January 17, 2023
Bimal Paul recognized as American Association of Geographers fellow
The American Association of Geographers has recognized Bimal Paul, Kansas State University professor of geography and geospatial sciences, as a 2023 fellow.
Paul is one of 16 geographers nationwide to receive the recognition for 2023. The American Association of Geographers, or AAG, recognizes fellows from a variety of practice areas for their contributions to geographic research, advancement of practice and careers devoted to strengthening the field of geography, including teaching and mentoring. The honorary title of AAG fellow is conferred for life.
AAG fellows help address, contribute to and at times create initiatives to advance the discipline. Fellows also advise AAG on strategic directions and challenges, and mentor early- and mid-career faculty.
"It was a very nice honor to be selected as an American Association of Geographers fellow," Paul said. "A lot of really hard work has paid off. I am thrilled and joyful."
According to his bio on the AAG website, Paul is a Fulbright-Flex Fellow and has an international reputation as a leading scholar on disasters, hazards and health. He is known for frequently offering deeper understandings of complex issues and debunking long-held myths. Stanford University identified him as among the top two percent of researchers in the world.
His research expertise is not just evidenced by his long record of publications, which includes numerous articles and several books, but also by his selection as a member of the observer team at the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Lima, Peru, and more recently the Paris Climate Change Conference.
Paul's work is well known and respected beyond North America, as proven by numerous invited talks in various Asian countries as well as his service as the external reviewer on 20 dissertations at foreign universities. Paul is recognized as an expert on South Asia both within and outside academia and is frequently interviewed by the media on a wide range of topics including natural disaster mitigation, disaster relief and health.
Paul has served AAG in a variety of capacities, including leadership of the Asian Geography Specialty Group, the AAG Affirmative Action and Minority Status Committee, and the AAG Research Grants Committee. He has also held editorial positions for the Geographical Review and The Professional Geographer book review section, and he has served on the editorial board for the AAG Review of Books.