WASHINGTON, DC, March 14, 2000--The Association of American Geographers will hold its 96th annual meeting in Pittsburgh, Pa., April 4-8, 2000. Over 3,800 geographers are expected to attend. Reporters are welcome to cover the conference, which will include research presentations by scholars from the U.S. and overseas.
Among the 2,400 research papers to be presented are:
--reports from geographers at the U.S. Department of State on how geographic analysis and U-2 satellite imagery have analyzed war atrocities and aided repatriation of Kosovar refugees;
-- how four American cities create their own urban heat islands--and what NASA geographers recommend to reduce the problem;
--insights on how blind travelers perceive and navigate unfamiliar surroundings;
--analysis of the 300 counties in the United States which grew 70 percent or more between 1970 and 1990;
--and the spatial dimensions of divorce decisions on family life.
Researchers will also discuss the design and audience of the U.S. National Assessment of Global Change, a federal project which examines the likely impact of global warming on U.S. regions and sectors of the economy for the next 25 and 100 years.
The AAG is a scholarly, non-profit organization founded in 1904 to advance professional studies in geography, with 6,900 members from the United States, Canada, and more than 60 other countries. The Association's members include university professors and professionals in a wide range of subfields, from regions of the world to cartography, remote sensing, and environmental studies. AAG publishes two respected peer-reviewed research journals, the Annals and the Professional Geographer.
The AAG last met in Pittsburgh in 1959. The 2000 meeting is one of the five largest in the organization's history.
To receive press credentials for the meeting, request preliminary programs or obtain abstract CD's, contact Christine H. O'Toole at < news@aag.org > A meeting tip sheet and detailed media information will be available March 24. For further information on the Association of American Geographers, visit the web site < www.aag.org >