Report of the Honors Committee, 2004
Rent from DeepDyve- Report of the Honors Committee, 2004
Each year the Honors Committee of the Southeastern Division of the Association of American Geographers (SEDAAG) selects student award recipients and recognizes faculty achievements. In 2004, the members of this elected committee were: Betsy Pyle, chair (West Virginia University); Tim Warner, chair-elect (West Virginia University); Holly Barcus (Morehead State University); Tom Mote (University of Georgia), and Rebecca Torres (East Carolina University). The 2004 Honors Committee congratulates the following SEDAAG members who received awards at the recent annual meeting in Biloxi, Mississippi.
Lifetime Achievement Award
The Lifetime Achievement Award recognizes a distinguished individual with significant and sustained records of excellence in research, instruction, and service within the discipline of geography and the recipient's own educational institution. The Honors Committee was pleased to present this award to Professor Vernon Meentemeyer of the University of Georgia. Dr. Meentemeyer completed undergraduate and graduate degrees at Southern Illinois University, worked briefly for the Defense Mapping Agency in St. Louis, and then joined the faculty at the University of Georgia in 1973. He currently serves as Professor of Geography there, a rank he has held since 1986.
Dr. Meentemeyer is well known both in geography and in related fields for his work on global dimensions of nutrient cycling. In 1995, SEDAAG honored him for his prolific and influential record of scholarship with the Division's Outstanding Research Award. He has authored or edited five books and more than 65 articles or book chapters. A 1978 article in Ecology alone garnered 447 citations. In an article in the Transactions of the Institute of British Geographers, Bodman (1991, 30) labeled Dr. Meentemeyer one of geography's "Masterweavers" of Physical Geography, along with A.N. Strahler and R.J. Chorley. "Quite excellent company," noted a colleague. And, he may be the only SEDAAG member invited to chat with Jay Leno on the late night show about his research! While explaining decomposition, his nickname of "Doctor Rot" was revealed to the nation's television viewers.
Professor Meentemeyer is also a star performer in the classroom—not just on the pages of journals or national television. One colleague said, "I knew that Vern was a great teacher because students were always around him." Whether in large introductory classes or small graduate seminars, his commitment to excellence remains constant. Both the University of Georgia and its Franklin College of Arts and Sciences recognized Professor Meentemeyer for instructional excellence within the past few years. He also takes great interest in his students as individuals, [End Page 161] and in their professional development. One former student noted that he deeply appreciated Professor Meentemeyer's role in broadening his thinking. Professor Meentemeyer's impact on SEDAAG's academic landscape is evident by witnessing the number of his former graduate students who now hold academic appointments around the region.
Dr. Meentemeyer also has been a tireless champion of the discipline, willing to roll up his sleeves and do what needs to be done. That includes such wide ranging activities as chairing his department or bringing geography into the public eye with presentations to local civic groups or schools. Dr. Meentemeyer has served SEDAAG in countless capacities, and has been a leading force in the Georgia Academy of Sciences. His model of complete engagement in all facets of his work sets a high standard for younger colleagues to emulate.
Honorary Life Membership Awards
Charles Kovacik, James Wheeler, and John Winberry have been awarded Honorary Life Membership in the Southeastern Division. Dr. Kovacik recently retired from the University of South Carolina. He was honored with SEDAAG's Lifetime Achievement Award in 1994. During the latter part of his career at South Carolina, he devoted great amounts of his energy into the South Carolina Geographic Alliance.
Dr. Wheeler recently retired from the University of Georgia. He already has been recognized by the Division with the Outstanding Research Award in 1988, the Outstanding Service Award in 1993, and the Lifetime Achievement Award in 2000. He served as the Editor of the Southeastern Geographer for 11 years, from 1992-2003.
Dr. Winberry will retire in 2005 from the University of South Carolina. He received the Outstanding Service Award in 2001...
