GES

In a thought-provoking new op-ed in The New York Times, Erle Ellis argues that when it comes to global sustainability “overpopulation is not the problem.” Ellis, an associate professor of geography and environmental systems at UMBC and visiting associate professor at Harvard’s Graduate School of Design, writes, “Many scientists believe that by transforming the earth’s natural landscapes, we are undermining the very life support systems that sustain us. Like bacteria in a petri dish, our exploding numbers are reaching the limits of a finite planet, with dire consequences. Disaster looms as humans exceed the earth’s natural carrying capacity. Clearly, this… Continue Reading Erle Ellis, GES, in The New York Times

Erle Ellis, associate professor of geography and environmental systems, appeared on a Smithsonian Magazine blog this week. The post “Watch How America’s Lands Changes from Forests to Fields” shares maps that Ellis created to depict how land use in the U.S. has evolved over the past 300 years. Ellis maps anthropogenic biomes—”a matrix of human-altered croplands, pastures, towns and cities…’anthromes’ for short” to help readers visualize humanity’s effect on the landscape. This semester, Fall 2013, Ellis is a visiting associate professor of landscape architecture at the Harvard University Graduate School of Design.

“Performing Carbon’s Materiality: the production of carbon offsets and the framing of exchange,” an article by David Lansing, assistant professor of geography and environmental systems, has been awarded the Ashby Prize.  The Ashby Prize is awarded by the journal Environment and Planning A to the two ‘”most innovative articles” to appear during the calendar year.  Environment and Planning A, an interdisciplinary journal of urban and regional research, publishes more than 150 articles each year.

Madeline Hall ’12, geography and environmental systems, is featured in the documentary Circus Dreams, which will air on Maryland Public Television on April 9 at 10 p.m. Circus Dreams documents a year in the life of Circus Smirkus, one of the best traveling youth circuses in the world. The film immerses viewers into the lives of the 12 to 18 year old performers, capturing their intense work ethic, passion for performance, deep friendships and budding loves. Hall performed in the circus for two summers, after having spent the previous seven summers at the circus’s summer camp. Since 2005, she has also performed at… Continue Reading Madeline Hall ’12, GES, in Documentary