International Multidisciplinary Research and Education: A Mountain Geography Perspective

Abstract

Collaborative international research projects represent excellent opportunities for students to obtain unique and life-altering educational experiences. Dynamic interactions with people from a variety of countries, institutions, and departments, in diverse situations, provides students with new perspectives, encourages them to operate in a multidisciplinary environment, and facilitates real-world problem solving. This article discusses important concepts and issues in geographic education that are based upon real-world experiences in the Himalaya Mountains of India and Pakistan, involving undergraduate, graduate, and postdoctoral research assistants. Multidisciplinary research/education activities reveal the importance of geography in problem solving and scientific inquiry. This work also highlights numerous issues and curriculum challenges required to establish a scientific foundation in geography, as traditional empirical approaches to geographic education and research frequently hide the complexities of dynamic systems and our world. Students require a multitude of perspectives that incorporate cultural and communication experiences, knowledge synthesis, field and laboratory work, and real-world problem solving. International research experiences can address some of these requirements, so that students can effectively solve problems in an increasingly international and multidisciplinary world. This personal article incorporates numerous examples from physical geography and geographic information science.

Key Words:

• physical geography
• multidisciplinary research
• fieldwork

Acknowledgments

The activities described in this article were supported by grants from the National Geographic Society, National Science Foundation, National Aeronautics and Space Administration, and various foundations. I would like to acknowledge Oscar Horst, professor emeritus, at Western Michigan University, who played such an instrumental role in my undergraduate education. His work and involvement with students in international research and education has influenced my career and the lives of many people. His effective guidance and penchant for accuracy and productivity deserves recognition. I would also like to thank John F. Shroder Jr. for discussions and feedback regarding an earlier draft, and three anonymous reviewers whose comments helped to improve the quality of the manuscript.

Dr. Michael P. Bishop is a professor in the Department of Geography and Geology at the University of Nebraska at Omaha in Omaha, Nebraska, USA. His interests are in mountain geomorphology, remote sensing, geographic information systems (GIS), geomorphometry (terrain analysis and modeling), and environmental modeling. He has worked with scientists and students from around the world, and has published extensively on the integration of Earth science, remote sensing, and GIS in scientific inquiry and undergraduate and graduate education.