Congratulations to Daniel Kraemer for successfully defending his dissertation, which is titled: Context is Everything: Advancing Earthquake Social Vulnerability Models Through Identifying Local and Hazard-Specific Drivers
Author: Rich
Professor Rojas-Sandoval: Using AI to predict biological invasions
Dr. Julissa Rojas-Sandoval’s current research about using AI to predict biological invasions is the focus of a post on the UConn Today site. Read the full story here: today.uconn.edu/2025/10/a-new-ai-based-method-to-help-prevent-biological-invasions
Sydney Clements successfully defends her dissertation
Congratulations to Sydney Clements for successfully defending her dissertation, which is titled: Distributing Equity: An Analysis of Existing Food Hub Distribution Models in Connecticut.
Prof. Dan Wanyama featured in UConn Today article about GIS Training and Conservation
Assistant Professor-in-Residence Dan Wanyama and a group of his closest friends and colleagues have collaborated to share their expertise with sustainability and conservation scholars and specialists in Africa. They developed a free advanced Geographic Information System (GIS) training program that is attracting interest from around the globe.
The full story can be found here: today.uconn.edu/2025/09/snapshot-a-unique-collaboration-helps-boost-conservation-with-gis-training
Stacy Maddern: A Food Justice Dream Takes Root in New Haven
Congratulations to Stacy Maddern for his project on building a community garden in the Newhallville neighborhood of New Haven. Below are links for news stories about the work Professor Maddern has been doing in New Haven:
https://www.newhavenindependent.org/article/newhallville_garden
https://www.newhavenarts.org/arts-paper/articles/a-dream-takes-root-on-shelton-avenue
Prof. Debs Ghosh invited to give colloquium at UMass Amherst
Prof. Debs Ghosh is invited to give a colloquium talk at the Department of Earth, Geographic, and Climate Sciences, UMass Amherst, on Friday, Sept 19th.
The title of her talk is “Listening to Communities, Measuring Inequities: A New Index of Structural Racism and Discrimination”
Congcong Miao: Using StreetView images for transport safety research
Google Street View images are digital snapshots of real streets, widely used for navigation and urban planning. Congcong Miao, a PhD student in GSCU, recently published a study in Journal of Transport Geography analyzing how people’s perceptions of street design affect transport safety. The study suggests emotional reactions to streetscapes can lead to non-motorist crashes and could help cities predict danger zones and design safer roads.
The study has been covered by several media outlets, including State Smart Transportation Initiative (SSTI) and Streetsblog USA.
Professor Debs Ghosh receives InCHIP research excellence award
Congratulations to Professor Debs Ghosh for receiving the InCHIP Excellence Award for Research on Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities and Health Outcomes of Racism.
Peter Chen receives Climate, Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion Award
Congratulations to 
Peter Chen for receiving the UConn College of Liberal Arts & Sciences (CLAS) 2025 Climate, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Strategic Goals Award. Peter’s work leading DEI programs funded by CLAS have been examples for efforts he is now leading at the Graduate School.
This award is well deserved. We thank you for your leadership.
UConn geographers active at the 2025 AAG conference
GSCU faculty and students were very active at the 2025 AAG conference in Detroit. Below are some notable items from UConn geographers.
Awards and Competitions
- Shahriyar Parvez received the AAG Marble Fund Award for Innovative Master’s Research in Quantitative Geography
- Shahriyar Parvez placed 3rd for AAG Cyberinfrastructure Specialty Group (CISG) Robert Raskin Student Competition
- Ailing Jin was a finalist in the Health and Medical Geography Peter Gould student paper competition
- Arunima DasGupta was a finalist in the Health and Medical Geography Peter Gould student paper competition
- Yunhe Cui was a finalist for the J Warren Nystrom Dissertation Award
Specialty Group Election Outcomes
- Yoo Min Park was elected to serve as an at-large board member for the Health & Medical Geography Specialty Group
- Sabina Bhandari was elected to serve as student board member for the Health & Medical Geography Specialty Group
- Samuel Ayivi was elected to serve as student board member for the Energy Environment Specialty Group