Geography Professor

John Rodgers

Specialty

John is a biogeographer that studies invasive species, human-environmental interactions, coastal vegetation, and paleoecology. Currently, John is researching invasive species, such as Casuarina equisettifolia, in The Bahamas and investigating the affects of climate and hurricanes on Gulf Coast vegetation. Additionally he is investigating climate-vegetation interactions and cave climatology in the Bahamas. John also has interests in using geospatial technologies to monitor vegetation and land-use changes in the Southeast coastal areas.

Education

Ph.D. 1999, Geography, University of Georgia, Athens.
Dissertation Title: The affects of human disturbance on alien plant distributions and primary dune vegetation of the Georgia Sea Islands Dissertation Advisor: Dr. Kathleen C. Parker.

M.S. 1994, Botany, University of Tennessee, Knoxville
Thesis Title: Modern Pollen Spectra of Coasta Rica. Thesis Advisor: Dr. Sally P. Horn

B.S. 1991, Biology and Botany, University of Tennessee, Knoxville

Professional Experience

2001 – present Mississippi State University, Department of Geosciences,
1999 – 2001 University of New Orleans, Department of Geography

Courses taught at MSU

A) On Campus

GR 4303/6304: Principles of GIS (fall semester)

GR 4813/6813: Natural Hazards, (spring semester)

GG 4523/6523: Coastal Environments (spring semester)

GR 8990: Advanced Natural Hazards (spring semester)

B) Distance Learning and Teachers in Geosciences

GG 8233: Environmental Science (fall semester)

GG 8990 Climatology lectures (summer)

GR 4633 Statistical Climatology lectures (fall semester)

C) TIG Summer Field Methods Courses

GR 8400 Mississippi River Field Course (2002 – present)

GR 8400 Lake Superior (assistant 2006)

GR 8499 Western Washington (assistant 2005)

Refereed Publications

2006 Rodgers, J. C. III, Gamble, D. G., McCay, D. H., and Phipps, S. Tropical cyclone
signals within tree ring chronologies from Weeks Bay National Estuary and
Research Reserve, Alabama. Journal of Coastal Research (In Press).

2004 Rodgers, J. C. III. The Distribution of Casuarinas on San Salvador Island.Southeastern Geographer 45: 222-238.

2003 Rodgers, J. C. III and Parker, K. C. Distribution of alien plant species in relation to human disturbance and environmental stress on the Georgia Sea Islands. Diversity and Distributions 9: 385-398.

2002 Rodgers, J. C. III. Effects of human disturbance on the dune vegetation of the Georgia Sea Islands, USA. Physical Geography 23: 79 – 94.

1998 Horn, S.P., Rodgers, J.C. II, Orvis, K.H., and Northrop, L.A. Recent vegetation and land use history form soil pollen analysis: testing the potential in the lowland humid tropics. Palynology 22: 167-180.

1997 Horn, Sally P., and Rodgers, J.C. III, 1996-1997. The northern limit of Alnus (Fagales) in Costa Rica: modern pollen evidence of a possible range extension. Revista Biologia Tropical 45(1): 609-611.

1996 Rodgers, J.C. III, and Horn, S.P. 1996. Modern Pollen Spectra from Costa Rica. Paleogeography, Paleoclimatology, Paleoecology 124: 53 - 71.

Service

2002 – 2004 College of Arts and Sciences Faculty Senate.

2002 – 2004 College of Arts and Sciences Scholarship Committee

2002 - 2004 Southeastern Division of Association of American Geographers Honors Committee.

2002-2003 Southeastern Division of Association of American Geographers World

Geography Coach for Team Mississippi.

Professional Memberships

Association of American Geographers

Southeastern Division of the Association of American Geographers