UG launches Journal of GEOScience and Planning

Jun 15, 2021 News

– represents part of suite of initiatives to be implemented

Kaieteur News – A Journal of GEOScience and Planning (JGSP) was on Tuesday last launched by the University of Guyana’s (UG) Department of Geography – Faculty of Earth and Environmental Sciences (FEES). The move, UG informed via a release, is in keeping with the Department’s Plan of Action for the 2021-2022 Academic Year.

Deputy Vice Chancellor, Dr. Emanuel Cummings

UG Deputy Vice Chancellor, Dr. Mellissa Ifill.

UG’s Vice Chancellor, Prof. Paloma Mohamed-Martin.

The JGSP, it noted, is the official online and open access Journal of the Department of Geography. 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 the 11th Vice Chancellor, Prof. Paloma Mohamed-Martin; Deputy Vice Chancellors (DVCs), 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, Ms. 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, Mr. Alim Hosein and Mr. Mark McGowan, University of Guyana and other staff of the Department of Geography.
Prof. 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.”
In his opening remarks, Dr. 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 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.
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. 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 of academics since this will enable students and lecturers to be involved in what is published in the Journal, 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. Ifill, in her contribution said, “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 that we are doing in our particular field and that 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.”
The Journal 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.
To ensure that all matters related to the execution of the Journal are treated with a high level of integrity and confidence, Advisory and Editorial Boards have been established. Altogether, the Boards comprise 15 reputable local, regional and international researchers. The Boards will be reviewed biennially and members will advise on the parameters required to maintain high-quality publication as well as share knowledge and experiences to ensure that the Journal maintains international standards. Associate Editors will be drawn from a wide cross-section of disciplines that reflect the thematic areas identified for the Journal.
For more information about the Journal, kindly email the Chief Editor using [email protected] or click on the https://jgsp.uog.edu.gy/link on UG’s website.
Meanwhile, researchers are invited to submit papers from June 9 to August 16, 2021, for publication in the Journal of GEOScience and Planning. Persons can visit the Call for Papers page on https://jgsp.uog.edu.gy/ to view the guidelines and submit papers.