Alumnus to Give Keynote Address at GTU Induction Ceremony

November 8, 2005

Geoff Hatchard was inducted into Gamma Theta Upsilon (GTU) in the spring of 1999 at Michigan State University. Because of his special connection to GTU and Penn State, he will serve as the guest speaker for this year's GTU induction ceremony. During his talk, he plans to offer both academic and career advice, as well as explain the importance of geography, and how we, as geographers, can contribute to the understanding of the world in the future.

Educational background and research interests
In May 2000, Geoff earned his bachelor of science degree in geography, with a specialization in Spatial Information Processing (GIS, Remote Sensing, and Cartography) at Michigan State University.

Then, he enrolled in the graduate program in the Department of Geography at Penn State. "I enrolled at Penn State because my interest was in furthering my understanding of cartographic design," he says. "Cindy Brewer was a great fit as an adviser." In December 2003, Geoff earned a master's of science degree in geography.

Geography Bee Experience
Geoff won the Pennsylvania Geography Bee in eighth grade, and took second place at the national competition. "At the time, I was so amazed that I could hang out with a bunch of other kids who were willing to talk about something as "nerdy" as geography," he says. "I felt like I had found a peer group, and it was very exciting. I remember looking in awe as I entered places like the State Capitol Building and National Geographic Society Headquarters. I knew that these were places that I wouldn't normally be able to get into, and it was a reward to be there because I had done so well in the competition."

Since then, Geoff has participated in the Geography Bee for the past six years, as a judge, moderator, scorekeeper, timekeeper, and writer and researcher of questions. "Basically, I've been able to be involved in every aspect of the competition from top to bottom," he says.

He recommends that those students interested in competing in a Geography Bee or Geography Bowl competition should study hard and prepare for the competition. "A broad knowledge of how the world works is a must," he advises. "But it's not like an exam that you can just cram for. You never know what you're going to be "tested" on, so you have to plan for all contingencies." He also says that having a good memory and a love for geography is very helpful.

Internship and Employment Experience
While in college, Geoff held several geography-related internships and work experiences. He was an intern in the GIS department for Saginaw County, MI, as well as in the Geography Competitions division for the National Geographic Society. He also worked for the Center for Remote Sensing and Geographic Information Sciences (now Remote Sensing and Geographic Information Sciences Research and Outreach Services) at Michigan State and was responsible for land use/land cover analysis from aerial photography.

Currently, Geoff is an Edit Cartographer at the National Geographic Society, where he has been since September 2003. He is responsible for map editing and production work for various projects. He has worked on maps for educational purposes, National Geographic Explorer! magazine, National Geographic Traveler magazine, as well as special projects with Palm Pictures, NPR, and the Chesapeake Bay Foundation. "The biggest project I worked on was the 8th Edition of the Atlas of the World, which is what I was hired for initially in 2003," he explains. "It was great because I got to do design, production, and editing work, touching on every aspect of the Atlas' creation."

Academic and Career Advice
Geoff recommends undergraduate students cultivate connections with people in the field, and keep those contacts alive. "It's been a godsend for me to be able to contact people that I met at Michigan State and Penn State when I need the answer to a question that I'm not totally sure about," he says. He also recommends that students keep their interests wide-ranging. "If you have a more wide-ranging understanding of geography than just how to create choropleth maps, for example, then you'll be more likely to find a job where you can do multiple things that will keep you interested and excited about getting up every day."