Brian King named head of the Department of Geography

University PARK, Pa. — Brian King, professor of geography and associate head for the department’s resident graduate programs, has been appointed head of the Division of Geography. He started on July 1.

King succeeds Cynthia Brewer, who will remain an lively member of the faculty immediately after serving as office head considering that 2014.

Brian King, professor of geography and affiliate head for the resident graduate method, has been appointed as head of the Division of Geography starting July 1.

“Brian brings a prosperity of experience and a vision for the department that builds on all the great perform of his predecessors, primarily that of Cindy Brewer, and will take the office to the up coming degree,” stated Lee Kump, John Leone Dean in the School of Earth and Mineral Sciences.

King’s analysis focuses on livelihoods, conservation and growth, environmental improve and human health. His perform is centered in Southern Africa, where he has examined how environmental variability designs demographic designs in the Okavango Delta of Botswana and how social and ecological devices are becoming reworked by HIV/AIDS.

“I accepted this situation simply because I am passionate about the self-control of geography and what our school and pupils are equipped to lead to the significant problems of the 21st century,” King reported. “Geography is uniquely positioned to make distinctive contributions in component simply because of its breadth throughout the social sciences, normal sciences, and humanities.”

King earned a master’s degree and doctorate in geography from the University of Colorado at Boulder and a bachelor’s degree in environmental scientific tests from Bucknell. He joined Penn Condition as an assistant professor in 2008.

“We are in an exceptional placement thanks to the difficult work of outgoing section head Dr. Cindy Brewer and all customers of our departmental community,” King mentioned. “We have grown our faculty and identified strategic areas of fascination that intersect across the 4 subfields of the willpower. We have also worked to combine our residential and online training packages, which makes it possible for us to access broader constituencies. Our graduate method is just one of the ideal in the nation, and I am excited to see the place our department can go about the next 5 yrs.”

The department not long ago done strategic scheduling to discover a central objective of setting up a resilient and just planet by responding to the weather disaster, creating facts science spatial and sustaining landscapes and livelihoods.

Constructing on that framework, King claimed he has identified a few strategic parts for the division to focus on around the subsequent five many years.

“First, we really should apply our strategic approach simply because it presents a crystal clear framework to guidance latest things to do though participating in some new and thrilling initiatives,” King mentioned. “Second, I am dedicated to supporting and advancing analysis and instructing, specially as we changeover out of the rapid COVID-19 natural environment. 3rd, I glimpse ahead to advancing variety, equity and inclusion within our neighborhood and the geographic self-discipline.”

King has served in a wide variety of leadership and services roles at the division, college and University amounts in planning for his new placement.  

For the past 4 yrs he served as the affiliate head for resident graduate courses.

“That job gave me perception into both of those the undergraduate and graduate plans, and also budgetary prospects and difficulties,” King claimed.

In just the Faculty of Earth and Mineral Sciences, King chaired the School Advisory Committee, and was a person of a few tri-chairs of an advert-hoc committee in assistance of underneath-represented minorities and gender variety.

King also served on the Penn Condition School Senate for the previous 4 many years and chaired the World wide Systems standing committee, taking on a range of company assignments in support of Penn State’s world wide mission, which include serving on the look for committee for both equally the vice provost and affiliate vice provost for Worldwide Courses. King was a faculty representative on the Provost’s Endeavor Pressure in assistance of worldwide pupils and he continues to serve as the School of Earth and Mineral Sciences consultant on the a short while ago founded School Affairs Advisory Council.

Contemplating about his aims going ahead, King reported he is cognizant of the worries brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic.

“While our division is in a potent position each in just the College and the academy, it will be crucial for us to advocate for geography and better education,” King said. “The social and financial impacts from the COVID-19 pandemic are exacerbating present inequities in the academy. It is vital to articulate the a lot of contributions that our section can deliver to current and upcoming investigate and training directions.”

King reported he is on the lookout ahead to a return to additional in-man or woman interactions.

“We have elevated the measurement of our faculty in modern decades, and I am fully commited to supporting all of us to accomplish our specific and collective objectives,” he mentioned. “I want to make sure that we continue being a dynamic, inclusive, and collegial division in which persons want to be aspect.”