Georgia Southern student wins undergraduate geography poster competition
Linnea Ryan, a junior history major and geography minor from Ringgold, Georgia, won the Southeastern Division of the American Association of Geographers (SEDAAG) undergraduate student poster competition at the annual meeting in Starkville, Mississippi.
Ryan completed her original project titled "Out of Sight, Out of Mind: Examining Gender Representation in Savannah's Historical Markers” through research of cultural geography and use of a geographic information system (GIS) under the guidance of Assistant Professors of Geography Meimei Lin, Ph.D. and Amy Potter, Ph.D.
Ryan explored in her research how women are represented by historical markers in downtown Savannah, Georgia. She applied skills she learned in her GIS course with Lin to map out walking and ride-along tours that would highlight different historic markers.
“A lot of history, especially that of women, people of color and the LGBTQ+ community is missing from the landscape,” said Ryan. “Bringing recognition to this lack of representation through memorialization is the first step to building a landscape that is more inclusive and celebrates the accomplishments of everyone.”
During the SEDAAG annual meeting, students had the opportunity to engage and interact with professional and student geographers. Ryan met Steve Hanna, a geographer whose book she read as part of a course and whom she also cited in her poster research project.
“Watching Linnea discuss her research with other geographers at SEDAAG and having her work recognized as outstanding was a very proud moment for me,” said Potter. “While I certainly enjoy the classroom setting, working one-on-one with students like Linnea make my job that much more rewarding.”
The SEDAAG Undergraduate Honors Committee evaluated posters based on the quality of original research, oral presentation, defense and use of maps and illustrations. As the winner of the undergraduate poster competition, Ryan received a $250 award.
The SEDAAG is a regional subdivision of the American Association of Geographers, representing approximately 500 members in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia.
Georgia Southern University, a public Carnegie Doctoral/Research institution founded in 1906, offers 142 degree programs serving more than 27,000 students through nine colleges on three campuses in Savannah, Statesboro, Hinesville and online instruction. A leader in higher education in southeast Georgia, the University provides a diverse student population with expert faculty, world-class scholarship and hands-on learning opportunities. Georgia Southern creates lifelong learners who serve as responsible scholars, leaders and stewards in their communities. Visit GeorgiaSouthern.edu.
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