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Lisa DeChano-Cook

Lisa DeChano-Cook
Associate Professor

Office: (269) 387-3536
Email:

Location
3521 Wood Hall, Mail Stop 5424

Mailing address
Department of Geography
Western Michigan University
1903 W Michigan Ave
Kalamazoo MI 49008-5424 USA

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Education
Ph.D., Environmental Geography, Texas State University San Marcos, 2000
M.S., Geography, Ohio University, 1997
M.A., Space Studies, University of North Dakota, 1994
B.S., General Physics, Juniata College, 1993 

Teaching interests

• Physical geography
• Environmental impact assessment
• Natural disasters and risk management

Research interests

• Physical/environmental geography
• Natural hazards and hazard perception
• Sports geography

Bio
Dr. DeChano's research interests lie in the broad category of environmental geography with emphases on geomorphology, natural hazards, and perception. She has studied such topics as

• Grizzly bear-human interactions (charges, maulings, and fatalities)
• Public perceptions of debris flow hazards
• Psychological and social issues of landslide hazard perceptions

Dr. DeChano-Cook

• Has contributed a chapter on the physical/environmental geography of North America for a forthcoming textbook on the geography of North America
• Is co-editing Pathways #33, published by the National Council for Geographic Education, focusing on using sports examples to teach various geography concepts
• Along with Joe Stoltman and John Lidstone co-edited a book titled "International Perspectives on Natural Disasters: Occurrence, Mitigation, and Consequences."

DeChano's interests in geographic and environmental education and sports geography have led to papers and projects on environmental knowledge and environmental attitudes of high school seniors (17-19 years old) in several countries (Chile, England, Switzerland and the United States); how to use sports to teach geography concepts and American attitudes and perceptions of the 2004 Summer Olympics.

DeChano-Cook is involved with two grants:

• Designing a Michigan Land Use Model for elementary social and science instruction, funded in 2003 by the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality (along with Joseph Stoltman)
• Designing lessons for teachers using the Grade Level Content Expectations for Michigan, funded in 2004 by the National Geographic Society (along with Joseph Stoltman)

Curriculum vitae