Article
February 13, 2026
Faculty Awarded by American Association of Geographers
Karen Barton, professor of Geography, GIS and Sustainability, was recently recognized for outstanding scholarship
Congratulations to Karen Barton, Ph.D., professor of Geography, GIS and Sustainability, for receiving the inaugural Public and Engaged Scholarship Honor from the American Association of Geographers. The award acknowledges her commitment to collaborative knowledge production; the integration of research, teaching, and service; and long-standing relationships with community partners around the world.
As the first-ever recipient of this award, Barton is helping to set the mark for what it means to conduct engaged, community-focused research in the field of Geography and GIS.
Through work in Senegal, Nepal, Cabo Verde and beyond, Barton mixes the values of geographers and humanitarian scholars to enact positive change on both a community level and in the field of environmental sustainability. She has conducted research on how to uplift local scientific communities, integrating sustainable technologies around the world and even provided aid and insight on the ground during natural disasters.
In the past, Barton has received both international recognition for her work and numerous grants, including twelve Fulbright awards. By fusing initiative, innovation and engagement, Barton is furthering the study of Geography, GIS and Sustainability both here at UNC and across the globe.
