GENE Catalog (aka Grey Book): Class of 2010 - West Point

GEOGRAPHY AND ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING
AT WEST POINT
� General
The Department offers some of the best undergraduate facilities in the country for the
study of geography, geospatial information science, and environmental science/engineering.
Each cadet's elective sequence, regardless of the program, is tailored according to personal
interests and abilities. Throughout the program of study, special attention is focused on the
analysis and evaluation of significant human-environment problems. This theme permeates
all aspects of the academic program.
� Opportunities for Cadets Selecting Department Majors:
DEPARTMENT ACTIVITIES AND FACILITIES. Our majors are integrated into a variety of
activities. Cadets are invited to attend lectures, seminars, and professional discussions on a
wide array of subjects. Departmental facilities include a specialized library, map room,
computer graphics center, a geology laboratory, cartography and remote sensing laboratory,
and environmental laboratories. Picnics, luncheons, coffee calls, and colloquia are held
frequently so that students and faculty can continue the interactive process of learning in a
variety of forums.
ACADEMIC INDIVIDUAL ADVANCED DEVELOPMENT. The department sponsors an outstanding
summer intern program for approximately 60 upper-class cadets as a part of Cadet Summer
Training. Cadets have the opportunity to work with agencies such as the Army
Environmental Center, Army Environmental Policy Institute, Topographic Engineer Center,
National Imagery and Mapping Agency, Army Research Institute, Environmental Protection
Agency, and Defense Intelligence Agency. Cadet travel can cover the entire world,
including Central Asia, Southeast Asia, the Middle East, Southwest United States or any of
an ever-changing array of locations. These programs offer unique opportunities for cadets
to broaden their education while observing the critical contributions of their discipline at
high levels of government.
INDIVIDUAL RESEARCH. Each semester a number of cadets are selected to participate in
individually designed research and study programs on topics of special interest. Cadets and
a faculty sponsor typically design projects jointly. Research endeavors such as these offer a
unique opportunity to excel in an area of academic interest. Examples of recent projects
include a base camp suitability model for Croatia using GIS, herbicide effectiveness on
invasive lake species in Wilkins Pond, determining lead mobility from small arms ranges,
mixing and stratification impact on water quality issues in Devils Lake North Dakota, and
an evaluation of beach erosion hot-spots along the mid-Atlantic coast.
HONORS PROGRAMS. Five of the Department’s six majors offer an Honors Program for
qualified cadets. The Geography honors program begins during term seven as participants
attend a research seminar. During this seminar, cadets explore salient research issues in
their particular field, learn methodologies, and develop technical writing skills. As part of
this seminar, each cadet will define a research topic, explore the literature, and develop a
research proposal. During their final term, cadets will use the research proposal as a point
of departure and conduct an independent study project. At the end of the year, the cadet
will present his/her findings to the faculty and submit a written honors thesis. The GIS and
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