THE Department of Geography, Faculty of Earth and Environmental Sciences (FEES), University of Guyana, last Tuesday, launched the much-anticipated Journal of GEOScience and Planning (JGSP), in keeping with the Department’s Plan of Action for the 2021-2022 Academic Year.

The JGSP is the official online and open access Journal of the Department of Geography. According to a UG release, it is intended to create a niche to publish original seminal, theoretical, and empirical essays and review articles across a broad spectrum of geography and urban and regional planning subjects, including informal settlements and housing; disparities in regional development; gender and women in planning; watershed and river basin management; community development; coastal zone management; urban and regional planning information systems; and urban safety and security.

During the virtual launching ceremony which was chaired by Dr Patrick Williams, Senior Lecturer, Department of Geography, remarks were made by Vice-Chancellor, Professor Paloma Mohamed Martin; Deputy Vice-Chancellors, Drs Emanuel Cummings (Academic Engagement) and Mellissa Ifill (Institutional Advancement); Dean of the Faculty of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Dr Temitope Oyedotun; Advisory Board Member of the Journal, Professor Mark Pelling; Registrar, Dr Nigel Gravesande; and Head of Geography Department, Linda Johnson-Bhola, who outlined the development of the journal.

Other attendees at the launch included Advisory Board members, Dr Carol Archer (University of Technology, Jamaica); Dr Keith Yearwood (University of Maryland) and Dr Faith Kasim (University of Guyana); Technical Editors, Alim Hosein and Mark McGown, University of Guyana and other staff of the Department of Geography.

Professor Mohamed Martin, in her remarks, stated that research and writing are the “lifeblood of academia”, adding that the journal is a really good extension and part of the suite of initiatives that UG is hoping to be able to implement.
She noted that it is “very significant that the journal is called the Journal of GEOScience and Planning” and alluded to the importance of geosciences and planning for what is likely to happen to the earth in the context of the environment, climate change, and sustainability issues. She anticipates that the journal would have an “applied and practical purpose”.

BOLD STEP
In his opening remarks, Dr. Temitope Oyedotun commended the department for the bold step to look for areas of expansion in this academic landscape. He expressed hope that this little step will bring extraordinary growth for the academic base of the department, the faculty, the university, the nation, the region, and the international community.

He urged the department to take the next steps of ensuring that contributions that are made in the journal are excellent and relevant to the society. Professor Mark Pelling noted that Geography brings together both a theoretical and an applied interest grounded in real world problems but illuminated by the theory of the day, and that it is a science that is interdisciplinary at its core. He also observed that there is a lot that the world can learn from Guyana through some of the challenges the country faces, not just with climate change, but rapid land use and social change, the natural resource economy and the changing base of that economy.

YOUNGER ACADEMICS A VOICE
He further expressed hope that the journal will give the younger academics a voice, but also bring that voice to an international audience, who should be ready to hear.
DVC Dr Emanuel Cummings stated that the journal is seen as a catalyst to enhance both research and publication in the field of geography, science, and other related areas by faculty members. He stressed the importance of improving the knowledge base as academics since this will enable students and lecturers to be involved in what is published in the journal, would create opportunity for the enhancement of knowledge in this particular area, and in turn, improve the quality of education that is delivered to students.
DVC Dr Mellissa Ifill stated that “undoubtedly the journal will be beneficial to researchers, not only at UG but Guyana and the wider Caribbean region”. She intimated that it is through publications that persons are made aware of cutting-edge kinds of research being done.

The journal is viewed as “playing a very important role in apprising all of us in the country, the region, the world of some of the important work that is being done at the University of Guyana”.

It is designed to be a reliable scholarly channel for intellectual exchanges among a wide range of stakeholders (including research students) locally, regionally, and globally and a dependable mode for the dissemination of quality theoretical, empirical, and analytical exposition on contemporary geographical and planning issues. The first issue will be published in October 2021 and two issues per year will be published subsequently.