V. K. Pillai, G. Owusu and J. R. Oppong. 2004. Gender Differences in an Emerging Health Profession: Ghanaian Women as Itinerant Drug vendors. African and Asian Studies 3(1):77-91.

[g] Oppong, J. R. and D. A. Williamson. 2001. Locating Itinerant Drug Vendors in Ghana’s Health Care System. African Geographical Review 21:43-58.

[g] Oppong, J. R. 1998. A Vulnerability Interpretation of the Geography of HIV/AIDS in Ghana, 1986-95. Professional Geographer 50(4):437-448.

Kalipeni, E. and J. R. Oppong. 1998. The Refugee Crisis in Africa and Implications for Health and Disease: A Political Ecology Approach. Social Science and Medicine 46(12):1637-1653.

Oppong, J. R. and M. J. Hodgson. 1998. An Interaction-based Location-Allocation Model for Health Facilities to Limit the Spread of HIV-AIDS in West Africa. Applied Geographic Studies 2(1):29-41.

Oppong, J. R. 1997. Obstacles to Acceptance of Location-Allocation Models in Health Care Planning in Africa. East African Geographical Review Journal 19(2):1-10.

Oppong, J. R. 1996. Accommodating the Rainy Season in Third World Location-Allocation Applications. Socio-Economic Planning Sciences 30(2):121-137.

[g] Oppong, J. R. and D. A. Williamson. 1996. Health Care Between the Cracks: Itinerant Drug Vendors and HIV-AIDS in West Africa. African Rural and Urban Studies 3(2):13-34.

[g] Oppong, J. R. and E. Kalipeni. 1996. A Cross Cultural Perspective on AIDS in Africa: A Response to Rushing. African Rural and Urban Studies 3(2):91-112.

[g] Kalipeni, E and J. R. Oppong 1996. Rethinking and Re-Appraising AIDS, Health Care Systems and Culture in Sub-Saharan Africa. African Rural and Urban Studies 3(2):7-11.

Oppong, J. R. and J. R. Toledo. 1995. The Human Factor and the Quality of Health Care. Review of Human Factor Studies 1:80-90.

Oppong, J. R. and M. J. Hodgson. 1994. Improving Spatial Accessibility to Health Care Facilities in Suhum District, Ghana. Professional Geographer 46(2):199-209.

Hodgson, M. J. and J. R. Oppong. 1989. Some Efficiency and Equity Effects of Boundaries in Location-Allocation Models. Geographical Analysis 21(2):167-178.

Oppong, J. R., R. G. Ironside and L. W. Kennedy. 1988. Perceived Quality of Life in a Center-Periphery Framework. Social Indicators Research 20:605-620. Also published in Edmonton Area Series 52, Population Research Laboratory, University of Alberta, Edmonton.

Oppong J. R. and R. G. Ironside. 1987. Growth Center Policy and the Quality of Life. Canadian Journal of RegionalScience X:3:281-299.

Oppong J. R. and R. G. Ironside. 1987. Objective and Subjective Indicators of the Quality of Life: A Northern Alberta Case Study. B.C. Geographical Series 45, Occasional Papers in Geography.

C.Book Chapters

Oppong, Joseph R., Stephanie Heald, Warankana Ruckthongsook, and Chetan Tiwari. 2017. Spatial Analysis of HIV/AIDS Survival in Dallas County, Texas. In Daniel Harrington, Sara McLafferty and Susan Elliott (eds). Population Health Intervention Research – Geographical Perspectives. New York: Routledge. pp. 48-64.

Oppong, J. R. 2015. Innovation, Science and Technology: Regional Networks for Research and Technology Development in Africa. In K. T. Hansen (Ed.) Contemporary Regional

Development in Africa. Burlington:Ashgate Publishing Limited. pp. 159-180.

Oppong, Joseph R. and Katherine Lester. 2015. HIV/AIDS, African Perspectives. In J. Britt Holbrook (ed.) Ethics, Science, Technology, and Engineering: A Global Resource. 2nd ed. Vol. 2. Farmington Hills, MI: Macmillan Reference USA, 2015. 459-464. Gale Virtual Reference Library.

Oppong, Joseph and Jody Huddleston. 2014. Disease Ecology. In The Wiley Blackwell Encyclopedia of Health, Illness, Behavior, and Society. Published Online: 21 FEB 2014. DOI: 10.1002/9781118410868.wbehibs186.

Oppong, J. R and S. Agyei-Mensah. (2014). The changing medical geography of Africa. In Paul W.K. Yankson , George Owusu, Samuel Agyei-Mensah & Emmanuel M. Attua (eds). Selected Readings in Geography:Essays in Commemoration of the 65th Anniversary of the University of Ghana.

