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Mara Goldman Leads Interdisciplinary Research and Collaborations on Conservation and Indigenous Peoples

Gabriela Rocha Sales — Mon, 28 Apr 2025 17:42:35 +0000

Mara Goldman Leads Interdisciplinary Research and Collaborations on Conservation and Indigenous Peoples Gabriela Rocha Sales Mon, 04/28/2025 - 11:42

Associate Professor Mara Goldman is a recognized leader in critical conservation studies, with a particular focus on how conservation theory and practice can center the knowledge and needs of women and Indigenous communities. Since the publication of her book, Narrating Nature: Wildlife Conservation and Maasai Ways of Knowing in 2020, she has been both working to spread the word about on-going struggles that Maasai people in Tanzania face in the name of conservation. This has included an interview with CU С��Ƶ Today: on why biodiversity matters and what the world is doing about it, talks at CSU-Fort Collins, UW-Madison, the Universitat Autónoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain, and the University of Lisbon, Portugal.

She has also been working to expand her focus on East Africa to build collaborative conversations on how to better ‘decolonize’ conservation practice globally to center the knowledge and experiences of Indigenous communities. In November, 2024 she led a successful workshop at the Institute of Behavioral Science, co-sponsored by the Center for Native American and Indigenous Studies on Conservation and Relational Ecologies (CARE): Advancing Indigenous-Led Models of Conservation. In addition to scholars from across CU-С��Ƶ, the workshop brought in scholars and activists from Canada, Tanzania, Kenya, and across the US to discuss the challenges of mainstream conservation and to begin the work of building global network of research and action that would center Indigenous approaches to Conservation.

As part of this process, in early November Professor Goldman traveled to Cali, Columbia to participate as an official observer in the Sixteenth meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD COP 16). Professor Goldman is also co-editing a special topic on “Conservation Dialogues,” for the journal Frontiers: Human Dynamics which also includes a co-authored piece titled, Decolonizing Conservation, A Global Conversation: Views from Turtle Island, Tanzania, and Thailand.

Professor Goldman is currently preparing for her sabbatical, where she will be based in Portugal, building collaborations with natural and social scientists at the University of Lisbon. She will be working on expanding her existing network of scholars and activists to those working on similar issues in former Portuguese colonies (Mozambique in East Africa and Goa in Western India). She will also travel to Tanzania where she is collaborating with the local organization, Ujamaa Committee Resource Team on how to scale up the work they are doing on Indigenous Lead Conservation in East Africa.

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Climate, Conflict, and Community: Professor O’Loughlin Leads NSF-Funded Study in Kenya

Gabriela Rocha Sales — Mon, 28 Apr 2025 17:32:01 +0000

Climate, Conflict, and Community: Professor O’Loughlin Leads NSF-Funded Study in Kenya Gabriela Rocha Sales Mon, 04/28/2025 - 11:32

Kenya: Sample counties and livelihood zones.

John O’Loughlin, College Professor of Distinction in Geography and Fellow, Institute of Behavioral Science (IBS), received a National Science Foundation grant in August 2024 for a study of climate change, food insecurity, and conflict/cooperation in Kenya with a special emphasis on the role of local formal and informal institutions in mitigating or exacerbating conflicts. Co-principal investigators are Terry McCabe of IBS and Andrew Linke, associate professor of Geography at the University of Utah who received his PhD in the department in 2014. This large-scale study of rural livelihoods (over 3000 households in 11 counties) with emphasis on the effects of seasonal changes in the weather on food supplies examines the role of local institutions in mediating these effects. (see the following map – the sample counties with their main ecological features)

Supported by weather and environmental change data collected at a local scale, the main data source are 5 panel waves of over a 3-year period. In February 2025, the team traveled to Nairobi to train over 70 enumerators, local team supervisors and regional coordinators on the survey instrument of over 100 questions and on the sampling protocols in the carefully selected enumeration areas. (see the photo below after training in Nairobi with the research team and the local collaborators ).

Navigating a steep slippery path to a village elders house Machakos, February 2025.

After one week of intense training, the field work began with the teams of 5 persons (4 enumerators and a supervisor) traveling to the respective counties for which they have local language and cultural skills. By the end of March, all of the data were collected and validated. The research team, including geography graduate students Sarah Posner and Priscilla Corbett, are now analyzing the first set of results.

The three principal investigators traveled with the teams to 3 counties in the first days of the field work in order to understand how the sampling protocol and surveys were implemented on the ground. By visiting numerous sample points and meeting with interviewees as well as village elders who were separately surveyed as the teams completed their work showed the extensive and careful implementation of the survey. (see the photo - John O’Loughlin and Andrew Linke navigate a slippery path in a narrow ravine on the way to a village elder in Machakos county Kenya, February 2025).

