Department of Geography and Anthropology at Kennesaw State University

08/28/2026

Check out our department's new promo video!
https://youtu.be/feE29PrUpQU?si=5U2ofejN-Ss-BKRb

The Department of Geography and Anthropology is a student-centered department of excellence committed to fulfilling the mission of Kennesaw State University. The faculty empowers students to understand the human condition, to meet the challenges of the 21st century, and to become informed global citizens by cultivating a welcoming environment that encourages active and participatory teaching and learning. The academic programs enrich students with a holistic curriculum and robust extracurricular experiences that prepare them to understand and engage the world's intersecting human, cultural, and physical systems. seeks to study and understand the distribution, dynamics, and interrelationships between humans and their physical environment. applies geospatial technologies to analyze the spatial processes produced or modified by human-environment interactions. examines human experiences fully appreciating the biological and cultural power of a variety of perspectives. The department is committed to conducting high quality research reflecting faculty expertise in a collaborative manner and incorporating robust student mentorship. Innovative research within the department includes sustainability and environmental studies, application of geospatial technologies, land surveying, lifeways and livelihoods, forensic science, heritage and resource management, and the scholarship of teaching and learning. Department faculty design and deliver high quality pedagogy that promotes student success through undergraduate research, internships and work experiences, and service-learning and community engagement. The department is committed to providing students with the knowledge, creativity, and career skills necessary to become productive global citizens.

KSU Norman J. Radow College of Humanities and Social Sciences

The Department of Geography and Anthropology is a student-centered ...

08/28/2026

The People and Places of Iceland: Study and in Iceland during Spring Break 2027 with Dr. Smith and Dr. McDaniel!

Iceland, often called the land of fire and ice, offers one of the most dramatic and inspiring landscapes on Earth. This hybrid study abroad program invites students to explore how Icelanders have adapted, innovated, and thrived in a place shaped by glaciers, volcanoes, geothermal energy, and rugged coastlines. Blending on‑campus coursework during the spring semester with a 10‑day immersive spring break journey, the program provides a rich academic and cultural experience. Each student will enroll in either GEOG 1125: Resources, Society, and the Environment (with Dr. Paul McDaniel, this course satisfies a general education Core IMPACTS requirement) or ANTH 4490: Living with Fire and Ice: Anthropology of Iceland (with Dr. Susan Kirkpatrick Smith), during the Spring 2027 semester.

Students will stay in the heart of Reykjavík, Iceland’s vibrant capital. From this central location, participants will venture out to discover the country’s history, culture, and natural wonders. Program excursions include visits to local museums that highlight Iceland’s people, landscapes, and abundant natural resources. Students will tour the iconic Golden Circle, witnessing geysers, waterfalls, and tectonic rifts that reveal the island’s geological story. A visit to an agricultural college will offer insight into how Icelanders cultivate food in a challenging environment, blending tradition with cutting‑edge sustainability practices.

Coursework on campus will frame and deepen the travel experience. Before departure, students will explore Iceland’s geography, culture, and environmental challenges, preparing them to engage thoughtfully with what they encounter abroad. After returning, students will reflect on their experiences, connecting academic concepts with real‑world observations.

This program is designed for students eager to understand how communities adapt to extreme environments and how culture and landscape shape one another.

Apply by October 29: https://kennesaw.studioabroad.com/_portal/tds-program-brochure?programid=10519

KSU Education Abroad
KSU Norman J. Radow College of Humanities and Social Sciences
Kennesaw State University

08/24/2026

Happy First Day of the Fall Semester 2026! The Department of Geography and Anthropology at Kennesaw State University extends a special greeting to all new students and welcomes back all returning students for a new semester and academic year! All best wishes as your new semester and new academic year journey begins!

08/21/2026

The Dept. Of Geography and Anthropology’s Faculty and staff are excited to welcome back students to start an amazing 2026-27 year full of learning, research, community and fun.
KSU Student Activities Norman J . Radow College of Humanities & Social Sciences Kennesaw State University Research at Kennesaw State University

08/18/2026

New Article Alert: Professors Raczek and Ingram worked with other KSU faculty to publish their article, "How Intelligent? Student Success, Student Engagement, and Faculty Use of Intelligent Agents in Online Classes" in the Journal on Empowering Teaching Excellence. Learn more here: https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/jete/vol10/iss1/7/

08/11/2026

A huge congratulations to KSU alumna Najiyah Williams, who just published her first article! Check it out in the Proceedings of the Southern Anthropological Society: Before the Gravestones: Uncovering the Past of the Jonesville Historic African American Cemetery. https://egrove.olemiss.edu/southernanthro_proceedings/

08/07/2026

Congratulations to KSU Anthropology alumni Chris Goden who recently completed his PhD in forensic anthropology at The Ohio State University School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences! Dr. Goden will be starting at Mississippi State University as an Assistant Professor of Anthropology this fall and will also serve as one of two Forensic Anthropologists for the Office of the State Medical Examiner in Mississippi.

08/05/2026

Congratulations to Dr. Paul McDaniel and Dr. Ranbir Kang on their new research article, "Public Art Narrates the Atlanta BeltLine's Human-Environment Story," published in Focus on Geography, an online digital open access peer-reviewed journal of the American Geographical Society. Read the full article here: https://www.focusongeography.org/publications/articles/beltline/

Thank you to the undergraduate student researchers who assisted with different aspects of this project: Ben Arnett, Finn Daniel, Sophia Donovan, Sophie Galvani, James Greene, Cambell Pierce, and Cameron Platto. Thank you also to the Office of Undergraduate Research and the Department of Geography and Anthropology at Kennesaw State University for supporting this work through the First-Year Scholars and Sophomore Scholars programs and an Intradepartmental Research Initiative Grant.

06/08/2026

From Dr. Teresa Raczek: Material Life of Museums students visited 10 museums this summer and met with over 20 professionals to learn about museum careers. Thanks to the wonderful staff at Etowah Mounds / , Savoy Automobile Museum / , National Center for Civil and Human Rights / , Tellus Science Museum / , Booth Western Art Museum / , Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park / , KSU Museum of History & Holocaust Education / , KSU Rare Books / (KSU Bentley Rare Book Museum).

06/05/2026

Students have been working with Dr. Susan Kirkpatrick Smith in the Greek Osteology Field School at the Institute for Aegean Prehistory Study Center for East Crete. Samy Ibarra-Rodriguez, Morgan Fowler, and Jess Drilling observe native plants on a hike through the Sarakina Gorge led by Dr. Carly Henkle, a paleobotanist. This plant, Prasium majus, common name is hedge-nettle in English, is collected in the winter to make traditional Cretan hortapitakia, or pie with wild greens.