Human Geography with GIS How do geographers study spatial interactions between people and the environment? How does socio-economic status relate to spatial patterns of settlement, social organization, access to resources, and exposure to risks? How can geographic information systems (GIS) help geographers explain these spatial patterns and processes? In this course we will apply GIS to a wide range of topics in human geography including urban, environmental, political, hazards, and health. We will learn how to gather, create, analyze, visualize, and critically interpret geographic data through tutorials, collaborative labs, and independent work that culminate in cartographic layouts of our results.

Human Geography with GIS (formerly ENVS 0120) How do geographers study spatial interactions between people and the environment? How does socio-economic status relate to spatial patterns of settlement, social organization, access to resources, and exposure to risks? How can geographic information systems (GIS) help geographers explain these spatial patterns and processes? In this course we will apply GIS to a wide range of topics in human geography including urban, environmental, political, hazards, and health. We will learn how to gather, create, analyze, visualize, and critically interpret geographic data through tutorials, collaborative labs, and independent work that culminate in cartographic layouts of our results.

The Global Environment (formerly GEOG 0206) This course will provide an introduction to the study of the physical environment, with an emphasis on how environmental systems interact. The first half of the course will focus on Earth’s climate, specifically, Earth’s energy budget, the greenhouse effect, global wind and weather patterns, and global ocean circulation patterns. The second half of the course will focus on patterns and processes of the Earth’s surface by examining global patterns of vegetation and the creation of landforms by fluvial, glacial, and aeolian processes. We will use this foundation to understand how our rapidly changing climate will alter each of these systems.

The Global Environment This course will provide an introduction to the study of the physical environment, with an emphasis on how environmental systems interact. The first half of the course will focus on Earth’s climate, specifically, Earth’s energy budget, the greenhouse effect, global wind and weather patterns, and global ocean circulation patterns. The second half of the course will focus on patterns and processes of the Earth’s surface by examining global patterns of vegetation and the creation of landforms by fluvial, glacial, and aeolian processes. We will use this foundation to understand how our rapidly changing climate will alter each of these systems.

Human Geography with GIS (formerly GEOG 0120) How do geographers study spatial interactions between people and the environment? How does socio-economic status relate to spatial patterns of settlement, social organization, access to resources, and exposure to risks? How can geographic information systems (GIS) help geographers explain these spatial patterns and processes? In this course we will apply GIS to a wide range of topics in human geography including urban, environmental, political, hazards, and health. We will learn how to gather, create, analyze, visualize, and critically interpret geographic data through tutorials, collaborative labs, and independent work that culminate in cartographic layouts of our results.

Urban Africa The era of rural Africa is over. Today, 40% of sub-Saharan Africans live in cities – seen as places with  social services, economic opportunities, and accessible technology. Yet, African cities are also places of unemployment, social services challenges, and increasing inequality. In this course we will take a  cross-disciplinary approach to the study of urban Africa through scholarly readings, media critiques,  discussions, and data analysis. We will identify similarities and differences in the process of  urbanization in Africa vis-à-vis other world regions. Students will actively contribute to our critical  inquiry into African cities through individual research projects and in-class presentations. 3 hrs. lect

Applied Remote Sensing: Land Use in Sub-Saharan Africa Satellite images are indispensable for mapping forest cover, agriculture, and other land uses. Off-the-shelf products struggle to capture features in complex landscapes, such as fine-scale forest  changes, urban sprawl, or small agricultural fields. In this course we will focus on sub-Saharan Africa  to investigate select land uses with remote sensing techniques, discuss their social contexts, and  practice novel approaches for generating land use maps. Students will be actively engaged in  carrying out analyses and critical interpretations throughout the semester. Their work will culminate  in a web-based portfolio, which will provide an opportunity to learn effective communication of  research findings.  (GEOG150 or GEOL0222 or by instructor permission) GEOG 120 is recommended

Niwaeli Kimambo

Reviews and ratings for Niwaeli Kimambo at Middlebury College.Niwaeli Kimambo teaches Human Geography with GIS, The Global Environment, Urban Africa and more.  Explore top rated instructors and find the best for you.Is Niwaeli Kimambo good ? Find out on MiddCourses.

Niwaeli is very comprehensive and organized, she does not cut corners, the course was not easy but was very consistent and useful and I really appreciated her teaching style. Some people thought the class was hard but as long as you settle into the rhythm of regular assignments and take good notes you are set.

It is a worthwhile course that gives you a new understanding of modern Africa and its various distinct nations. Topics covered include geographical mapping tools, data and statistical analysis, social/societal dynamics, rural/urban dynamics, transportation, finance, and economic analysis, and a wide range of group problem-solving projects.

This course certainly lives up to its reputation. The workload is extremely high and you will spend hours and hours behind a computer in the GIS lab, but the topics explored are very interesting. Prof. Kimambo is clearly very invested in making the class valuable to everybody, not just geography majors, but the material is quite dense. Expect to do a lot of the learning on your own, and then have those topics reinforced in the next lecture. Independent projects are also very challenging, but worthwhile in the end.