Huge thanks are due to the Kenyan collaborators and to the local authorities who are supporting the data collection. Later field work in 2025 will consist of the first phone wave in August and focus groups in November in coordination with the Institute for Development Studies at the University of Nairobi where the principal investigators hold research appointments. The team will again travel to Kenya to train and monitor this further field work.

Research team and survey teams Nairobi. February 21st, 2025.

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Greening the Ring of Fire: Climate Justice on Indonesia’s Geothermal Island

Gabriela Rocha Sales — Mon, 28 Apr 2025 17:22:56 +0000

Greening the Ring of Fire: Climate Justice on Indonesia’s Geothermal Island Gabriela Rocha Sales Mon, 04/28/2025 - 11:22

Emily Yeh, Professor of Geography

As damages from anthropogenic climate change intensify, a rapid global transition to decarbonized energy production has become increasingly urgent. To date, however, this green transition has been fraught with injustice, as already-marginalized peoples who have contributed very little to global warming bear the brunt of dispossession, perpetuating extractive relationships and further exacerbating inequality.

Indonesia is the world’s fourth most populous country and sixth highest annual emitter of greenhouse gases; its current energy supply continues to rely heavily on fossil fuels. The country has pledged to significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions by increasing the share of renewable energy including geothermal, in the power generation mix. Indonesia has the largest share of the world’s known geothermal reserves, but its installed capacity (second behind the United States) is only about 7% of its potential. In its quest to become a “geothermal superpower” the government declared the island of Flores a “Geothermal Island” in 2017. Populated by indigenous peoples, Flores has high levels of poverty and low rates of household and industrial electricity consumption. However, implementation of geothermal has been very slow because of community resistance due to concerns about land dispossession, pollution, induced seismicity, loss of livelihoods, and risks of lethal accidents. Indigenous peoples have resisted by refusing to sell their communal land and insisting on their rights to indigenous territory based on their own cosmologies and lived spatial relationships. State, corporate, and military actors have responded with violence, including kidnappings, detentions and beatings of protests.

Along with Geography alumnus Shae Frydenlund (PhD 2020; Assistant Teaching Professor, CU С��Ƶ Center for Asian Studies) and two colleagues from Flores, I am working on a project to understand the political economy of geothermal development, how indigenous resistance is mobilized through indigenous cosmologies and spatialities; and how geothermal development intersects with struggles over property rights to communal land. The goal of our project, which spans four geothermal sites across Flores, is to better understand the possibilities of forging more just pathways toward a green transition.

Photo 1: "We reject geothermal in Poco Leok"

Photo 2: Farmland in Mataloko ruined by a failed attempt at geothermal drilling, a site which communities now consider a cautionary tale for new geothermal development

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After the Fire: The Lingering Health Risks of Wildfire Smoke Indoors

Gabriela Rocha Sales — Mon, 28 Apr 2025 16:52:26 +0000

After the Fire: The Lingering Health Risks of Wildfire Smoke Indoors Gabriela Rocha Sales Mon, 04/28/2025 - 10:52

Wildfires don't just leave behind charred landscapes—they can also leave invisible hazards inside homes that survived the flames. In a recent piece for The Conversation, CU С��Ƶ geography professor Colleen E. Reid highlights the hidden dangers of wildfire smoke that infiltrates homes, bringing toxic chemicals that can linger for months.

Drawing from research conducted after the 2021 Marshall Fire in С��Ƶ County, Reid and her team found elevated levels of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), and metals in the ash and air inside homes that were otherwise untouched by fire. These pollutants, originating from burned human-made materials like plastics and electronics, can embed themselves in furniture, carpets, and walls, continuing to off-gas long after the fire is extinguished.

Surveys conducted six months post-fire revealed that over half of the residents experienced symptoms such as itchy eyes, headaches, dry coughs, and sore throats—symptoms they attributed to smoke exposure within their homes. Many noted that their homes had a different smell upon return, which could indicate the presence of these pollutants.

To mitigate these risks, Reid recommends thorough cleaning of all surfaces, replacing HVAC filters, removing contaminated textiles and furniture, and using air purifiers equipped with HEPA filters. She also emphasizes the importance of wearing protective gear, like N95 masks and gloves, during cleanup to prevent further exposure.

While air quality is routinely measured outdoors, Professor Reid’s research underscores the need for greater awareness of indoor air quality issues particularly following wildfires and the importance of proper remediation efforts to ensure the safety and health of returning residents.

