David Rickter Rain

Associate Professor of Geography and International Affairs

Old Main 221
1922 F Street, N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20052

Phone: (202) 994-8523
Fax: (202) 994-2484
E-mail: david.rain@gwu.edu

Education:

Ph.D., The Pennsylvania State University

Expertise:

Urban geography, population, Africa, health and environment

Background:

Professor Rain received his Ph.D. in Geography from The Pennsylvania State University. Prior to his appointment at GW, he served as a statistician-demographer with the U.S. Census Bureau. In that capacity, Professor Rain assisted numerous countries with census and cartographic capabilities. He served as an instructor at the University of Maryland and Penn State and was a Peace Corps volunteer in Niger.

Professor Rain is the author Eaters of the Dry Season: Circular Labor Migration in the West African Sahel (Westview Press, 1999). His book, Handbook on Geospatial Infrastructure in Support of Census Activities, is forthcoming from United Nations Publications. His articles have appeared in Urban Geography, GeoJournal, and the Proceedings of the Environmental Systems Research Institute. His current interests include demographic and environmental change in developing world cities, remote sensing and field survey methods to explore environment and well-being, and the role of geospatial technologies in improving governance and facilitating humanitarian response. Professor Rain has received several awards and fellowships, including the ComSci Fellowship from the Department of Commerce, the Bronze Medal Award from the U.S. Census Bureau, and a Fulbright Award to conduct research in Niger.

Courses Taught:

Geog 3 Introduction to Society and Environment
Geog 106 Intermediate Geographic Information Systems
Geog 141 Cities in the Developing World
Geog 164 Geography of Africa
Geog 201 Geographic Thought and Method
Geog 230 Seminar: Environmental Issues in Development
Geog 243 Seminar: Urban Geography