Association of American Geographers

The Association of American Geographers (AAG) is a professional and scholarly association representing educators, researchers, and practitioners in geography. Founded in 1904 as a nonprofit scientific and educational society, its 10,000-plus members today share interests in the theory, methods, and practice of geography. The association is governed by an elected council, which sets the overall policy and appoints an executive director, who manages the affairs of the association, supported by numerous committees and a professional staff. The AAG headquarters is located in Washington, D.C.

The association hosts approximately 7,000 attendees each year at its annual meetings, sponsors international workshops and specialty conferences, and conducts research programs on a wide range of geographical topics. The AAG also publishes some of the world's most distinguished and influential scholarly journals, newsletters, books, and research reports. Publications include its flagship journals, The Annals of the Association of American Geographers and The [Page 123][Page 124][Page 125]Professional Geographer, and the monthly AAG Newsletter.

Representing a discipline with a strong international perspective, the AAG also supports and recognizes geographers around the globe through its many professional development programs and prestigious grants and awards programs. The AAG outreach network consists of more than 30,000 colleagues worldwide. Scientific research and educational programs are conducted internationally, and scientific exchange and interaction occurs through the AAG's annual meetings, its leading scholarly journals, its newsletters, an extensive network of online interactive media and discussion groups, reciprocal membership programs, and other collaborative activities.

The AAG also sponsors 60 specialty groups, which promote geographic research and discussion on specific regional or topical geographic research areas. AAG specialty groups address a variety of geographic research topics, ranging across human and physical geography, geographic education, and geographical information sciences and technologies. AAG specialty groups are focused on Africa, China, Remote Sensing, Geographic Information Systems and Science, Spatial Analysis and Modeling, Regional Development and Planning, Economic, Urban, and Political Geography, as well as a host of other thematic topics crucial for sustainable development, such as Human Dimensions of Global Change, Climate, Hazards, Biogeography, and many others.

Fostering and conducting geographic research is also a key focus of the association's activities and mission. The AAG designs, develops, manages, and implements special research, education, and outreach projects that advance geography, both within the United States and internationally. The AAG manages several dozen special projects and research programs with approximately $6 million in annual funding. Many of these initiatives are supported by grants from U.S. government agencies, such as the U.S. Agency for International Development, the National Science Foundation, the Department of Agriculture, the Department of Education, NASA, and others. Research projects often are conducted in partnership with universities or other organizations, including private sector and nonprofit entities as well as international agencies.

As the scientific, societal, and university context within which the discipline of geography continues to evolve, the AAG and the discipline of geography continue to interactively lead, adapt, and evolve in order to sustain and strengthen ge og raphy's intellectual and practical contributions to the needs of a rapidly changing world.