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TEACHING AND RESEARCH INTERESTS:
• Polar Regions, NC, The South
• Manufacturing, Urban, Economic
• Regional Analysis
DEGREES:
Ph.D. (1966) Geography, The Ohio State University
M.S. (1956) Geology, Emory University
B.S. (1955) Geology, University of South Carolina
1951-1953 Virginia Military Institute
PROFILE:
Originally, I was a geologist who hoped to work overseas in petroleum
exploration. However, in the 1950s. oil was a glut on the market
so no one was hiring young geologists. In the meantime, I had to
go into the US Army for two years and happened to get assigned to
a civilian research team that was studying how the permafrost affected
possible missile launching sites in Greenland. The experience of
working along the edge of the Greenland ice cap in the summer of
1957 created an awareness and interest in the Polar world and its
exploration history. When my army tour was over, failing to elicit
any interest from oil companies, I ran a job wanted add in "Geotimes"
and mentioned my Greenland experience. I got a response from the
National Science Foundation, which was staffing the US Antarctic
Research Program. This led to an offer to work as a research glaciologist.
I left for Antarctica, via New Zealand, in December, 1958. I wintered
at the NZ Scott Base, as my team prepared to undertake a 4-months
long geophysical study on the ice cap in Victoria Land. I served
as chief glaciologist on the 1959-60 Victoria Land Traverse. Subsequent
to our return to the US, I was advised by NSF that Mt. Stuart, a
6,549 foot peak in Victoria Land, had been named in my honor. At
Ohio State, where my team went to write up our field notes, I made
a career change, in response to my growing interest in the changing
economy and population of the US South. This led me to enter the
doctoral program in geography at OSU. After I finished my coursework
there, I took a planning job in my hometown, Roanoke, VA, where
I also worked on my dissertation on industrial suburbanization.
In 1964 I moved to Knoxville to teach at the University of Tennessee.
While there I finished my dissertation and received my PhD from
OSU. In 1969 I moved to UNC Charlotte to become the chair of the
Department of Geography & Earth Sciences, a position I held
for 17 years. I retired as a Professor Emeritus in 1999. During
my tenure here, I obtained over $1.5 million in grants & contracts
and was a principal author and editor on over 20 books, plus a number
of journal articles. Primary among these books was a series of analytical
atlases, including several on the Charlotte region, The Land of
the South, and two on North Carolina. In 2000, the University of
North Carolina Press published The North Carolina Atlas: Portrait
for a New Century. This 460-page book was critically acclaimed and
was one of the Press' top sellers. In 2003, I received $60,000 in
grants from the McColl & Knight Foundations to support the creation
of a web site that offers continuous updates of many parts of that
book (see address above). I serve as manager and editor of that
project, a role I currently have. I don't teach at the University
any more but I do teach courses on Antarctica and North Carolina
for retirees at several local Shepherd's Center. In addition, I
still do occasional studies on such things as business labor sheds
for the Charlotte Chamber of Commerce. In the 1990s I directed a
series of workshops on applied research for people working in research
departments of chambers of commerce, in economic development and
for planning agencies. In 1995 I was honored with the Faculty Service
Award by the UNC Charlotte Alumni Association. I may be retired
but I'm still busy!
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