Mapping the past, shaping the future
From the first graduate to new degrees in climate science and GIS, the Department of Geography is charting how people, data, and the planet connect, both in the past and into the future.
The Department of Geography began 50 years ago with a handful of faculty and a few curious students and has grown into a nationally ranked leader in mapping, climate science, and human-environment research.
From its earliest days of paper maps and compasses to today’s use of drones, satellites, and artificial intelligence, the department and its programs continue to explore how people interact with the planet and how data and technology can help craft a sustainable future.
The first graduate
When Betsy Hansel '75 arrived on the Blacksburg campus in 1973, she didn’t plan to make history. But she became the university’s first geography graduate, completing her degree just months before the new department was officially recognized on July 1, 1975.
Hansel started her studies at Kansas State University before moving to Blacksburg with her husband, Jay, who was beginning graduate work in urban planning.
“When my professors learned we were moving, they told me about a new geography program at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University,” Hansel said. “They even suggested courses that would transfer to Virginia Tech.”
At the time, Charles Good, who led the fledgling geography program and became the department’s first chair, made sure Hansel’s credits counted toward the new major.
“In addition to Charles Good, I remember Glen Vanselow, Robert Morrill, and Ken Smith,” Hansel said. “They were all excellent teachers. Classes were small and focused on discussion. It felt personal.”
After finishing at Virginia Tech, Hansel enrolled in graduate programs at Syracuse University, where she earned master's and doctoral degrees, then worked for AFS Intercultural Programs for 30 years, traveling all over the world.
Building a department from the ground up
The addition of a Bachelor of Arts in geography in 1973 created new academic opportunities, and by May 1975, the Board of Visitors approved its transition to full departmental status. Within two years, 23 students had declared geography as their major.
“It was an energizing time,” said Bob Morrill, one of the department’s founding faculty members. “We were new in our careers, building a diverse major that combined liberal arts, sciences, and applied courses in mapping and remote sensing. Geography was a perfect fit for a land-grant university then.”
Even before it became official, geography had deep roots at Virginia Tech. Courses in mapmaking and geographic analysis were offered as early as the 1930s, when navigation and spatial awareness were considered essential skills for cadets. By the 1970s, the discipline had expanded to include the social sciences, environmental systems, and the emerging technologies that would define modern geographic study.
Growth, innovation, and impact
A master’s degree program launched in 1977, followed by an undergraduate meteorology major in 2012. In 2004, the department joined the College of Natural Resources and Environment, where it deepened its focus on environmental systems, human geography, and geographic information systems (GIS).
“The addition of meteorology was a milestone,” said former department head Bill Carstensen, who helped design the program. “Our niche was connecting GIS and meteorology. The National Weather Service encouraged us to combine those strengths and it took off.”
Virginia Tech remains the only university in the commonwealth to offer a degree in meteorology. Today, more than 100 students major in the field, and alumni are forecasting the future from coast to coast – working for the National Weather Service, the U.S. military, private firms, and media outlets.
Looking forward
Under the leadership of Tom Crawford, who has chaired the department since 2017, geography at Virginia Tech continues to expand its reach and reputation.
“I am proud of the department’s history of teaching, research, and outreach that has produced impactful students and scholarship across human geography, environmental systems, meteorology, and geospatial science,” Crawford said. “Nationally, we’re ranked among the top 15 institutions in degree conferrals in our fields during the past decade.”
College Factual, an independent data analytics platform that ranks colleges and specific majors based on outcomes and student success metrics, ranked Virginia Tech as having the top geography program in the southeast and the 18th best in the U.S.
Crawford said a new Bachelor of Science in geography, launching in fall 2026, will allow students to specialize in applied climate science, environmental geography, and GIS and technology.
“The future of geography at Virginia Tech is bright,” he said. “Our work advances the Virginia Tech Advantage and the university’s global distinction by preparing graduates who use data and discovery to make a difference.”
