Why Geography Is Important: High-Level Study Summary
Page 1: Why Geography Is Important
Geographic perspectives provide critical insights into global economic, political, and moral issues valued by employers and policy-makers.
Strengthening the American Economy: Strong K-12 geography education prepares students to fill growing geospatial technology jobs, helping reduce job outsourcing.
Expanding Global Understanding: Spatial understanding of cultural, geophysical, and geopolitical differences assists U.S. federal policy-makers in addressing global financial crises, ongoing foreign policy issues, and conflicts in southwest Asia.
Ensuring American's Safety: Geographic knowledge is essential to homeland security for addressing human and natural threats, including environmental disasters and premeditated terrorism.
Photo Credits
Mia DeNardi: Hand grasping an illuminated globe.
Page 2: Globalization
Interconnected global networks shape individual and societal choices, local consumer options, domestic political decisions, foreign policy, and business location choices.
Global Trade Networks: Movement of products ranging from tropical fruits to electronic devices, supported by the World Wide Web.
Meet a Geographer
Nancy Davis Lewis: Director of Research Programs at the East-West Center (which promotes U.S., Asia, and Pacific relations). Directs projects on democracy, human rights, economic integration, HIV/AIDS, climate change health risks, and gender and health.
Photo Credits
Gerald Buker: Longonot Earth Satellites at the base of Mount Longonot in Kenya.
Page 3: Cultural Diversity
Cultural diversity resulting from immigration, trade, and tourism acts as a mosaic and source of American strength, enhancing productivity in schools, workplaces, and communities.
Cultural Foundations: People share cultures defined by language, religion, ethnicity, traditions, and values, shaping neighborhoods, countries, and world regions.
Meet a Geographer
Reena Patel: Foreign Service Officer at the U.S. Department of State. Represents U.S. foreign policy to international governments while learning about local cultures.
Photo Credits
Kevin McManigal: Interpreting maps with Mongolian nomad family.
Page 4: Geospatial Technologies
Geospatial tools provide essential data layers for decision-making in environmental, business, defense, economic, political, urban/regional planning, and population domains.
Key Technologies: Aerial photography, satellite remote sensing, image processing, Global Positioning Systems (GPS), and Geographic Information Systems (GIS).
Coordinates Referenced:
Meet a Geographer
Joseph Kerski: Education Manager at Esri. Fosters educational partnerships and conducts geotechnology training for government, industry, higher education, non-profits, K-12, and the public.
Photo Credits
NASA: International Space Station.
Page 5: Location, Location, Location
Geographic tools aid site selection for facilities, optimizing operating costs, improving market access, and providing competitive business advantages.
Commercial Benefits: Efficient placement of manufacturing sites, restaurants, hotels, and shopping centers reduces raw material and distribution costs while raising profits.
Public Services: Strategic placement of health clinics, community centers, daycares, and schools fosters equal access and efficient delivery of services.
Meet a Geographer
Esther Ofori: Customer Insights and Strategy Analyst at Macy's Inc. Employs GIS, statistics, and spatial thinking to analyze location-based data and predict customer behavior.
Photo Credits
Cheryl Fraiser: Starbucks strategically located on the first floor of an office building at a busy intersection in Washington, D.C.
Page 6: Climate Change
Geography was the first discipline to study climate scientifically. Geographers research how greenhouse gases (such as carbon dioxide and methane) trap atmospheric heat and how human activity and natural phenomena (such as volcanic eruptions) cause temperature changes.
Research Tools: Examination of ice cores, pollen grains in lake sediments, historical seasonal accounts, and plant and animal habitat variations.
Meet a Geographer
Ellen Mosley-Thompson: Director of Byrd Polar Research Center and Distinguished University Professor at The Ohio State University. Leads ice-core drilling programs in Antarctica and Greenland to reconstruct paleoenvironmental conditions.
Photo Credits
NOAA Climate Program Office, NABOS 2006 Expedition: Arctic Ocean, western Russia.
