Department of Geography

 Economic Geography
Urban Geography
Urban and Regional Planning
Africa
GIS

      My research focus is economic development. Within this I have worked on a range of three broad areas. The first area is the interaction between technology and economic development of both developed and developing countries. In this research I began with examining the role of indigenous technological systems in economic development of developing countries, with particular focus on Ghana. I then moved on to examine the impact of regions on the evolution and development of technological innovations, and the forces that influence the technology choice and diffusion in global industries using the Canadian pulp and paper industry as a case study. The second area that I have worked is the role of the human factor in economic development of Africa. This research has focused on how appropriate human factor is crucial for effective analysis of development problems, formulation of effective development policies and successful implementation of such policies and strategies. Part of this research has led me into training of planning professionals in Uganda to use such geographic tools as GIS in local government planning. The third area of research interest is local economic development with particular reference to small cities – particularly cities with 100,000 populations or less. In this research I have sought to understand the dynamics of economic development of small cities by way of examining the changing geographies these cities.

This research has been funded by Rockefeller Foundation and University of Wisconsin System Applied Research Grants. Papers out of this research have been published in journals including Environment and Planning A, Geoforum, Canadian Geographer, and Review of Human Factor Studies, as well as several peer-reviewed books.

I am currently working on two book projects, one on Economic Geography and the other on Africa, as well as continuing my small cities’ research.

My teaching interests are in economic and urban geography, Africa, and urban and regional planning. I have specifically taught courses in introductory economic geography, introductory urban geography, industrial location, retail and service location, transportation and logistics, urban geography, community and regional analysis.
Before assuming the position of Chair I was a professor of geography for 15 years at the Department of Geography & Geology at the University of Wisconsin –Stevens Point, the last 5 years of which I chaired the department.