Early Career GFDA Workshop
June 15-21, 2008

University of Colorado
Boulder, Colorado

Register to Attend through the AAG website»

This workshop is for graduate students and faculty who are just beginning their careers in higher education.  The one-week program focuses on topics which are frequently the source of the greatest stress in the first years of a college or university appointment, including:

• Career planning
• Time management
• Getting the most out of meeting participation
• Ethics in research and teaching
• Nuts-and-bolts issues about writing and publishing
• Preparing a CV, personal web site, job search and interviewing
• Collegiality and service
• Thinking ahead to prepare for the tenure process
• Balancing personal and professional life

The workshop touches on issues of teaching and learning, particularly those revolving around designing effective courses, issues of diversity and inclusion, and active pedagogy.  The goal of the workshop is to help participants balance the many responsibilities of academic life and to understand how their teaching, research, service, outreach, and personal lives intersect and interconnect. Register Now through the AAG website»

Who Should Attend

Graduate students and faculty from all institutions and departments are invited to attend.  Some teaching experience is useful.  Readings and exercises will include selections from the Aspiring Academics (Prentice Hall, 2008) edited by Solem, Foote and Monk and Advice for New Faculty Members (Allyn and Bacon, 2000) by Boice.

Registration & Accommodations

The registration fee of $1,250 ($1,150 before April 25) includes a single dorm room,  breakfasts, lunches & refreshments, two dinners, leader travel and honoraria, supplies, meeting rooms, network and printing access, and graduate student support staff.  You do not need to be an AAG member to register for the workshop.

For participants wishing to make their own housing arrangements in Boulder, the registration fee is $750 ($700 before April 25) excluding dorm room and breakfast, but including all other activities. 

Participants are responsible for making their own travel arrangements.

Spouses and children are also welcome to attend.  Accommodations are available at the following rates:

1. $350 for spouse, to cover double room, including meals;
2. $200 for each child over 7 years of age for room, including meals, but no additional room or meal charge of children under 7;
3. $160 for each child in daycare during the workshop, Monday through Friday, 8-5 pm. 

Although you should pay your workshop registration through the AAG website, you will be billed separately for family members and daycare in May when these arrangements are finalized at the University of Colorado.

A minimum of 25 participants are needed to meet the costs of the workshop.  If fewer are enrolled as of May 2, the workshop may be cancelled and all funds returned to participants.

The University of Colorado is located along the scenic Front Range of the Rocky Mountains. Boulder has an excellent system of hike and bike trails leading from campus to many local mountain parks and open spaces. The Denver regional bus system links Boulder directly to Denver International Airport and downtown Denver. Rocky Mountain National Park is within easy driving distance of campus. Many participants arrange to spend a few extra days in Colorado before or after the conference to travel or camp in the Rockies. Visitor information is available from www.bouldercoloradousa.com, www.explore-rocky.com, and www.colorado.com.

Register to Attend the Early Career GFDA Workshop through the AAG website»

For assistance with registration, please contact meeting@aag.org or 202-234-1450.

More Information

 For further information about the workshop please contact either of the co-leaders: Professor James W. Harrington, Jr. (jwh@u.washington.edu), Department of Geography, University of Washington or Professor Ken Foote (k.foote@colorado.edu), Department of Geography, University of Colorado.

In addition to the workshops, follow-up seminars, panel discussions, and paper sessions will be scheduled at the annual meetings of the Association of American Geographers and the National Council for Geographic Education to broaden the impact of the project.