Over the course of the past year, our department has grown considerably, with four new full-time faculty joining us since the start of 2021. This is the first in a series of new faculty spotlights to introduce our new faculty members, starting with Dr. Caroline McClure. Dr. McClure joined GSU in January 2021 as a lecturer and coordinator for our Online Professional Certificate in GIS. Get to know Dr. McClure with our Q&A below!
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Where are you originally from?
Memphis, Tennessee
Where were you before coming to GSU?
Ooohhh... this is going to be a lot.... B.A. in Geography at The University of Tennessee, M.Ed. in Secondary Social Studies Education here at GSU, M.S. in Geography at the University of Wyoming (Go Pokes!), and then my Ph.D. in Geographic Education at Texas State University. My first job out of my Ph.D. program was at The University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa, AL, and then last January I started here at GSU!
What’s your primary area of study?
I have mostly studied K-12 Geography Education, looking at how and what is being taught for "geography" in K-12 schools in the U.S., as well as the history and effectiveness of the National Geographic Alliance Network (was a K-12 geography education support system set up between National Geographic Society, K-12 teachers, and university(ies) in each (i.e. most) states.
What classes are you teaching at GSU?
Currently, I am teaching Introduction to Landforms and Introduction to Human Geography. In the spring I will begin teaching Introduction to GIS.
What are you researching right now?
I am currently focused on teaching, directing the Online Professional Certificate in GIS, and getting settled here at GSU. I do have a project I am submitting a proposal for with colleagues at Eastern Washington University and the University of Madison-River Falls to research how rivers have played a role in the development and what their social capital is/has been in three different northwest towns/cities, but we're still working on the proposal.
What’s your favorite thing about Atlanta (so far)?
I lived in Atlanta back in the mid-late 2000s (2006-2010), and I have always loved how green this city is, and that is a city of neighborhoods. Currently, my favorite thing is how easy it is to access hiking trails and the outdoors, but also the number of microbreweries in town -- so different than in 2010 when there were basically just Sweetwater and Atlanta Brewing Company!