The Department of Geography maintains a variety of facilities to support its mission of research, teaching, and service. These facilities are available to faculty, staff, and students.
Cartographic Research Laboratory
The Cartographic Research Laboratory was established in 1982. It is a self-supporting, non-profit facility, receiving funding through the sale of publications and through the completion of cartographic and GIS projects for a broad clientele. Adjoining the University Map Library and Placenames Research Center, the lab is ideally situated to handle a multitude of mapping and spatial analysis tasks. The Cart Lab director is Craig Remington.
Earth Surface Dynamics Laboratory
The Earth Surface Dynamics Laboratory is designed to support investigations in geomorphology, watershed processes and dynamics, and enviromental change. The lab is fully equipped for research projects in these areas. The lab is directed by Lisa Davis.
Forest Dynamics Laboratory
The FDL is devoted to study of forest development and successional patterns, forest ecosystem ecology, and ecological plant geography. The physical lab is comprised of four rooms each devoted to specific tasks (wood shop and sample prep, data analysis, office use, and archiving). The lab is fully equipped for projects in dendroecology and forest research and includes a fume hood, drying oven, compound and steroezoom microscopes, sinks, glassware, etc. The director of the lab is Justin Hart.
GIS and Remote Sensing Laboratory
The GIS and Remote Sensing Laboratory maintains a state-of-the-art facility for GIS data input, database management, spatial analysis and manipulation, and information output, as well as digital image processing of remotely sensed data. The lab serves students and faculty in both their coursework and research. The lab offers the latest popular GIS and remote sensing software packages, such as ArcGIS and ERDAS Imagine.
University Map Library
The University Map Library is located in room 300 in Farrah Hall. The map library is a regional depository for the USGS and DMA and includes over 1,700 monographs, 270,000 maps and 75,000 aerial photographs. The library also houses the Placenames Research Center of the United States and is active in toponymic studies. Persons holding proper University of Alabama identification may check out circulating materials. These materials may be on loan for a period of one month. The library's days and hours of operation are Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. Handicapped parking and an alternate entrance are located at the back of Farrah Hall. The director of the Map Library is Tom Kallsen.
Placenames Research Center
The Placenames Research Center was designated an official Placenames Research Center of the United States in 1990 by the American Name Society. It is one of two national research centers for toponymic studies. The PNRC has an extensive collection of placenames and other related materials which is national in scope. The director of the PNRC is Linda Watson.
Physical Geography Laboratories
Laboratory space for research and teaching in physical geography is located in Farrah Hall and the Biology Building (a short walk away). In addition to teaching labs, the department contains labs devoted to climatology, soils, geomorphology, and biogeography. All labs are well equipped to support investigations in the specialty areas of the their directors.
Surface Dynamics Modeling Laboratory
The SDML strives to improve scientific understanding of planetary surface processes and dynamics through design and utilization of state-of-the-art numerical models. In order to address the immense complexity of surficial systems research in the lab spans across spatial and temporal scales and scientific disciplines. The lab director is Sagy Cohen.
Graduate Student Lounge
The student lounge is located between the undergraduate and graduate student computer labs in Farrah Hall. The lounge has couches and a community fridge, microwave, and coffee pot. The lounge provides an informal atmosphere to interact with fellow students and faculty.
