Featured Geography Alumni

The Department of Geography is proud of its students and alums.  In 2009, we initiated this Featured Alums page.  We hope to build it as we learn more about the exciting adventures, careers, and lives our students have pursued.  Send your updates to jpickles(at)unc.edu

Bob Chen is the Director of Center for International Earth Science Information Network (CIESIN) at Columbia University.  Bob graduated with a Ph.D. in Geography from UNC Chapel Hill in 1987. click here.

Mark Chilton, graduated with a BA in Geography in 1993.  In November 2009, he was re-elected as the mayor of Carrboro with over 70% of the vote.  Mark decided to run for Chapel Hill Town Council while an undergraduate mostly on the platform that the town should be doing far more as environmental stewards.  He won  and was, at that time, the youngest public official ever elected in North Carolina.  While on the board, he was instrumental  in starting the town recycling program.  He eventually earned his law degree at NCCU and moved to Carrboro, where he ran for major a few years later.  See Mark's blog... click here
   

Major Brian J Doyle is a Geography Instructor at the West Point Military Academy.  He graduated from UNC Chapel HIll with his MA in Geography in 2004. An interview with Major Doyle

Chris Jochem. is a research associate in Geographic Information Sciences and Technology at Oak Ridge Labs. In 2007, he earned his BA from UNC with highest honors and received the McNally Award for Excellence in Geography at UNC-CH; the Federico G. Gil Award (2007) for the best honors thesis from the Institute of Latin American Studies; and was inducted into Phi Beta Kappa.  See Chris's website... click here and his bio-sketch... click here.

Liz Root is Assistant Professor of Geography at the University of Colorada.  Liz graduated with her Ph.D. in Geography in 2009. click here.