NEWS RELEASE, October 13, 2022
On September 24th in Richmond, Virginia, Chris Bunin, social studies and geospatial technologies teacher at Albemarle High School and associate professor (adjunct) for the Virginia Community College System (VCCS) was appointed to be the co-coordinator of the Virginia Geographic Alliance (VGA), a non-profit educational organization supported by the National Geographic Society and the Commonwealth of Virginia.
Founded in 1986, the Alliance promotes geo-literacy by providing effective K-16 professional development programs that enhance the teaching and learning of geography and that demonstrate the value of geographic knowledge and spatial thinking to educators, policymakers, and community members. The Virginia Geographic Alliance fosters and supports the enduring power of the geographic perspective in social, environmental, and geospatial sciences as they develop in schools, universities, businesses, governments, and communications media to advance geo-literacy. Since 1992, the Geography Department at Virginia Tech has served as the primary host institution for the Alliance.
Acquiring geographic knowledge, skills and technologies enable people to become productive global citizens and lifelong learners. The Alliance conducts statewide programs to assist teachers and students through the distribution of classroom atlases, world maps, lesson plans, and activities for National Geography Awareness Week. In the past, VGA conducted the annual state geography bee and helped to implement Virginia Standards of Learning and Geography for Life: National Geography Standards.
Bunin, a graduate of Virginia Tech with degrees in history (B.A), geography (M.Sc.), and education (M.A.), has been an active member of the VGA since 2002. During this time he has designed and implemented K-16 professional development workshops and courses, organized international teacher institutes, and served as the principal investigator for multiple grants including the 2015 NCSS Grant for the Enhancement of Geographic Literacy, “Putting Social Studies in its Place,” and the 2017 Library of Congress project, “Placing Primary Sources.” Along with numerous articles and lessons on integrating geospatial technologies into classroom instruction he co-authored the books Jamestown to Appomattox: Mapping US History using GIS and GIS for Teachers: A Guide to Authentic K-12 Integration and Application. He currently serves on the Board of Directors for the National Council for History Education and as a National Geographic Society explorer leading the project, “Revisiting Charlottesville.”
The position aims to maintain and forge new partnerships with state agencies including the Virginia Department of Education, and is viewed as a valued leader in a large network of educators across Virginia and beyond.
Inquiries may be sent to:
Anne M. Evans, VGA Co-Coordinator
Anne.Evans@richmond.edu