Oppong, J. R. and Jody Huddleston. (2014). Disease Ecology. In Tim Brown and Sara McLafferty (eds.) Encyclopedia of Health and Society. Elsevier.

Aggrey-Korsah, Emmanuel H. and Joseph R. Oppong. (2013). Researching Urban Slum Health in Nima, Accra. In Spatial Inequalities, Health, Poverty, and Place in Accra, Ghana. John Weeks, Alan Hill, and Justin Stoler (Eds.): GeoJournal Library, Vol. 110:109-124.

Oppong, J. R. and B. Ofori-Amoah. 2012. Ghana: Prospects for Secondary School GIS Education in Developing Country. In A. Milson, A. Demirci, and J. J. Kerski. (Eds.)

International Perspectives on Teaching and Learning with GIS. Springer.

Aldo Aviña, Chetan Tiwari, Phillip Williamson, Joseph Oppong and Sam Atkinson. 2011. A Spatially Explicit Environmental Health Surveillance Framework for Tick-Borne Diseases. In Juliana A. Maantay and Sara McLafferty (eds) Geospatial Analysis of Environmental Health Geotechnologies and the Environment, 2011, Volume 4, Part 3, 357-371, DOI: 10.1007/978-94-007-0329-2_18.

Oppong, J. R. and Adam Harold. 2010. Disease, Ecology and Environment. In Tim Brown, Sarah McLafferty and Graham Moon (eds). A Companion to Health and Medical Geography. Chichester, West Sussex, UK: Blackwell-Wiley.

Mensah, J., J. R. Oppong and C. M. Schmidt, 2010. Ghana’s Health Insurance Scheme in the Context of the Health MDGs. RUHR Economic Papers #157.

Oppong, J. R. 2010. Culture, Conflict and Change in Sub-Saharan Africa. In: S. Aryeetey Attoh (ed.) Geography of Sub-Saharan Africa, Third Edition. New York: Prentice Hall, pp. 151-177.

Oppong, J. R. 2010. Transport, Communication and information technologies in Sub-Saharan Africa. In: S. Aryeetey Attoh (ed.) Geography of Sub-Saharan Africa, Third Edition. New York: Prentice Hall, pp. 243-264.

Oppong, J. R. 2010. Medical Geography of Sub-Saharan Africa. In: S. Aryeetey Attoh (ed.) Geography of Sub-Saharan Africa, Third Edition. New York: Prentice Hall, pp. 333-365.

Kalipeni, E., J. R. Oppong and J. Ghosh. 2008. Africa’s Globalization: Colonial Labor Economy, Migration and HIV/AIDS. In Pope, C., R. White, and R. Malow, eds. 2008. HIV/AIDS: Frontiers in Global Prevention/Intervention. Routledge Publishers.

Oppong, J. R. and Charles J. Blocker. 2007. Burkina Faso. In David Levinson and Karen Christensen (eds.) Global perspectives on the United States: A Nation by Nation Survey. Great Barrington, MA: Berkshire Publishing. Vol. 1: pp 76-79.

Oppong, J. R. and Joyce Kwok. 2007. Burundi. In David Levinson and Karen Christensen (eds.) Global perspectives on the United States: A Nation by Nation Survey. Great Barrington, MA: Berkshire Publishing. Vol. 1: pp 80-82.

Oppong, J. R. 2007. Gabon. In David Levinson and Karen Christensen (eds.) Global perspectives on the United States: A Nation by Nation Survey. Great Barrington, MA: Berkshire Publishing. Vol. 1: pp 232-234.

Oppong, J. R. and Anina Imhof. 2007. The Gambia. In David Levinson and Karen Christensen (eds.) Global perspectives on the United States: A Nation by Nation Survey. Great Barrington, MA: Berkshire Publishing. Vol. 1: pp 235-237.

Oppong, J. R. and Anina Imhof. 2007. Rwanda. In David Levinson and Karen Christensen (eds.) Global perspectives on the United States: A Nation by Nation Survey. Great Barrington, MA: Berkshire Publishing. Vol. 1: pp 542-545.

Oppong, J. R. 2007. Mali. In David Levinson and Karen Christensen (eds.) Global perspectives on the United States: A Nation by Nation Survey. Great Barrington, MA: Berkshire Publishing. Vol. 2: pp 398-401.

Kalipeni, E., J. R. Oppong and B. Ofori-Amoah. 2006. Trajectories of Modern African Geography. In: P. T. Zeleza (ed.) The Study of Africa, Volume 1: Disciplinary and Interdisciplinary Encounters. Dakar: Council for the Development of Social Science Research in Africa (Codesria) Book Series, pp. 233-273.

Oppong, J. R. and S. M. Garcia. 2004. Geographic Information Systems Perspective on Black American Health. In: I. L. Livingston (ed.) Praeger Handbook of Black American Health: Policies and Issues Behind Disparities in Health, Volume 2, pp. 740-756.