For more detailed information and tips on cleaning and staying safe, you can read the full article here in the Conversation:

https://theconversation.com/wildfire-smoke-inside-homes-can-create-health-risks-that-linger-for-months-tips-for-cleaning-and-staying-safe-247050

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Geography Alumna: Abby Hickcox wins 2025 Cogswell Award for Inspirational Instruction

Gabriela Rocha Sales — Tue, 22 Apr 2025 21:32:06 +0000

Geography Alumna: Abby Hickcox wins 2025 Cogswell Award for Inspirational Instruction Gabriela Rocha Sales Tue, 04/22/2025 - 15:32

Copied from the Colorado Arts and Sciences Magazine for archival purposes:

Abby Hickcox, a teaching associate professor of geography and associate director of the Arts and Sciences Honors Program, has been named the 2025 Cogswell Award for Inspirational Instruction winner.

Supported by a generous donation from Craig Cogswell, a three-time alumnus of CU С��Ƶ, the award recognizes outstanding instruction in the college, honoring individuals for their inspirational qualities and teaching abilities.

Hickcox, who also is co-principal investigator of the CU С��Ƶ Affordable Housing Research Initiative, earned a BA in peace and global studies from Earlham College in 2000. In 2006, she received an MS from the Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies at the University of Wisconsin in Madison. Her master’s research investigated the privatization of common property (the Mexican ejido) in a national protected area in western Mexico. She earned her PhD in geography from the University of Colorado in 2012 and joined the honors faculty that year.

Abby Hickcox (second from right, with faculty colleagues in the Arts and Sciences Honors Program) has won the 2025 Cogswell Award for Inspirational Instruction.

“I am so honored to be selected for the Cogswell Award!” Hickcox says. “Teaching is what I love most about my role in the Honors Program. To be selected for the Cogswell Award, which recognizes inspirational instruction, is heartwarming and affirming. I am honored that my colleagues and peers took the time to nominate me, and I am so grateful for the community I have at CU, especially my students.”

In nominating Hickcox for the award, her colleagues and students noted her innovative teaching practices, interdisciplinary focus and genuine care for students.

“(Hickcox) excels at creating an inclusive classroom where students feel safe to share their thoughts, ideas and opinions,” noted Amy Palmer, a professor of biochemistry and the 2024 Cogswell Award winner. “She challenges students to take ownership of their own learning and empowers them to think of themselves as creators of knowledge.”

A former student who took Hickcox’s Environment Society Geography class as a freshman detailed how Hickcox combines an “irresistible passion for geography and learning with an unparalleled care and respect for students and their experiences.”

The student added, “From the first day, Dr. Hickcox had us questioning what can even define the line between nature and the human world, and from this philosophical beginning we extrapolated from questions into frameworks into analysis of lawns and wolves. It rocked.

“Dr. Hickcox’s excitement permeates through the classroom with geographical jokes and contagious interest in people and places. She almost got me; I almost considered changing my major—I might still add a minor. One thing will stick with me forever: a deeper appreciation of our interaction as humans with the world.”

Focusing on human geography

"From the first day, Dr. Hickcox had us questioning what can even define the line between nature and the human world, and from this philosophical beginning we extrapolated from questions into frameworks into analysis of lawns and wolves. It rocked."

Hickcox also is faculty advisor for the Honors Journal, an interdisciplinary, student-run journal published annually by the Arts and Sciences Honors Program. A student who worked on the journal praised the community that Hickcox helped them cultivate as they worked on the journal—“the friendships, memories, creativity and mutual respect that was intentional and significant,” the student noted.

“There is one moment that will last with me for a long time: Towards the end of the semester, we had finished the stressful process of planning the release event for the journal. After we had finished tasks for the day, Dr. Hickcox told us that she wanted to take a moment to talk about what she had observed this semester and what she valued in each of us. I have not felt the same depth of honesty and genuine thoughtfulness from a professor before or since.”

Hickcox teaches five honors courses per year—both lower division and upper division—which include Sustainable Futures (GEOG 1972); Place, Power and Contemporary Culture (GEOG 3742); Environmental Justice (HONR 4075); and Racism in American Culture (HONR 4000). She recently overhauled the Honors Diversity Seminar (HONR 1810) and created a new Advanced Writing Seminar—Honors Journal Section (HONR 3220).

Her research expertise is in human geography and focuses on the relationship between people and the environment. Her areas of research include parks and protected areas, environmentalism, environmental justice, racism, racialization, white racial privilege and the politics of belonging and exclusion. Specifically, through examination of historical and contemporary data, her research addresses the complicated overlap between environmentalism, progressive politics and racism in С��Ƶ.