Page 7: Energy
Uneven global energy distribution generates critical international trade linkages and dependencies:
Western Europe and Japan rely heavily on Middle East oil.
China invests in African energy exploration.
The United States imports a significant portion of its consumed oil.
Sustainable developments involve wind power, solar power, corn ethanol, expanded nuclear energy, clean coal technologies, and improved oil and natural gas extraction.
Meet a Geographer
Marilyn Brown, Ph.D.: Professor of Energy Policy at Georgia Institute of Technology and Presidential appointee to the Tennessee Valley Authority Board of Directors. Analyzes alternative energy policy scenarios using modeling tools.
Photo Credits
USGS: The Trans-Alaska Pipeline System resting on sliding supports across the Denali Fault.
Image Note: Wind turbines at Tehachapi Pass, California.
Page 8: National and International Security
Geographic frameworks evaluate geospatial, political, economic, cultural, environmental, and behavioral root causes of global conflict and potential avenues for cooperation.
Historical Security Events Referenced
2005 Sumatran Earthquake and Tsunami: Humanitarian aid unloading (Photo courtesy of U. S. Navy).
September 11, 2001 Attacks: The Pentagon post-attack (Photo courtesy of U. S. Department of Defense).
Meet a Geographer
Robert Kerr: Chair of Cultural Geography Programs at the U.S. Air Force Culture and Language Center. Deployed to Northeast Baghdad in 2008-2009 to analyze geography as part of the U.S. Army's counter-insurgency strategy.
Page 9: Environmental Hazards
Geographers examine complex human-environment interactions to mitigate risk from both natural and technological hazards.
Natural Hazards: Category F5 tornadoes, floods, droughts, hurricanes, high winds, earthquakes, tsunamis, volcanic eruptions, wildfires, landslides, and avalanches.
Technological Hazards: Air, water, and land pollution caused by burning petroleum, natural gas, and coal, as well as chemical fertilizer runoff from farms and lawns.
Meet a Geographer
Michael Scott: Regional Environmental Health and Safety (EHS) Manager at Dell Computers. Assesses environmental compliance across 18 Dell locations.
Photo Credits
Justin Hobson: Category F5 tornado approaching Elie, Manitoba.
Page 10: Infrastructure
Infrastructure comprises the physical and organizational structures (water pipes, river bridges, highways, sewer junctions, and communication networks) vital for social well-being and economic operations.
Meet a Geographer
Valerie Moye: Sustainability Metrics Coordinator for the City of Chattanooga. Tracks sustainability performance metrics to optimize city efficiency and environmental stewardship.
Photo Credits
Bradley Garrett: Junction in the Effra Sewer under Brixton in London.
Emory Kristof, National Geographic Society: Highway interchange in Montreal, Quebec.
Page 11: Resource Management
Resource management utilizes holistic problem-solving to balance mineral, fuel, energy, water system, and land-use needs while safeguarding ecosystems.
Meet a Geographer
Todd H. Votteler, Ph.D.: Executive Manager of Science, Intergovernmental Relations, and Policy at the Guadalupe-Blanco River Authority (GBRA). Manages and conserves water resources across a ten-county district in Central Texas.
Photo Credits
Nicky Gregson: Workers in Bangladesh dismantling retired ships to reclaim steel for construction rods.
Page 12: Employment
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics identifies geography-related fields as "bright outlook" careers expected to experience rapid growth.
Key Skills: Spatial data interpretation, GIS proficiency, field research, project management, oral and written communication, and cross-disciplinary problem solving.
Photo Credits
National Geographic Education and Children's Programs: Using Geographic Information Systems (GIS).
Sally Horn: University of Tennessee students working on a climate change lab exercise.
Page 13: Geography Matters
Geographic inquiry applies spatial reasoning to analyze connections between human actions and environmental systems. Balancing human societal progress with natural ecosystem sustainability is essential for maintaining global quality of life.