About 5000-7000 geographers usually attend this meeting including some graduate students and undergraduate geography majors. Other faculty and graduate students from the SIUE Geography Department also attended.
At these meetings, we usually give 15-20 minute presentations about some research topic that we are working on. My research is about typhoons (hurricanes) in the western North Pacific area around Japan. Because there aren't good weather records from before the 20th century, I (and a Japanese colleague) work on trying to assemble a record of typhoons by looking at historical documents such as diaries, journals, newspapers and government documents. Many of these records in Japan go back to 1600 when the Shogun unified Japan.
This year, I gave a talk entitled, "Typhoon affecting Japan 1880-1899." My coauthor (Dr. Masumi Zaiki from Japan) and I use old newspapers like this one from October, 1891 mentioning a typhoon that hit Japan the previous month
Doing research is really interesting. I usually go to Japan each summer to work on this type of project and other projects.
24 comments:
Devin Robinson
It is very interesting to know that newspapers and journals from that time period are used in studying things that happen with the weather. Because records were not well kept, looking at people reactions and thoughts about the incident to get insight seems astounding. Plus, Japan seems like an awesome place to go to every summer.
I found a youtube video of surfing typhoons in Japan, a slightly happier side of them.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HfyicUMswwo
Brittyne Griffin
ESCI 111 Section 001
This is pretty cool. I guess it goes without saying that you're never too old to write papers. I thought it stopped after college. Your topic in general however was intriguing and appropriate with the recent disasters in the world. I do photography, so i plan on traveling to Vietnam with my family soon, and documenting their streets, and the landscape of the country in general.
Im Nicole Weinberg currently a freshman majoring in mass communications. I have not traveled many places or had the opportunity yet to present research or travel around the world but, I found this blog post very interesting because hurricanes in Japan are very common and typhoons are a subject that everyone should gain knowledge on. The pictures of the maps where interesting showing the different time periods of the hurricanes in Japan.
It's really awesome that you go to Japan at least once a year, I wish I could travel like that. I also find typhoons in general pretty interesting because of how they can cause so much destruction and the impact they can have on not only the people but the land around it as well. I enjoyed looking at the pictures from all the differnt times Japan experienced a typhoon.
Jayna Brennan
I can imagine the work you do is painstaking, sorting through documents and diaries to put your timeline together. I can't imagine teaching and working on something like that at the same time, plus I'm sure you have other obligations as well. For how long have you been working on this project? I want to be a French professor but I'm not so sure that any research I do could be as interesting as what you do.
Julie Lisak
I find it so interesting that you do all this research, especially with just one colleague. I'm sure it takes a lot of time and patience to do what you do. Your work is probably overlooked by people not in your field, but it is important to know about the past typhoon activities in order to possibly get a better understanding on what the future may look like in the way of when typhoons may hit.
-Jennifer White
I never knew that all professors had to participate in research and publication. In the past I have had some professors say that they participate in both but, those professors were mostly Psychology professor. So this is interesting to hear that professor in other fields have to do the same. Also I fell like the topic you are writing on is very interesting. Ive always thought hurricanes were cool because of how they form and their strength. I would love to read one of your publications in the future.
Your studies reminds me of my summer history teacher. He worked during the day at a museum, and said that his main job was to go through old newspapers for projects. We are in such a technology dependent age that is easy to forget that people still need to use other sources to find information other than the internet. Not only would newspapers be so interesting for the content, but also they would be a first hand account of what is like experiencing that event for someone in that time period. What an interesting way to research.
Carley Pfleger
I found your research of typhoons in Japan to be very interesting. It's crazy how easy it is to gather information regarding events that occurred hundreds of years ago. I thought it was cool you could find the newspaper dated that far back. I am a Psychology major and in most classes we are required to gather research from academic journals to magazines, and even books, too. Therefore, I know the time it takes to gather information from these sources and I am glad you were able to show us the research you have been working on. Also, am happy you got the opportunity to attend a conference in your hometown.
Britini Irwin
To be able to go somewhere as amazing as Japan and work on something that can have a big impact on the world is really great. Predicting things like typhoons in Japan is a big deal and can help many people.
This is very neat. Especially since with what had happened to Japan's geography (earthquake) last year this is a great topic to study and to learn from for future events.
- Andrew Hagan
I am impressed that you take your studies to Japan each year. I am sure it is a challenge to decipher information from the late 1800s. I applaud you for heavily researching the typhoons of Japan.
Michelle Probst
I think its really interesting that you can use old diaries, journals, newspapers and government documents to find out when typhoons occured. It probably takes a lot of time to track down these documents and record whats happening.
~Tarah Kohler
Wow! That is awesome to see an SIUE professor be apart of something like that. Also, it is great to see different cultures and races working together as a team. It is also amazing that we are able to keep records and newspapers from that far back in history. It would also be great to have a better understanding typhoons; therfore, lead to saving more lives. Good luck on your continuing research.
-David Kasich
I thought this was pretty cool. Just like the others, I am also jealous of all the traveling you get to experience. I think its amazing how those types of articles are still around to help you develop your research for your presentation. I also think it's awesome to see one of my professors go to a major city like New York to be apart of something special. Jacob Wood
It’s amazing to me how much professor do outside the classroom. I always just assume they teach and go home and go on with their day, I never really sit back and realize all the other interesting things they do. I think what you do is very important and probably somewhat over looked. It’s good for people to be informed of these things, and it’s very neat how you can pull up things and show them from many years ago. I’ve never been to Japan but I’d love to go and see what it’s like someday, the work you do and present is very interesting!
-Kierstyn Bone
I think this is pretty interesting how you and some of the other professores are trying to figure out and predict the next typhoon. This will help us understand these storms better and will help warn people when the time comes. Keep up the hard work!
- J.D. Wynn
This is why I came to college. The passion and interest that you put into your profession shows in the classroom and really goes far to pull me into the material. I, too, am interested in research and knowing that you can do it on top of another profession inspires me and makes me feel better about the path I am on.
I find research studies to be very interesting. Especially when looking back in time and correlating it with the present time. I also love having old newspaper articles or drawings to look back on. I'm interested to see what types of information you find out in your research.
Laura Doherty
I think it's amazing that you go to Japan every summer. I've never been there and wish to go sometime. It is also very interesting looking at the pictures you used from articles and journals that were from October 1891 and October 1899. Typhoons are interesting to learn about and how they affect countries.
Patricia Doyle
I did know many professors have the responsibility of doing research and publications of their works. But yet, you are the first to share your research. Thank you!! This is very interesting! I do have a few questions though. When finding a partner to do research with, such as Dr. Masumi Zaiki, how do you meet? How do you come up such topics to do research on? You also state that you have to go through journals and diaries to get information on the past climate, if they are in a different language that you are not familiar with how difficult is that for you to do your research? How offten do you keep in touch with your coauthor? How many years have you been working on this specific project? What is the average time span for you to do research and publish?
Melissa McKenney
ESC1 111
I think it is very interesting that you go to Japan every year. That is neat that an SIUE professor takes his studies over seas. I couldnt imagine trying to decipher information from the 1800's and how hard it would be.
Devin Caldwell
I wish I had the luxury of going overseas to present my research! I am envious, sir. Very interesting and mostly, very cool! I would give anything to spend time in Latin America studying and absorbing the culture.
Adam Reid
That's pretty cool that you go to Japan every summer. One question though does your co-author speak english at all? I would assume it would be pretty difficult to have an interpreter between you two. Or do you speak a little bit of Japanese? Cause if so that is also pretty cool!
Nathan Pierce
ESCI111
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