The Geography Department at the UW-Madison

The Geography Department at the UW-Madison

MadGeogNews is the news blog and e-newsletter of the the UW-Madison Geography Department.
 

Science Hall

For over 85 years, UW-Madison has been home to one of the top ranked geography departments in the nation. UW-Madison is a world-class research university that provides many opportunities for inter-disciplinary collaboration. The strength of our department is reflected in our ability to attract top-caliber students, compete for significant research funding, and win major awards, including more Guggenheim Fellowships than any other geography department.

Our Geography Program is organized into four major thematic areas: physical geography, people-environmental studies, cartography and GIS, and human geography. There is intentional overlap among the thematic areas and many of our faculty work across subfields (e.g., teach courses in both human and people-environment).

The department’s strength lies in more than its faculty. We are fortunate to have the Robinson Map Library (with over 500,000 items) and the UW Geography Library housed within Science Hall. Combined, these libraries represent one of the largest and best collections of geographic materials anywhere. Other valuable facets within the department include the Cartography Lab (a unique cartographic production facility), the Wisconsin State Cartographer’s Office, and the History of Cartography Project.

We are also proud of the accomplishments of our graduates, many of whom have gone on to prominence within government, industry, and academia. Some of the most influential names in geography received their training here in Madison. However, we are not content to rest on our laurels and the future looks equally bright.