Events

The Runner  - KPU Geography Department Hosts Forum on Climate Emergency 

KPU Geoforum 2022: Heat, rising waters and the climate emergency south of the Fraser
March 15, Online - 7:00pm - 9:00pm - Eventbrite Registration

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2021 was an unprecedented weather year. A historic heat dome and catastrophic flooding exposed the vulnerabilities of our social safety nets, our urban design, and our infrastructure. Events like these are virtually guaranteed to become more frequent and more severe in the coming years. How can we act now to build a future that is safe, just, and equitable in the context of a changing climate?

In this public panel, we will explore some of the immediate climate-related challenges facing communities south of the Fraser in the coming years. We will focus specifically on floods, heat, and sea-level rise, and imagine how we can respond to climate change now whilst working towards a better future.

Panelists include Kees Lokman (Associate Professor and Chair, Landscape Architecture, UBC), Lise Townsend (Climate Program Lead, City of Surrey), Ryan Bradley (Geomorphologist, Northwest Hydraulics Consultants), Sebastian Sajda (West Coast Climate Action Network), and Tjasa Demsar (Sustainability Planner, City of Surrey).

(Event Graphic Synopsis by Aaron Lao [2022])

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Mobilities 2021: Post-Covid Mobility in B.C.’s Fastest Changing Urban-Region 
Join us for MOBILITIES 2021, April 20th online 7-9 pm 

Dr. David Sadoway KPU Geography and the Environment

Panelists have just been announced for the MOBILITIES 2021, a free online webinar on April 20th. Kwantlen’s Department of Geography and the Environment invites you to this public geo-forum about mobility, universal accessibility, walkability and transit affordability South of the Fraser River. Confirmed panelists include two TED Talk speakers, Stan Leyenhorst (Universal Access Design, Lead Consultant) and Planner Sandy James (WalkMetroVan). Also joining us will be urban geography expert Dr. Victoria Fast (University of Calgary) and City of Surrey Transport Planning Manager, Douglas McLeod, who will preview the city’s new Transportation Plan. Our panel will be welcomed by Kwantlen First Nations Elder in Residence, Lekeyten.  

Questions About the Future South of the Fraser River 

Panellists will discuss post-Pandemic transportation patterns shaping how communities work, live and travel. They will explore questions like: What will mobility look like in the region by 2050?  What can be done to make areas South of the Fraser safer and more convenient for transit riders, walkers, cyclists, and all sidewalk users? Will car culture continue to dominate debates about urban form and function? Or will transit and pedestrian rights come to the fore, post-pandemic?  Will the recognition of public space for residents of all ages and abilities ever be prioritized? How can rapid transit become more affordable, accessible and ubiquitous South of the Fraser beyond just the Skytrain spine? Join our evening geo-forum to hear possible answers to these questions. 

Place, Space and Mobility in BCs Fastest Changing Urban-Region 

The urban-region South of the Fraser River is recognized as B.C.’s fastest growing and changing areas. This prompts us to ask: ‘How will mobility (re)shape the urban fate of these communities?’ Our panel of passionate mobility makers will explore a range of practices for creating better and happier community places and spaces. Learn how to assess whether public spaces and transit are universally accessible. Find out about ‘fake commuting’ and how post-pandemic place-based and virtually based work make reshape urban form and mobilities. Learn about the City of Surrey’s Vision Zero and its long-term Transportation Planning process. Our panel will discuss these and other future challenges of placemaking in relation to mobility South of the Fraser River.

All are welcome !

Register in advance for this free online webinar at https://ca01web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_w_nOqN_JTwG9c7JXT0F3sA.

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(Event Graphic Synopsis by Miranda Maslany [2021])

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Mobilities 2020: Two Public Geo-Forums on transit, pedestrian & mobility issues 
@KPU Civic Plaza (Thursday, Feb 27th, 2020 & Thursday, March 19th, 2020)

7:00-9:00pm. Please register here: KPU Civic Plaza - 6th Floor  https://www.kpu.ca/civicplaza (Surrey Central Skytrain Station, 13485 Central Ave)

Students, staff, faculty and the general public are invited to join us at KPU Civic Plaza in February and March to discuss mobility challenges facing the South of Fraser urban-region.

