Undergraduate Research Projects

Virtual Atlas of Southeastern Kentucky

Economic Geography

This is a webpage for the student research projects completed for Dr. John Grimes’s GEO 330 Economic Geography at Eastern Kentucky University.

The Fall of 2008 was a fascinating time to be teaching Economic Geography. It seemed as if everyday brought interesting and disturbing economic news. We began the semester as the U.S. housing bubble was bursting. We watched as the housing situation created crises in the capital markets. We monitored the TED-Spread and Libor rates (and other indications of capital flows) and then finally, the consequences as all of this spilled into the global financial markets. Understanding the how the circuits of capital operated has never been more important!! We had lively debates over the role of government as the “Wall Street Bailout” plan was proposed (and then passed).

We kept up with this complex and fluid situation using a variety of very outside resources. We accessed the multimedia presentation in the New York Times Business Section. We found the definitions of complex financial terms in Bloomberg’s financial glossary at http://www.bloomberg.com/invest/glossary/bfglosa.htm. We accessed Market Place Radio’s “Whiteboard Videos” at http://marketplace.publicradio.org/videos/whiteboard/.

We decided that “financial literacy” should be the perspective to take on the research projects. We read about individuals who made very bad financial decisions because they didn’t know any better or because they didn’t know what questions to ask. We decided that our projects should answer: What should an EKU student know about …..? Below are the results. These files have audio so turn your speakers on!! If you have any questions or comments I can be contacted at john.grimes@eku.edu or jrg77136@insightbb.com. Thank You, John Grimes

Two of these presentations require Microsoft PowerPoint 2003 or later to view. If you do not have this program, you can download and install the PowerPoint Viewer. The third presentation requires Windows Media Player.

•  Managing Credit

•  What EKU Students Should Know about Managing Money for Retirement. (Has audio, please turn on speakers)

•  Buying Your First Home: What You Should Know about Purchasing a House (Requires Windows Media Player and has audio, please turn on speakers)

Urban Geography

These are some of the student research projects from Urban Geography (GEO 321), Fall 2007, taught by Dr. John Grimes. Urban areas and urban issues were the focus of this class. We addressed mostly cities in the developed world and investigated their cultural, social, political, and economic dimensions. Students selected their own topics, conducted the research in small groups, and presented their research using a multimedia format. The topics they choose are some of the current “hot button” topics in Central Kentucky - crime, the migration of Hispanics to Kentucky, and impacts of highways and bridges for our communities. I-75 was a topic that many of the students gravitated. The presence of the highway makes the daily geography for many students (and faculty) possible and is a powerful force reshaping both Richmond and Lexington. Comments or questions can be sent to John Grimes.

These presentations require Microsoft PowerPoint 2003 or later to view. If you do not have this program, you can download and install the PowerPoint Viewer.

•  Bridges of Madison County (Has audio, please turn on speakers)

•  Hispanics in Louisville (Has audio, please turn on speakers)

•  The Changing Geography of Crime in Lexington, KY

Geography of Food and Agriculture

This class was organized into five units: 1) describing the contemporary agro-food system; 2) history of food preparation; 3) domestication of plants and animals; 4) regulation of agriculture and food; and 5) diet and nutrition. We had three guest speakers. Dr. John White spoke on the regional cuisine of Italy focusing on southern Italy and the island of Sicily. Tammy Horn, the author of Bees in America: how the honey bee shaped the nation (University of Kentucky Press, 2005) spoke on the history of the honey bee and its importance to US agriculture. As geographers, we are very interested to hear her elaborate on the concept of “bee space.” Our last guest speaker was farmer and CSA operator Ann Stone. Ann operates Elmwood Stock Farm (visit their website: www.Elmwoodstockfarm.com), a diversified and certified organic farm. She spoke about the transformation of the family farm from a traditional cattle and tobacco farm to CSA (community supported agriculture) model where customers buy a seasonal share of their farm’s produce. She talked about the CSA business model and the advantages and disadvantages of selling directly to the consumer. Ann, and products from Elmwood Stock Farm, can be found at the Lexington farmers market. Thank you guest speakers for participating in this class!! Questions and/or comments can be sent to John Grimes at john.grimes@eku.edu or jrg77136@insightbb.com

•  The Social History of Cakes (Has audio, please turn on speakers)

•  The Foreign Food Markets of Lexington (Has audio, please turn on speakers)

•  The Bourbon Distilleries of Central Kentucky

•  Energy Drinks and the University

•  The Benefits of Game Meat

•  Family Foods: Squid and Octopus