Niwaeli Kimambo

Human Geography with GIS
How do geographers study spatial interactions between people and the environment? How does socio-economic status relate to spatial patterns of settlement, social organization, access to resources, and exposure to risks? How can geographic information systems (GIS) help geographers explain these spatial patterns and processes? In this course we will apply GIS to a wide range of topics in human geography including urban, environmental, political, hazards, and health. We will learn how to gather, create, analyze, visualize, and critically interpret geographic data through tutorials, collaborative labs, and independent work that culminate in cartographic layouts of our results. 3 hrs. lect./3 hrs. lab.

The Global Environment (formerly GEOG 0206)
This course will provide an introduction to the study of the physical environment, with an emphasis on how environmental systems interact. The first half of the course will focus on Earth’s climate, specifically, Earth’s energy budget, the greenhouse effect, global wind and weather patterns, and global ocean circulation patterns. The second half of the course will focus on patterns and processes of the Earth’s surface by examining global patterns of vegetation and the creation of landforms by fluvial, glacial, and aeolian processes. We will use this foundation to understand how our rapidly changing climate will alter each of these systems. 3 hrs. lect.

Urban Africa
The era of rural Africa is over. Today, 40% of sub-Saharan Africans live in cities – seen as places with social services, economic opportunities, and accessible technology. Yet, African cities are also places of unemployment, social services challenges, and increasing inequality. In this course we will take a cross-disciplinary approach to the study of urban Africa through scholarly readings, media critiques, discussions, and data analysis. We will identify similarities and differences in the process of urbanization in Africa vis-à-vis other world regions. Students will actively contribute to our critical inquiry into African cities through individual research projects and in-class presentations. 3 hrs. lect

Human Geography with GIS (formerly GEOG 0120)
How do geographers study spatial interactions between people and the environment? How does socio-economic status relate to spatial patterns of settlement, social organization, access to resources, and exposure to risks? How can geographic information systems (GIS) help geographers explain these spatial patterns and processes? In this course we will apply GIS to a wide range of topics in human geography including urban, environmental, political, hazards, and health. We will learn how to gather, create, analyze, visualize, and critically interpret geographic data through tutorials, collaborative labs, and independent work that culminate in cartographic layouts of our results. 3 hrs. lect./3 hrs. lab.

Applied Remote Sensing: Land Use in Sub-Saharan Africa
Satellite images are indispensable for mapping forest cover, agriculture, and other land uses. Off-the-shelf products struggle to capture features in complex landscapes, such as fine-scale forest changes, urban sprawl, or small agricultural fields. In this course we will focus on sub-Saharan Africa to investigate select land uses with remote sensing techniques, discuss their social contexts, and practice novel approaches for generating land use maps. Students will be actively engaged in carrying out analyses and critical interpretations throughout the semester. Their work will culminate in a web-based portfolio, which will provide an opportunity to learn effective communication of research findings. (GEOG150 or GEOL0222 or by instructor permission) GEOG 120 is recommended 3 hrs. lect./3hrs lab.