The AGS Globe: Where the Future Happens: Geography in a Rapidly Changing World
The American Geographical Society's Weekly Newsletter for June 3, 2025
We hope you enjoyed the first issue of our new weekly, the AGS Globe. The Globe aims to inform and inspire the public with articles about the realms of geography and geospatial as well as exciting opportunities and news from our network. Our pieces fall under four categories: Exploring the World, Championing Geography, Mapping the News, and EthicalGEO. As the world revolves, geography evolves. The mission of the AGS Globe is to bring our storied legacy of exploration and thought leadership into the frontiers of the future.
Where the Future Happens: Geography in a Rapidly Changing World
AI is reshaping the job market, and the big question is: how do you stay ahead? The answer might surprise you! Geography is a superpower in this evolving job market.
Today’s geography is more than memorizing countries and capitals. It’s a dynamic, tech-driven field that combines data science, computer skills, and real-world problem-solving. Geography helps you understand the world around you and how it works. With a geography degree, you’ll learn how to analyze data, make maps that tell stories, and understand how people, places, and technology connect.
Geography has two main branches:
Human geography combines disciplines like history, political science, sociology, and economics to understand the networks that shape lived spaces and built environments. It focuses on topics like the distribution of resources, the movement of people, and cities.
Physical geography focuses on features, processes, and patterns in the natural environment. The goal of physical geography is to understand interactions and aspects of Earth’s physical landscape.
The field of geography blends cutting-edge geospatial tech with spatial knowledge to solve real-world problems and tell powerful stories about our planet. With hands-on experience in data visualization and map-making, you’ll learn how to turn complex information into impactful insights for a wide audience. These skills are used in:
Business and Economics: Real estate, marketing, insurance tech, tourism
Education and Research: K-12 education, university teaching, scientific research
Environmental and Earth Sciences: Climate change analysis, conservation and natural resources, disaster management and emergency planning, water resources, precision agriculture, land management
Government and Public Policy: Census, public health, national security, land use
Tech: Geospatial research and development, remote sensing, location-based services and GPS, geospatial AI and machine learning, smart cities, app development
Urban Planning and Transportation: Housing, infrastructure, city and town planning
The best part? Geography grads are in demand. The median salary for geographers is $97,000, and the job market is growing.
As technology rapidly evolves, so does geography. Geographers work with AI, instead of against it. AI can help geographers to quickly and accurately analyze large amounts of geospatial data and uncover patterns in everything from climate change to urban growth. Tools like machine learning help geographers to make smarter predictions and create more detailed, dynamic maps.
Geography doesn’t just teach you facts about our world, it builds your ability to think big, solve complex problems, and adapt in a world where change is constant. It connects the dots between our relationships with each other and the environments around us. There’s no better way to understand the world.
Want to stand out in the age of AI? Choose geography, and shape the future.
Sources:
American Association of Geographers. Careers in Geography: A Great Choice for the Future. AAG.org
Royal Geographical Society. Why Geographers are Employable. rgs.org
U.S. Department of the Interior. Geography. doi.gov
AGS Statement Regarding Federal Cuts in Staff, Research, and Data
When hurricanes hit, pandemics spread, or conflicts erupt, it’s geography and geospatial data that help us understand what is happening, where, and how to respond. From tracking weapons or wildfires to mapping flood zones or fragile supply chains, geographers and geospatial tools quietly power nearly every aspect of good government. And yet, in the last few months, devastating federal cuts have stripped away this expertise…
CLICK HERE to read the entire statement
Did you enjoy reading this? Support the American Geographical Society today with a donation of $50 to help us support Geography education.
Our online journal, FOCUS on Geography, has a new article! Don’t miss The Road: ‘Our Own World, No Matter Where We Are’ by Ms. Zara R. Browne, Doctoral Candidate in Anthropology from the University of Nevada, Reno.
AGS is gathering innovators and leading voices from business, government, academia, and the non-profit world to share ideas about how artificial intelligence paired with geospatial technology promises to build a brighter future at our 2025 Fall Symposium, GEOGRAPHY 2050: The Future of GeoAI and the Planet, Nov. 20 & 21, 2025, at Columbia University in New York City. Click the links if you’d like to be considered as a contributor with a Lightning Talk or Exhibition Poster.
AP Human Geography Teachers! AGS welcomes 50 APHG teachers to the Symposium every year to join as Teacher Fellows, with special teacher-only sessions before and after to help you connect the Symposium discussions to your curriculum, to bring you up-to-date on the latest resources available to enhance your classroom experience, and to give insights on career opportunities for students focusing on the study of geography and geospatial technology. CLICK HERE to apply to join us. Special sponsorship opportunities to help with your travel expenses may be available! If you know an APHG teacher who may not be aware of this opportunity, please pass this along!