Jean Lavigne

Place of Birth

Rochester, MN. I have lived in 17 cities or towns in 9 states.

Educational Information

B.A. - Macalester College (Geography)

M.S. - Pennsylvania State University (Geography)

Ph.D. - University of Kentucky (Geography)

Academic Interests

• Human/Environment Interactions
• Political Ecology
• Regions of focus: American West, East and Southeast Asia

I am most interested in connections and relationships between societies and the environments they inhabit. I want to understand the impacts and consequences of peoples' ideas about the natural world, which are often expressed through arguments over specific environmental issues or projects. As a geographer, I am also interested in learning as much as I can about other countries and cultures, especially in Asia.

Story

I taught geography for three years at Gustavus before answering an ad at CSB/SJU for an "environmental geographer." I started teaching here in the fall of 2006, and I am very glad to be part of a dynamic and growing environmental studies program. I was also attracted by the Colleges' emphasis on international education, and I look forward to playing a larger role in those programs in the future.

Hobbies

Cooking (especially Asian food), traveling, photography, and learning new things.