Exploring our World
Drawing upon the research interests and experience of the faculty, the department's core areas of geographic inquiry are nature and society interactions, population and health geographies, cultural geography and landscape, rural landscapes and sustainability, earth systems geography, and geographic information science. Review recent faculty research publications and student theses and dissertations to better appreciate the breadth and depth of scholarly activities currently underway in the department.
Department Research Laboratories and Groups
K-State geographers operate and maintain several dedicated research laboratories with opportunities for graduate and undergraduate students to engage in innovative research.
- Richard A. Marston Earth Systems Science Research Laboratory
The Richard A. Marston Earth System Science Research Laboratory is a state-of-the-art research facility shared by multiple Geography and Geospatial Sciences faculty members and their graduate students. The laboratory enables a wide array of analyses on soil and sediment samples, provides equipment for fieldwork in geomorphology and soil science, and serves as a gathering place for team meetings between faculty and graduate students. - Geographic Information Systems Spatial Analysis Laboratory (GISSAL)
Established in 1990 as a multidisciplinary center supporting spatial research, education, and outreach activities at Kansas State University, the Geographic Information Systems Spatial Analysis Laboratory (GISSAL) specializes in the design of geographic databases for biophysical and social/cultural data, construction of spatiotemporal models and geoprocessing tools, provides cartographic support and advanced 2D/3D visualization capabilities for map communication and exploratory data analysis, and develops Web-based interactive maps and GIS services for scientific audiences and stakeholder groups. - Remote Sensing Research Laboratory
Allied K-State Research Facilities
Faculty and students from the Department of Geography frequently collaborate with the following core facilities, centers, and institutes at Kansas State University:
- Beocat High Performance Computing Cluster
- Biosecurity Research Institute
- Center for Hazardous Substance Research at Kansas State University
- Chapman Center for Rural Studies
- Food Science Institute
- Kansas Center for Agriculture Resources and the Environment (KCARE)
- Kansas Center for Engagement and Community Development
- Kansas Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit
- Konza Prairie Biological Station
- K-State Epicenter
- K-State GIScience Virtual Collaboratory
- National Agricultural Biosecurity Center (NABC)