Dr. Grant Saff, invited to give talks in Barcelona and Ohio during the Fall 2015 semester

Dr. Grant Saff, Professor and Chair of the Department of Global Studies and Geography, has been on research leave for the Fall semester. Since late November he has been conducting research in Barcelona where on December 9, he was invited to give a lecture to geography students at the Departament de Geografia, Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona (UAB), titled “Critically rethinking common sense in economic development and planning.” He is also scheduled to give an invited talk at this university to geography faculty and students on December 15, titled, “What is to be done? Saving geography departments in the age of age of neo-liberalism, inequality, crisis and MOOCs.” He has additionally been invited to give a talk on December 18 to urban planning and global studies faculty and administratorsin the Departament d'Humanitats, University Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, titled, “Strategies for designing and sustaining a Global Studies program within a rapidly changing academic landscape.” In October he was invited to give a lecture to senior geography students and faculty in the Department of Geography, Youngstown State University (Ohio) titled, “Globalization and the Job Market for Geography Graduates,” While visiting Youngstown State, he also met with the Dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences to discuss strategies for growing enrollments in geography departments.