Abby Hickcox, a teaching associate professor of geography and associate director of the Arts and Sciences Honors Program, has been named the 2025 Cogswell Award for Inspirational Instruction winner.

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Recipients of the Spring 2025 Excellence in Graduate Teaching – Teaching Assistant Award

Gabriela Rocha Sales — Mon, 21 Apr 2025 14:05:59 +0000

Recipients of the Spring 2025 Excellence in Graduate Teaching – Teaching Assistant Award Gabriela Rocha Sales Mon, 04/21/2025 - 08:05

Recipients of the Excellence in Graduate Teaching – Teaching Assistant Award: Hayes Hart-Thompson, Emma Loizeaux, and Fedor Popov.

To reward good teaching practice and encourage graduates to develop teaching skills.

The recipients are:

Hayes Hart-Thompson

Emma Loizeaux

Fedor Popov

To reward good teaching practice and encourage graduates to develop teaching skills.

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Recipients of the Spring 2025 Adam Kolff Memorial Research Award For MA Students

Gabriela Rocha Sales — Mon, 21 Apr 2025 14:02:40 +0000

Recipients of the Spring 2025 Adam Kolff Memorial Research Award For MA Students Gabriela Rocha Sales Mon, 04/21/2025 - 08:02

Spring 2025 Recipients of the Adam Kolff Memorial Research Award For MA Students: Hayes Hart-Thompson and Theo Kuhn

The Adam Kolff Memorial Research Awards are meant to enhance research opportunities for MA students in Geography. This award is named after a former MA student.

The recipients are:

Hayes Hart-Thompson

Theo Kuhn

The Adam Kolff Memorial Research Awards are meant to enhance research opportunities for MA students in Geography. This award is named after a former MA student.

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Recipients of the Spring 2025 Jennifer Dinaburg Memorial Research Award For PhD Students

Gabriela Rocha Sales — Mon, 21 Apr 2025 13:57:17 +0000

Recipients of the Spring 2025 Jennifer Dinaburg Memorial Research Award For PhD Students Gabriela Rocha Sales Mon, 04/21/2025 - 07:57

Spring 2025 Recipients of the Jennifer Dinaburg Memorial Research Award For PhD Students: Drolma Gadou, Guiye Li, Zhe Lin, Lars Schwaebe, and Jiacheng Zhou.

The Jennifer Dinaburg Memorial Research Awards are meant to enhance travel and research opportunities for PhD students in Geography. This award is named after a former PhD student.

The Spring 2025 Recipients are:

The Jennifer Dinaburg Memorial Research Awards are meant to enhance travel and research opportunities for PhD students in Geography. This award is named after a former PhD student.

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Recipients of the Spring 2025 James A. and Jeanne B. DeSana Conference Travel Award

Gabriela Rocha Sales — Mon, 21 Apr 2025 13:47:11 +0000

Recipients of the Spring 2025 James A. and Jeanne B. DeSana Conference Travel Award Gabriela Rocha Sales Mon, 04/21/2025 - 07:47

Recipients of the Spring 2025 James A. and Jeanne B. DeSana Conference Travel Award: Alek Berg, Ethan Carr, Xiaoling Chen, Drolma Gadou, Fan Li, Sherrie Liu, Luca Palasti, Chris Picard, Holly Roth, Mallory Sagehorn, Nic Tarasewicz, Lauren Thomas, and Zhongying Wang

This award, made possible by an anonymous donor, is to be used to “support graduate student research.” To honor the donor’s wishes, the Department makes this award late in the Spring semester so that it can be used for conference travel through the end of Fall 2025.

Spring 2025 Recipients:

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Recipients of the Spring 2025 John Pitlick Field Research Award

Gabriela Rocha Sales — Fri, 18 Apr 2025 21:37:13 +0000

Recipients of the Spring 2025 John Pitlick Field Research Award Gabriela Rocha Sales Fri, 04/18/2025 - 15:37

Spring 2025 Pitlick Award Recipients: Annika Hirmke, Prakriti Mukerjee, Esmee Mulder, Holly Roth, Anshul Sharma, Nic Tarasewicz, and Rahila Yilangai

This award will be used to provide support to graduate students for field research in the Geography Department at the University of Colorado, С��Ƶ. Funds will be used to cover field research-related expenses, including, but not limited to travel to and from the field area, reimbursable living expenses while in the field, costs associated with workshops, or specialized training courses, field equipment, and other costs associated with carrying out the field research.

Spring 2025 Recipients:

This award will be used to provide support to graduate students for field research in the Geography Department at the University of Colorado, С��Ƶ.

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