November 19, 2019
John A. Harrington Jr. named 2020 American Association of Geographers Fellow
Submitted by Lisa Butler Harrington
The American Association of Geographers Fellows Selection Committee has designated John A. Harrington Jr., professor emeritus, as a member of the 2020 class of fellows.
The AAG Fellows is a program, started in 2018, to recognize geographers who have made significant contributions to advancing geography. No more than two-tenths of 1% — 0.2% — of association membership are selected in any single year. In addition to honoring geographers, fellows will serve the association as an august body to address key initiatives including creating and contributing to AAG initiatives; advising on AAG strategic directions and grand challenges; and mentoring early and mid-career faculty. Similarly to other scientific organizations, the honorary title of AAG Fellow is conferred for life. Once designated, fellows remain part of this ever-growing advisory body.
The committee's citation reads as follows:
John A. Harrington Jr. is a professor emeritus of geography and geospatial sciences at Kansas State University. He has had a long and consistent record of research as a climatologist and land change scientist to works to seek solutions to real-world problems. He was a pioneer in studying the results of climate change, beginning in the late 1970s, both in the United States and internationally (Africa, Turkey).
Harrington Jr.'s research endeavors are as persistent as they are extensive. Over the course of his long and stellar career, John has published over 57 peer-reviewed publications and reflects his depth as a scholar, his breadth as an atmospheric and geospatial scientist, and his generosity as a teacher-scholar-mentor. He has not only dedicated his career to enriching the discipline, but he has also enabled the enrichment of the lives that make up the discipline. His command of great overall knowledge and unwavering scientific commitment is balanced by his determination as a leader and eye for aptitude in others.
We are therefore pleased to bestow upon John A. Harrington Jr. the title of AAG Fellow.