These two free ‘Mobilities 2020’ events are for anyone interested in transit, universal access, pedestrian, cyclist safety and transit justice issues, particularly in the fast growing urban-region South of the Fraser River.

Confirmed panelists include: Stan Leyenhorst (Universal Access Design); Andy Yan (SFU City Program); Sandy James (Walk Metro Vancouver); Patrick Condon (Founding Urban Design Chair, UBC); Douglas McLeod (City of Surrey, Manager Transport Planning); Todd Litman (Victoria Transport Policy Institute); Don Buchanan (City of Surrey, Transportation Planner); and diverse citizens/activists. 

These evening Geo-Forums are on Thursday, Feb.27th (7-9pm) and Thursday, March 19th (7-9pm) at KPUs new Civic Plaza Campus (just North of the Surrey Central Skytrain Station). Both evening KPU Geo-Forums will feature panel and Q+A discussions with city public transportation officials, urban planners, scholars, transit, universal access, cycling and pedestrian activists.

All are welcome !

Free Registration Here (to ensure a seat) (https://forms.gle/XtGcAs95E5LhTPJ87)

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Data Wrangling for Non-Data Science Professionals

You are invited to learn how to visualize spatial data on web maps using freeware. Lunch and coffee are provided. Register here.

KPU Geography GEO-Tour 2020: March 21, 2020

Surrey Campus, 10:00am-4:00pm

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GIS Day: Wednesday, November 16, 2019

https://libguides.kpu.ca/gis/gisday

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GEO-Talk:  Energy Transitions in Canada & India

Tuesday, June 25, 2019 @ 7:00pm

Surrey Campus, Room Fir 128

This event is open to all within the KPU community as well as the general public.  Please spread the word and join us for an interesting and informative session.

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GEO-Tour Spring 2019

The Geography department has organized a bus tour of Surrey/Langley to explore sites in the region.  This tour is taking place on Saturday, March 23rd from 10am - 4pm with pick-up and drop-off at KPU Surrey.  The cost for the event is only $10.

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For more information and to register for the tour, please click on the link:  https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/kpu-geo-tour-spring-2019-tickets-58339778849

If you are unable to purchase a ticket with a credit card and would like to arrange to pay in cash, students are welcome to approach Lina Melo in Maple, Room 3850 or David Sadoway.

This event is open to ALL KPU students.  Space is limited, so register early!

The Geography Social!

Need a break from writing labs, essays, and tests? Want a chance to connect with your KPU Geography community? Come and join your fellow Geography students and faculty for an upcoming fun, and free, departmental event:

DATE: Monday March 12, 2018
TIME: 4:30-6:30pm
LOCATION: Fir 234, Surrey Campus (Geography Classroom)

You provide the conversation - we'll provide the food, non-alcoholic drinks, and door prizes!

This event is open to all students enrolled in a Geography class at KPU. Registering for this free event will ensure that nobody attending "The Geography Social" goes hungry or thirsty on March 12!

KDocs - Sustainable Futures

The Geography Department will be subsidizing tickets for 20 Geography students to attend the KDocs event on Sustainable Futures on Thursday February 15th from 4:30-8pm. The opening night event includes a Gala reception (drink ticket + appetizers) in the theatres atrium, a Keynote Address, and the featured films: The Caretakers, How to Stop a Pipeline, and To the Ends of the Earth.

Applications for subsidized tickets will commence on Monday January 29th at 9AM, and are on a first-come, first-served basis for students enrolled in a Geography course this term.

Thank you to everyone who attended!

KPU Science Challenge

The Geography and the Environment department will be participating in the KPU Science Challenge Saturday November 25 at the Richmond Campus. Students will be determining a basic geologic history and earthquake shaking potential of a local region in British Columbia based on the rock types commonly found in that area. 

For more information on the challenge, visit https://kpu.ca/sciencechallenge/challenges, "Geology".

John Rose - "Academic takes on Vancouver's Housing Supply Myth" - The Globe and Mail

Joe Koch - KPU geographer makes surprising discovery about B.C.'s prehistoric glacier

New Faculty Member in Geography: Welcome Dr. David Sadoway!

