Following the Spring 2009 Commencement ceremony, the Department of Geography held its annual reception and awards presentation on the North Patio of Lefrak Hall.  During the presentation, the faculty took time to recognize the department’s top students, and for the first time, an alumnus.  Among this year’s awardees were:

• Richard A. Russo, recipient of the 2009 O.E. Baker Award for an outstanding performance by a doctoral student in geography;
• Jeremy Mirmelstein, recipient of the 2009 O.E. Baker Award for an outstanding performance by a Masters student in geography;
• Ryan O’Connor, recipient of the 2009 James R. Anderson Award for outstanding performance by an undergraduate student in geography;
• Olivia Teresa Marinelli, recipient of the 2009 Robert A. Harper Award for outstanding undergraduate research and writing
• Lance Stockett, recipient of the 2009 Alumni Writing Award in Regional Geography

Also recognized during the awards presentation were the winners of the 2009 Department of Geography Undergraduate Research Symposium.  These students completed research projects throughout the year and presented their work at the first annual symposium.

• Thoraya Malek-Hussain and Nora Somogyi, Co-1st Place
• Jeffrey Martin Quarrick, 2nd Place;
• Peter Villaver, Honorable Mention

Finally, the Department of Geography would also like to recognize this year’s 2008-2009 Geography Department Honors Students.  These students worked with their respective advisors to complete a year-long Honors research project.   Additionally, all three students presented their project posters at the 2009 Association of American Geographer’s (AAG) conference in March.

• Rachel Berndtson, “Shoreline Erosion in the Outer Banks, North Carolina”
• Garrett Alan Mitchell, “Rift interaction at the Galapágos triple junction: tectonics of the Galapagos triple junction”
• Jeffrey Martin Quarrick, “Spatial Distribution of Nitrate Contaminations in
  Maryland Public Drinking Water Facilities”