Oppong, J. R. 2004. Ghana: Internal, International and Transnational Migration. In: M. I. Toro-Morn. and M. Alicea (eds.) Migration and Immigration: A Global View. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press, pp. 81-95.

[g] Oppong, J. R. and E. Kalipeni. 2004. Perceptions and Misperceptions of AIDS in Africa. In: Kalipeni, Craddock, Oppong and Ghosh (eds.). HIV and AIDS in Africa: Beyond Epidemiology, pp. 47-57.

[g] Oppong, J. R. and S. Agyei-Mensah. 2004. HIV/AIDS in West Africa: The Case of Senegal, Ghana and Nigeria. In: Kalipeni, Craddock, Oppong and Ghosh (eds.)HIV and AIDS in Africa: Beyond Epidemiology, pp. 70-82.

[g] Oppong, J. R. and J. Ghosh. 2004. Concluding Remarks: Beyond Epidemiology. In: Kalipeni, Craddock, Oppong and Ghosh (eds.). HIV and AIDS in Africa: Beyond Epidemiology, pp. 323-326.

Kalipeni, E., J. R. Oppong and B. Ofori-Amoah. 2003. Geography of Africa. In: G. L. Gaile and C. J. Wilmott (eds.) Geography in America at the Dawn of the 21st Century. New York: OxfordUniversity Press, pp. 565-585.

Oppong, J. R. 2003. Savanna. In: P. T. Zeleza and D. Eyoh (eds.) Encyclopedia of Twentieth-Century African History. London and New York: Routledge, pp. 475-477.

Oppong, J. R. 2003. Culture, Conflict and Change in Sub-Saharan Africa. In: S. Aryeetey-Attoh (ed.) Geography of Sub-Saharan Africa, Second Edition. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education, pp. 134-164.

Oppong, J. R. 2003. Transport and Communication in Sub-Saharan Africa: Digital Bridges over Spatial Divides. In: S. Aryeetey-Attoh (ed.) Geography of Sub-Saharan Africa, Second Edition. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education, pp. 232-253.

Oppong, J. R. 2003. Medical Geography of Sub-Saharan Africa. In: S. Aryeetey-Attoh (ed.) Geography of Sub-Saharan Africa, Second Edition. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education, pp. 324-362.

Oppong, J. R. 2001. Structural Adjustment and the Health Care System. In: K. Konadu-Agyeman (ed.) IMF and World Bank Sponsored Structural Adjustment Programs in Africa. Aldershot: Ashgate, pp. 357-370.

Oppong, J. R. 2001. Culture Regions. In: R. Sumner (ed.) World Geography. Pasadena: Salem Press, pp. 1021-1045.

Oppong, J. R. 2001. Transportation. In: R. Sumner (ed.) World Geography. Pasadena: Salem Press, pp. 1114-1122.

Oppong, J. R. 1998. African Traditional Medicine: Dangerous, Anachronistic or Panacea. In: S. Adjibolosoo and B. Ofori-Amoah (eds.) Addressing Misconceptions About Africa’s Development.Lewiston: Edwin Mellen Press, pp. 97-111.

Oppong, J. R. 1997. The Geography of Health and Disease in Texas. In: D. Lyons and P. Hudak (eds.) Geographic Perspectives on the Texas Region. Association of American Geographers, pp.49-56.

Oppong, J. R. 1997. Medical Geography of Sub-Saharan Africa. In: S. Aryeetey-Attoh (ed.) The Geography of Sub-Saharan Africa. Prentice Hall, pp. 147-179.

Oppong, J. R. 1997. Culture, Conflict and Change in Sub-Saharan Africa. In: S. Aryeetey-Attoh (ed.) The Geography of Sub-Saharan Africa. Prentice Hall, pp. 86-118.

Oppong J. R. and J. Mensah. 1995. The Canadian Health System: Lessons from Alberta for the United States. In: S. Eve, S. Ingman, and B. Haven (eds.) Canadian Health Care System: Lessons for the United States. New York: University Press of America, pp. 173-192.

D.Book Reviews

Oppong, J. R. 2000. In the Blood – Sickle Cell Anemia and the Politics of Race, by Melbourne Tapper, University of Pennsylvania Press, Philadelphia, 1999, 163 pp. Social Science and Medicine 50(12):1880-81.

Oppong, J. R. 1996. AIDS in Africa: Its Present and Future Impact, by Tony Barnett and Piers Blaikie. Guilford Press, New York, 1992. 193 pp. Social Science and Medicine 43(2):278-279.

E.Conference Proceedings Papers

[g] Oppong, J. R. and M. Ji. 2001. A Geographic Information Systems Approach to Buruli Ulcer Research. Papers and Proceedings of the Applied Geography Conferences 24:192-200.