4 - 8 p.m. PST
Join us for a special celebration of #GeoWeek and #GISDay hosted by the Geography department! This event features a series of inspiring speakers and a festive banquet. Come engage with experts, learn about the latest in geography and GIS, and enjoy an evening of networking and celebration.
Society & Environment: A Better World is Possible
National Geographic worked to create the Geography Awareness Week (#GeoWeek). Every year, thousands of people participate in the #GeoWeek. It was established by presidential proclamation (Proclamation 5700) in 1987. This annual public awareness program encourages citizens to think about the importance of spatial thinking and how we understand and affect space and how we are affected by it. Each November, the Program of Geography & Environmental Resources at California State University, Stanislaus (Stanislaus State) works to contribute to the dissemination of geography knowledge and the importance of geography (spatial reasoning) in other disciplines.
GIS stands for Geographic Information Systems. The #GISDay is a world-wide annual celebration taking place in the middle (Wednesday) of Geography Week. Since 1999, GIS Day has helped to learn about geography and spatial thinking. Similarly, it is a day to showcase the impact of GIS in our society.
This event, supported by several partners, brings a series of speakers and workshops to celebrate #GeoWeek and #GISDay. The speakers will share their work and how it is related to geography. Speakers will cover a wide range of topics. The public will have the opportunity to learn about the historical development of social, economic, and political disparities of the presented cases and ask questions and reflect on the importance of geography.
This event exposes the public to the value of transdisciplinary work, centering geography as an essential application not just in academia but also in everyday life. This event invites the audience to think about the importance and wide range of geography and how it relates to our everyday life.
Project Director: Dr. José R. Díaz Garayúa
Dr. José R. Díaz Garayúa (Ph.D. Geography, Kent State University) is Professor of Geography and serves as Director of GIS at California State University, Stanislaus. Dr. Díaz-Garayúa is the Principal Investigator at the Stanislaus State’s Smoke & Vape Free Scholars Initiative: Training the Next Generation of Tobacco Control Advocates in the San Joaquin Valley, a collaborative project with the University of California, Merced’s Nicotine and Cannabis Policy Center.
Project Coordinator: Matthew Derrick
Matthew Derrick (Ph.D. Geography, University of Oregon) is Director of Social Sciences and Associate Dean of the Stockton Campus. He also holds two master's degrees from the University of Oregon, one in Geography and the other in Russian Studies. Matt's teaching and research interests are fundamentally informed by his experience (approximately a decade total) living, working, studying, researching, and carousing in Russia and other Eurasian countries, including Kyrgyzstan, Estonia (where he served in the Peace Corps), and Slovakia. Dr. Derrick is a two-time Fulbright scholar.
Program Schedule
Make the most of your visit and attend one of our informative sessions and workshops covering essential topics for students and families.
Join us for an engaging series of presentations that explore diverse topics in depth, led by experts from our community.
Session Times: 4:00 PM | 4:15 PM | 4:45 PM | 5:15 PM | 5:45 PM | 6:00 PM | 6:45 PM
| Time | Presenter | Topic | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4:00 – 4:15 PM | Drs. Díaz-Garayúa and Derrick | Welcome | Vasché Library, Room L – 102 |
| 4:15 – 4:45 PM | David Chambers, PhD | Walking like a Hmong Person: Ethnic Identity in the Moment of Rupture | Vasché Library, Room L – 102 |
| 4:45 – 5:15 PM | Marcelo Da Silva, Ph.D. Candidate | Climate Justice in the Americas | Vasché Library, Room L – 102 |
| 5:15 – 5:45 PM | Goshu W. Tefera, PhD | The Intersection of Time and Space in Environmental Justice | Vasché Library, Room L – 102 |
| 5:45 – 6:00 PM | Q & A | Vasché Library, Room L – 102 | |
| 6:00 – 6:45 PM | Luis Sánchez – Ayala, PhD | Territories of Resistance: A Strategy Against Marginalization | Vasché Library, Room L – 102 |
| 6:45 – 7:15 PM | Q & A | Vasché Library, Room L – 102 |
Join us for presentations and discussions focused on GIS and social services.
Session Times: 5:00 PM | 5:30 PM | 6:00 PM | 6:15 PM | 6:15 PM – 8:15 PM
| Time | Presenter | Topic | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5:00 – 5:30 PM | Amanda Martínez Leung | Using GIS in the Assessor’s Office: More Than Just Assessment Data | Acacia Building, Room 1014 |
| 5:30 – 6:00 PM | Gene Barrera, MCP | Innovations in GIS for Social Services at Merced County: A Strategic Planning Approach | Acacia Building, Room 1014 |
| 6:00 – 6:15 PM | Refreshments | Acacia Building, Room 1014 | |
| 6:15 – 8:15 PM | Student Presentations | Acacia Building, Room 1014 |
Speaker Information
Gene Barrera (MCP, UC Berkeley) is the Geographic Information Systems (GIS) Manager for the County of Merced, California, and a GIS Lecturer at Stanislaus State in both Turlock and Stockton campuses. Mr. Barrera is a strategic planner in geospatial technology implementation for government and academic institutions.
David Chambers (Ph.D. Geography, Madison) is a Professor of Geography at Merced College. His research focuses on political geography in Thailand, including Hmong territorialization and place-making of Hmong immigrants from Laos and Vietnam living in Thailand. His dissertation is the first ethnography of the Hmong experience in an urban setting.
Marcelo S.R. Da Silva (Ph.D. Candidate, UC Merced) has worked on international development projects in Africa, Latin America, and the Caribbean. He holds an M.A. in Latin American Studies from the University of Florida. His research focuses on the relationships between carbon markets in the Global North and Indigenous peoples.
Amanda Martínez - Leung (B.S. Geography, Stanislaus State) worked as a GIS technician with the Modesto Fire Department for 4 years and currently serves as an Associate GIS Analyst for the San Joaquin County Assessor’s Office, where she handles and provides parcel data and manages GIS projects.
Luis Sánchez - Ayala (Ph.D. Geography, Florida State University) is the Director of the Department of History and Geography at Universidad de Los Andes, Colombia, which is ranked 179 in the world (QS Top Universities). Dr. Sánchez-Ayala’s work focuses on Political and Cultural Geography. He is the author of several books and peer-reviewed articles.
Goshu Tefera (Ph.D. Human Geography, Monash University, Australia) is an assistant professor of Ethnic Studies at Stanislaus State. His teaching and research focus on understanding the experiences of Africans in the diaspora through a pan-African decolonial lens, engaging with issues of contemporary migration, displacement, and the diaspora.