Dr. Michael Ferber
Director of Environmental Studies
Assistant Professor of Geography
Office: N243
Phone: 780-465-3500 ext. 8130
Email: michael.ferber@kingsu.ca
Read Michael Ferber's CV here.
Education
Master of Arts in Science Education, West Virginia University, 2004
Master of Divinity, Asbury Theological Seminary, Lexington, KY, 2001
B.A. in Liberal Arts and Geography, West Virginia University, 1994.
Research Interests
● scale in the geography of religion● the insider / outsider problem in the study of religion
● Christianity in China
● the geography of Christian denominationalism
● geographic education
● poverty studies
● creation care and environmental stewardship
Recent Publications
“Watching Avatar from ‘AvaTARsands’ Land” Journal of Religion, Nature and Culture. In Press 2011.“Biblical Basis for Sustainable Living” Green Culture. Sage. Paul Robbins (ed.) To be released 2011.
“Laidlaw ,Inc.” Encyclopedia of Consumption and Waste. Sage. Joseph Golsen (ed.) To be released 2011.
“American Creation Care Declarations and Initiatives.” Green Education. Sage. Paul Robbins (ed.) To be released 2011.
“Sustainable Missions: Ethical Principles for Holistic Practice in a Broken World.” Evangelical Missionary Society Volume 18: Ethics in Missions. Dwight Baker (ed.) Co-authored with John Wood. 2010
“Religion, Geography and.” Encyclopedia of Geography. Sage. Barney Warf (ed.). 2010.
Pomo Timmy: 1 Timothy in a Postmodern World. Pleasant Word. 2007.
“Strengthening the Rural Community” chapter of Ending Poverty in America: How to Restore the American Dream. Co-authored with Ruston Seaman. Ed. By Sen. John Edwards. The New Press. 2007.
“Geography of Religion.” In the Dictionary of Critical Realism. Edited by Mervin Hartwig. Routledge. 2007.
“History and Basic Beliefs of Islam” chapter of Geographic Education of the Islamic Culture Region. Commission on Geographic Education. 2006.
“Critical Realism and religion: objectivity and the insider / outsider problem.” Annals of the Association of American Geographers. 96(1) 176-181. March, 2006.
Recent Presentations
“I'll Fly Away' or 'Christ's Great Kingdom Shall Come to Earth'? Christian Eschatology and the Environment” Co-authored with Leanne Willson. The Association of American Geographer’s Annual Meeting. Seattle, WA. April 15, 2011.“Watching Avatar in Alberta: Can Reflexivity Close Pandora’s Box?” Co-authored with Randolph Haluza-DeLay. The Western Division of the Canadian Association of Geographers Annual Meeting. Burnaby, B.C. March 11, 2011.
“Scale, Ecclesiastical Emergence and Contested Energy Exploitation.” Co-authored with Trevor Harris and Randolph Haluza-Delay. The Association of American Geographers 2010 Annual Meeting. Washington, D.C. April 16, 2010.
“Making a Leap of Faith: Emergent Scale in Geography of Religion.” 2010 Western Canadian Association of Geographers Meeting. Edmonton, AB. March 27, 2010.
“Blogging to Change the World: Sustainability and The King’s Green Pad.” Co-authored with Gordon Preston. 2009 Stewardship and Sustainability Conference. July 9, 2009. Calgary, AB.
“Emerging Solutions to the Problem of Scale in Geography of Religion.” Co-authored with Trevor Harris. The Association of American Geographers 2009 Annual Meeting. March 24, 2009. Las Vegas, NV.
“Cartographic representation and scale in the geography of religion.” Co-authored with Trevor Harris. The Association of American Geographers 2006 Annual Meeting. March 8, 2006. Chicago, IL.
Courses I Teach
ENVS 300 - Humankind and the Biosphere
ENVS 410 - Resource Planning and Environmental Management
ENVS 450 - Environmental Impact Assessment
ENVS 490 - Internship
ENVS 491 - Internship Reflections and Issues
ENVS 499 - Directed Studies in Environmental Science
GEOG 201 - Physical Geography
GEOG 310 - Landscapes and Human Settlements
GEOG 350 - Geographical Information Systems
GEOG 450 - Advanced Geographic Information Systems
Humankind and the Biosphere, Every Year, Fall 3(3-2-0)
This course is a discussion of humankind's place in nature and of its responsibility for other organisms, the environment and resources.
Prerequisites: Three credits of natural science.
Resource Planning and Environmental Management, 2008-09, Winter 3(3-0-0)
Study of decision processes used to conserve, develop and manage environmental resources. Consideration of approaches to the evaluation of resources, including economic, environmental and social assessment techniques. Selected Canadian and Alberta case studies of resource management issues and problems. This course is considered a Canadian Studies course for purposes of King's B.Ed. (AD).
Prerequisites: ENVS 300 and GEOG 310
Environmental Impact Assessment 2009-10, Winter 3(3-0-0)
Examination of the EIA process from both institutional and scientific perspectives. Consideration of legislative and policy aspects. Survey of EIA methods. Contemporary issues in EIA, including cumulative effects and post-auditing. Monitoring of, or participation in, contemporary Canadian or Alberta cases. This course is considered a Canadian Studies course for purposes of King's B.Ed. (AD).
Prerequisites: ENVS 300, GEOG 310
Internship, Every Year, Summer 3 (0-3-0) (pass/fail)
A 13-week placement in the workplace, normally between years three and four. Student interns, with University College assistance, will be placed in government, industry or nongovernment agencies to apply their environmental skills and gain valuable employment experience. Students are eligible for an environmental internship if they have satisfactorily completed an interview with the Director of the Environmental Studies Program to assess progress in their program of study, ascertain preparation and readiness for an internship, and evaluate ability and commitment to completion of year four of the degree program.
Prerequisites: Admission to year four of ENVS program with an overall GPA of 2.50
ENVS 491 - Internship Reflections and Issues, Every Year, Fall 3(0-3-0)
Student presentations on their internships. Seminar discussion, readings and assignments on reports, experiences and issues arising from internships.
Prerequisites: Completed internship in Environmental Studies
Landscapes and Human Settlements, Every Year, Winter 3(3-0-3)
The relationship between the natural environment and development of settled landscapes from a geographic perspective. Spatial distribution of biophysical landscapes and location analyses of agricultural, urban and industrial systems in Canada and elsewhere. Introduction to landscape interpretation using maps and aerial photographs. This course is considered a Canadian Studies course for purposes of King's B.Ed. (AD).
Prerequisites: One of POLI 200, 201, ECON 201, 202, GEOG 201
Geographical Information Systems, Every Year, Fall 3(3-0-3)
An introduction to the principles and applications of GIS. Hands-on lab assignments focus on data input and manipulation, spatial problem solving, and map presentation using GIS software on micro-computers. Students complete a GIS-based project.
Pre- or Corequisite: Three credits in computing science or STAT 300 or consent of instructor.