After more than two decades, the Geography Department is preparing to say goodbye to longtime
professor and researcher Joe Mason, who will be retiring in January 2027. His research and
work in the department have made significant contributions to geomorphology and soil studies.
We sat down with him to discuss his career in geography, time here at UW–Madison, and what
comes next.

How many years have you been with the department?
This September I will have been here 23 years as a faculty member. I was also here for four years as a graduate student.

What initially drew you to the field of geography and more specifically, how did you get to
where you are in the department today?
Though I had always been interested in a lot of things geographers study, my familiarity with the discipline of geography and with this department actually developed mostly after I got here in graduate school.

My undergraduate degree was in soil science, and I went to the University of Minnesota for an MS in that field. However, my MS project turned out to involve a lot of geomorphology as well as soils, and I was looking for a PhD program where I could follow up on that interest. I met Jim Knox on a field trip and eventually applied to the PhD program here to work with him. And to be honest, the decision to come here had a lot to do with things like getting health insurance coverage for my family and myself, along with my academic interests.

After getting my PhD, I had faculty positions in Geography at Northern Illinois University and in the state geological survey and the Department of Geosciences at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, before moving back here.

What project, class, or research that you have worked on have you been most proud of?
I’m not sure I can pick a favorite research project. I think they all made good contributions though they varied a lot in methods and the numbers of people and disciplines involved. I am especially proud of my courses in geomorphology, the geography of Wisconsin, and changing landscapes of the American West.

What fellow geographers do you draw your inspiration and motivation from?
I’m inspired by the work of scientists doing research related to mine across several disciplines, including geography, geology, soil science, and ecology. I’m also inspired by scientists and scholars who are working to make STEM fields and academia in general more equitable, diverse, and aware of the political implications of our work.

In the lecture description for your Yi-Fu talk on May 1, you emphasize what
you refer to as the “extraordinary complexity of ordinary landscapes.” What inspired you
to focus your research on places that are often overlooked by others and how has this
focus shaped your research?
At least in part, I am interested in ordinary landscapes because they are often overlooked, despite being the places where most of us work and live, and despite their unrecognized and fascinating complexity. I also think research on the processes that shape these landscapes often has implications for important environmental issues.

When are you retiring, and what are you most looking forward to in retirement?
My last day will be January 1, 2027, and I am looking forward to finishing the Ice Age Trail.