David is trained as an urban planner and resource and environmental manager; and he has lived and worked in East, South-East, and North-West Asia for over 15 years. In 2018 David will commence work in the Department of Geography and the Environment and KPU. His current research involves the socio-psychological impact of noise and vibration in high density neighbourhoods; smart citizenship; and urban features. David has a PhD in Urban Planning and Design from the University of Hong Kong (2013) and most recently served as a Research Fellow at Nanyang Technological University (Singapore) in the Division of Sociology (2015-2017). He also worked as a Postdoctoral Fellow at Concordia University (Montreal; 2012-2014), where he studied the politics of Indian urban infrastructure in Delhi and Bengaluru (Bangalore). Dr. Sadoway has been a Visiting Scholar at: The Technical University of Darmstadt's Topology of Technology Faculty (2013); the National Institute of Urban Affairs, New Delhi (2013); as well as Academia Sinica's Center for Asia-Pacific Area Studies, Taipei (2008). His overall research interests include: Asia urbanism; civic environmentalism; urban infrastructure and technologies and community informatics. Dr. Sadoway has worked in the U.N. system, government, the non-profit sector, and with urban planning consultants in Toronto and Vancouver.

GIS Conference - "Science of Where" in Vancouver

November 9th 7:30am-5pm

For more information click here.

November 15, 2017

Participate in the KPU Geography Humanitarian Mapathon!

As disasters rage across the globe, many vulnerable communities cannot be reached by first responders due to lack of maps. You can help close this gap by participating in the humanitarian mapathon to be hosted by KPU's Department of Geography and the Environment on World GIS Day!

In 1.5 hours, you will learn amazing mapping skills and will immediately create maps that will facilitate decision making for humanitarian aid in developing countries. What is more, you will be equipped to continue volunteering on your own, and possibly recruit others to map with you.

WHEN: Wednesday November 15 from 2:30 - 4:00pm

WHERE: Surrey Library Learning Lab Room - Arbutus 2070

KPU Surrey
12666 72 Ave
Surrey. BC
V3W 2M8

For more information, and to register for the Mapathon, please click here.

September 30, 2017

Join KPU Geography on the Fraser River Boat Tour!

The Department of Geography and Environment invites all members of the Kwantlen community to join us on a boat tour of the Fraser River. There is no better way to experience our region. Even if you think you know the area, the boat trip on the Fraser will open new perspectives and insights.

Event will be held rain or shine. For more information, and to reserve tickets, click here.

March 14, 2017

Travel to Antarctica with Dr. Johannes Koch!

The Department of Geography and the Environment is excited to announce an upcoming talk by our very own Dr. Johannes Koch. The talk: “Antarctica and Subantarctic Islands: A Decade of Personal Discoveries at the Bottom of the World” will take place on World Water Day – Wednesday March 22 from 4-5pm in the Conference Centre on Surrey campus. Dr. Koch will be sharing stories about his travels to Antarctica, illustrated by breathtaking photographs from his trips over the past decade.

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March 14, 2017

Learn all about the food you eat in ARTS 1100: Experiencing the Arts

Dr. Jan Thompson, Chair of the Department of Geography and the Environment will be teaching ARTS 1100 this summer on Wednesdays from 1-4pm in Surrey. The topic of the course this semester is FOOD!

In this course, we will investigate the role of food in our lives today. We will discuss, ponder, and try to answer some of the questions that arise around the topic of food. Can organic farming feed the world? What is genetically modified food? What are the cultural and religious meanings of food? In the future, will our protein source be insects? Is access to food a human right? Why have chefs turned into celebrities? A varied classroom approach will include discussions, projects, guest speakers, field trips, and food tastings.

March 7, 2017

Geography of Film and Emerging Media – New for Summer 2017!

What is the role of both old and new forms of media in shaping the geography of the contemporary world? Enroll in Geography 4501: Current Geographic Issues to learn more!

Film and media help shape the maps (both mental and physical) that guide our knowledge and perspectives of geopolitical, economic, and ecological issues. In this course, we will watch and critically analyze both fictional and documentary films to better understand their presence and continuing influence in our world. The course will be taught by Dr. John Irwin and is offered on the Surrey campus, Wednesdays from 7-10pm.

September 24, 2016

Dept. of Geography and the Environment Social Event: Boat Tour on the Fraser River

The Department of Geography and the Environment is organizing a boat tour on the Fraser River on Saturday, September 24, 2016 from 2:00 PM – 5:00 PM. All members of KPU community are welcome to attend. Cost per person is $30. For more information and to reserve your place and pay by credit card or PayPal. Event Details.

