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The article presents information on the 58th meeting conducted by the Southeastern Division of the Association of American Geographers in North Carolina. The annual meeting of the Southeastern Division of the Association of American Geographers (SEDAAG) was held in North Carolina on November 23-25, 2003. A series of New Voices of the Southeast sessions, an innovation conceived by SEDAAG President Ron Mitchelson, was implemented this year. These sessions showcased new geography professionals in the region. Three New Voices sessions with twelve papers were organized by Allan James and Kavita Pandit.

Observations that submissions of physical geography research to the Southeastern Geographer have been low prompted us to question if the Southeast is understudied by physical geographers relative to other regions. We reviewed over 7,000 articles in eleven journals to estimate the frequency and types of field-based research being done. We also reviewed the online publication lists of physical geographers living in the Southeast to determine where they conduct their research. Based on the journal articles reviewed, 72% of the field sites were in international locations. Of the 28% that used U.S. field sites, only 8.4% (2.3% of the total) were in the Southeast. Given that the Southeast makes up over 12% of the land area and is home to 37% of the geography programs in the U.S., the concentration of research in the area is low. Aside from being understudied, field-based research in the Southeast is also unevenly distributed. North Carolina and Georgia were the most studied states. North Carolina was the most frequently used location for geomorphology studies and Tennessee was cited most often for biogeography. Kentucky and South Carolina were the least studied states. Few researchers from states outside the SEDAAG region come into the Southeast to conduct research. At the same time, a significant portion of the research efforts of geographers living in the Southeast have been put toward field sites in other states and countries. The resulting lack of focus on the unique environments of the Southeast is limiting our knowledge of the region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This essay discusses the need to raise the profile of Caribbean studies within the Southeastern Geographer and the professional activities of the Southeastern Division of the Association of American Geographers (SEDAIAG). My discussion addresses four basic questions. First, what is the geographic link between the Southeast and the Caribbean? Second, to what extent is this geographic link reflected in SEDAAG membership, publications, and activities? Third, how can the study of the Caribbean achieve a higher profile in the Southeastern Geographer and SEDAIAG? Fourth, why is it necessary to incorporate the Caribbean into SEDAAG? Responses to each of these questions indicate that some of the greatest potential for growth of the Southeastern Geographer and SEDAAG comes with a critical rethinking of its traditional regional boundaries and interactions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]