to launch the PDF document full screen - East Carolina University

Inside This Issue
Notes from Burrell 1
Alumni Spotlight 1
News and Events 2
Newest Alums 5
4
in the Center for Geographic Information Science.
Her thesis, Influence of Geographical Orientation,
Beach Shelter, and Seasonality on Beach Behavior in
the Caribbean: A Case of Study, Puerto Rico, was
completed in the summer of 2009 under the
direction of Dr. Paul Gares.
In fall 2009, she left Greenville for Savannah,
GA and joined the Geology Department at the
Skidaway Institute of Oceanography as a GIS
Research Tech. At the institute she worked closely
with two historical shoreline change projects on
Georgia’s coast. For the study, Quantifying the
Impact of Recreational and Commercial Usage of the
Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway on the Natural Resources
of Georgia, she analyzied historical shoreline change
along the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway and its
relationship to recreational boating. For Quantifying
the Threat to Archeological, Historical, and Cultural
Resources from Shoreline Change, Naomy analyzed
historical shoreline change at archeological sites
along Georgia’s back barrier islands to determine
their probably lifetime due to erosional processes.
Currently, she is working with the Ports and Coasts
Division at Atkins Global in their Austin, TX office
as a Geomorphologist in the Coastal Planning
and Restoration group, and is part of the group
developing a Regional Plan for Sustainable Development
for the Brazoria County Parks Department in TX.
“The culture of the ECU Geography Department
broke every graduate school stereotype in my mind.
The sense of respect and collegiality between
students and faculty are key for a good graduate
school experience and the Geography Department
has a good handle on it. Faculty was nothing
like the intimidating stories I often heard and
the comradeship among fellow classmates was
exceptional. The Geography Department gave me
the knowledge, tools, confidence, and leadership
needed to go into the professional world and I am
beyond thankful for that. I truly enjoyed the time
spent in the department.”
BS Grad, Amy Shew, BS Grad Brandon Hill at the
Homecoming Fall 2012 pre-game Departmental tailgate.
News and Events
Undergrad Planning Curriculum
Changes Proposed
Revisions to the curriculum for the BS in Urban
and Regional Planning Degree are currently in
the review and approval process and is reportedly
one of the most complex proposals that have
ever been processed at one time through the
college and university. The planning program’s
curriculum revision process began in 2011 and
involved significant coordination with geography
department faculty. This article summarizes
selected parts of the curriculum changes, which if
approved, will go into effect August 2013.
The Geography Department appointed an ad
hoc curriculum committee during Fall 2012 to
recommend integration of certain geography
and planning courses. A key outcome of that
committee’s recommendation was the alignment
and cross-listing of Geography and Planning
courses on Geographic Information Systems
(GIS). Under the new curriculum, there
will be three levels of proficiency in GIS for
planning students, rather than the current two.
Another driving force was the desire of the
University Curriculum Committee to replace
some 5000-level courses. As a result several of
the planning program’s courses will become
4000-level courses if approved. Complicating
the effort further was the anticipated master of
community planning degree proposal. Under
a separate but parallel graduate curriculum
revision process, the planning program is seeking
the creation of 6000-level courses suitable
for graduate students but that cover the same
substantive content as the proposed 4000-level
courses.
Equally important is the proposed revamping of
concentration study areas available to planning
students. The BS in urban and regional planning
degree allows students to choose a minor, or
in lieu of a minor, two concentration areas. It
has been several years since the concentrations
have been revised and, if approved, they should
enhance the marketability of undergraduates
for employment. New concentrations include
geographic information science, urban studies,
rural development, and public administration. The
program faculty believes that these concentrations
are better connected to the demand for planners
in the local government sector. Certain other
concentrations were proposed for elimination,
not necessarily because they were inappropriate