Please click here to see the location of the dock from where the boat will leave.

September 14, 2016

Facing the Anthropocene: Fossil Capitalism and the Crisis of the Earth System

The Department of Geography and the Environment is sponsoring a public meeting on September 14, 2016 at 4:00 PM in Surrey Campus, room Fir 128. Renowned author Ian Angus will speak about “Facing the Anthropocene: Fossil Capitalism and the Crisis of the Earth”. Everyone is welcome to attend. For details about this event, click here.

Ice Worlds: An Exciting New Topic Being Offered Fall 2016!

Our GEOG 4501: Current Geographic Issues course is being offered this fall semester and will be focused on Ice Worlds. This course will cover all aspects of snow and ice, including current environmental changes such as diminishing snow cover, mountain glacier recession, melting permafrost, and Arctic sea ice shrinkage. These changes have significant implications for water resources, global sea level, regional and global climate, and land claim disputes all around the world. This important and relevant topic will be of interest to anyone who wants to learn more about their environment and the implications of current climate change.

The course will be taught by Dr. Joe Koch, whose own research focuses on how climate change affects alpine environments. He has studied ice environments throughout the world, including the western Cordillera of North America, Patagonia in South America, and Antarctica.

For registration information, please see: https://kpu.ca/registration/timetables and search for GEOG 4501. The course is offered Mondays from 7-10pm on Surrey campus and is open to all students with 45 credits at the 1100 level or higher.

May 24, 2016

Report on KPU's Ecological Footprint Posted

Half a hectare of land per student is required to produce the resources consumed, and accommodate the waste produced, by Kwantlen Polytechnic University.  This means that KPU's ecological footprint equals 150 times the area of the university's four campuses. 

These are among the findings of a recently posted report on KPU's ecological footprint, authored by students in Bill Burgess' Fall 2014 Geography 4501 class.  Updating and expanding earlier calculations from Bill's ongoing study of KPU's ecological footprint, the report's authors offer a series of recommendations for KPU policy, in areas such as food services and transit, in order to reduce the university's environmental impact. 

Learn more about KPU's ecological footprint.

May 7, 2016

KPU Geography Entertains and Educates Visitors at the Science Rendezvous in Langley

On May 7, 2016, KPU Geography participated in the university's fourth annual Science Rendezvous.  In this pubic event, the Langley Campus was transformed into a spectacular science experience, featuring hands-on experiments, interactive science labs, and science demonstrations.  In the Langley Geography lab, guided by Geography Chair Jan Thompson and Geography student Mary Diakow, visitors of all ages had fun handling rock and mineral samples, solving map puzzles, sketching cloud formations, and exploring fascinating physical geographic landscapes.   

Check out the Faculty of Science for more information about the 2016 KPU Science Rendezvous event, part of a nation-wide, day-long, celebration of science.

April 11, 2016

Our New Name: Department of Geography and the Environment

From this day onward, we will officially be known as the Department of Geography and the Environment.  On April 6, KPU President Alan Davis informed the university Senate that he had approved our request for this new name, replacing our old designation as the "Department of Geology and Geography."

We are very pleased with this announcement, and believe that our new title better reflects the focus of our department.

March 4, 2016

Geography Hosts Networking Event with Students, Alumni, Faculty, and Environment Canada 

Over refreshments, pizza, and door prizes, current KPU Geography students developed connections with one another and learned more about life after graduation.  In the department's inaugural Geography Social and Networking Event on March 4, 2016, KPU Geography faculty member Khaled Hamdan brought together current students, KPU Geography alumni, and representatives from Environment Canada.  In the Surrey Geography Lab, attendees mingled, socialized, and exchanged information on employment and educational opportunities available to Geography students after graduation.  

On the basis of this successful gathering, KPU Geography looks forward to organizing and hosting similar events in the coming year.  Stay tuned to the KPU Geography website for event announcements and registration details!

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Returning KPU Geography Alumnus Shauna Pezzot (BA ‘15), with Geography faculty members Bill Burgess (left) and Dola Pradhan (right)

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Representing Environment Canada, Cindy Yu and Colin Fong spoke with many KPU Geography students in attendance

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Door prize winner Mirwais Khan, celebrates with fellow Geography student Karel van Renesse