The Fifty-Third Meeting: Memphis, Tennessee

Southeastern Geographer Vol. XXXIX, No. I, May 1999, pp. 114-115 THE FIFTY-THIRD MEETING: MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE Tyrel G. Moore The Southeastern Division of the Association of American Geographers began its second 50 years with a record-setting level of activity at Memphis's historic Peabody Hotel. A record 123 submissions were received for review. For the first time, posters were included in the call for papers. Nine of them were submitted and this presentation format shows promise as a permanent element ofthe program. The 114 papers eclipsed the Athens meeting record of 106 and were a substantial increase over the 82 papers submitted for last year's meeting. Four papers were rejected by the Program Committee. The approximately 200 participants listed on the program roughly equaled the norm for each ofthe past few years. Just under 400 people registered for the exceptionally well-attended meeting. Twenty-one papers, more than double the previous year's total, were reviewed by the Honors Committee for inclusion in the Student Honors Competition. Three of the papers were removed from the competition and placed elsewhere on the program . Undergraduate students submitted three papers for the nonrefereed Gamma Thêta Upsilon session. One-third ofthe program participants were students. The Peabody's meeting room layout effectively accommodated the demands of a sizeable program. Five sessions ran concurrently in most of the meeting's twohour time blocks and the schedule was organized into a total of 28 sessions. The overarching theme of the program centered on a changing South. That thrust appeared in four specially organized paper sessions, two of which focused on the geography of religion and the others respectively on recent patterns of immigration to the South and the significance of race and identity in the South. A southern emphasis was developed further by an organized panel session that probed new directions in research on the South. The region also was framed in physical, economic , and urban geography sessions. Globalization and its related issues comprised the program's secondary theme in sessions devoted to cultural, economic, political, and social theory topics. Applications and innovations in cartography, geographic information systems, and remote sensing also held two session slots on the program. Additional organized panel sessions explored 21st century challenges and opportunities for departmental chairs and nontraditional teaching and learning strategies in geography. In sum, the program embraced the breadth ofnational trends in the discipline. Co-chairs Skeeter Dixon and Ted Mealor marshaled an excellent Local Arrangements Committee effort to produce a smoothly run program. Five field trips Dr. Moore is Associate Professor ofGeography and Earth Sciences at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Charlotte, NC 28223. Internet: tgmoore@email. unce.edu. VOL. XXXIX, No. 1 115 showcased area attractions ranging from Civil War battlefields and plantations to the Federal Express national shipping hub. An enjoyable and informative plenary session mixed multimedia and live music to trace the cultural and regional significance ofthe Delta Blues. In an unusual World Geography Bowl event, Neal Lineback's faculty "Dream Team," led by captain Will Graf, trounced the Student All Stars in a warm-up to the regular competition. For the second consecutive year, North Carolina and Alabama were finalists in hotly contested Bowl rounds. The North Carolina team (Alexander Berkman, Rebecca Bertrand, Dennis Everette, Benjamin Gersh, Michael Russell, Bill Welsh, and Dave Wrubel) again edged the Alabama team (Timothy Anderson, Mark deSocio, Lindsay Ezell, Timothy Kidd, and Sean Montague) with a suddendeath question victory. John Florin and Liz Hines served as coordinators for the winning team. Thomas Kallsen coordinated the runners-up from Alabama. Jean Lavigne was the event's Most Valuable Player among the 70 students who were involved in the competition. At the Honors Luncheon, Bonnie Kaserman of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill received the Merle C. Prunty, Jr., Scholarship. Brian Frizzelle, also of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, won the Master's-level Student Honors paper competition. Ricky Bunch of the University of South Carolina won the award for the best Ph.D.-level paper. The Honors Committee also presented Special Honors Awards to Thomas L. Bell for Distinguished Service and to Owen J. Furuseth for Outstanding...