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August 11, 2016
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Geography in Action
Mekong River dams raise concerns in Southeast Asia
The Mekong River (Tang ChhinSothy/AFP/Getty Images)
Laos is moving forward with plans to build the Don Sahong dam on the Mekong River, despite concerns that the project could put fisheries and other resources at risk. One study found that dams on the river could lead to a sharp drop in rice production in the Mekong Delta region.
The New York Times (free-article access for SmartBrief readers)/The Associated Press (8/8)
Do GIS pros need programming skills?
College graduates who complement their GIS knowledge with programming skills can be especially valuable to employers, said John Gabriel, co-owner of Alsea Geospatial. However, a recent analysis of 55 geography departments found that only 10% of GIS-focused undergraduate degrees require students to take programming courses.
Directions Magazine (8/10)
Other News
- Geography professor discusses diversity in the great outdoorsOutside Magazine online (8/8)
Research, Education and Global Change
Park service readies response to climate change
National parks -- and the plants and animals that live in them -- could face challenges related to climate change in the coming years. The National Park Service conducted a five-year study on mammals known as pikas and is reconsidering its conservation strategy as it attempts to deal with environmental changes.
SmithsonianMag.com (8/8)
Greenland's warming temperatures may prompt release of frozen toxic waste
Warming temperatures in Greenland could cause Cold War-era toxic waste buried under the ice to be released, according to a study published in Geophysical Research Letters. Camp Century was a military base built under the ice by the US Army Corps of Engineers in 1959, and large amounts of fuel, chemicals and wastewater were left behind when the site was decommissioned in 1967.
LiveScience.com (8/5)
Evidence of ancient flood uncovered in China
Scientists have uncovered evidence that the myth that an enormous flood spawned China's Xia dynasty isn't just legend, according to a paper published in the journal Science. Geologists, historians and archaeologists worked together to determine a massive flood occurred around 1,922 B.C., around the time Emperor Yu is said to have founded civilization in China.
BBC (8/4),The Washington Post (tiered subscription model) (8/4)
Other News
- A look at summer Olympics medals awarded from 1896-2012Geographical magazine online (UK) (8/5)
Technology and Applications
Geospatial professionals tapping into BIM
Building information modeling is increasingly a valuable tool for geospatial professionals, who can use it to deepen their knowledge of building construction, writes Ron Bisio, vice president at Trimble Geospatial. "By blending geospatial data with systems for communication, analysis and information exchange, BIM provides new levels of efficiency and flexibility throughout the building life cycle," Bisio writes.
SmartDataCollective.com (8/3)
Other News
- Interactive graphic shows global shipping trafficFastCoExist (8/8)
Association News
AAG Releases New Edition of Guide to Geography Programs
The AAG Guide to Geography Programs in the Americas, or The Guide, includes detailed information on undergraduate and graduate geography programs in the United States, Canada, and Latin America, including degree requirements, curricula, faculty qualifications, program specialties, financial assistance, and degrees completed. The 2015-2016 edition of The Guide is now available as a free PDF document. The AAG has also published an interactive, companion map where users can search for programs by location, degree type, field of interest, and regional focus. Learn more.
The Chinatown Atlas
In this first installment of the Focus on Boston series, Tunney Lee introduces readers to the Chinatown Atlas, a website that "tells the story of the development of Boston's Chinatown (in the changing context of immigration and the physical and social growth of Boston and the region)." Lee explains that the Atlas "uses a combination of text, photo, maps, and stories to track the complexity of the changes." Read more.
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There is no easy walk to freedom anywhere, and many of us will have to pass through the valley of the shadow of death again and again before we reach the mountaintop of our desires.
Nelson Mandela,
activist and political leader