Framing Nature at the Grand Canyon: From Rim to River and Beyond.

Geography Awareness Week Distinguished Lecture: Framing Nature at the Grand Canyon

Thursday, November 19, 2026

Reception: 3:30 p.m. | Lecture: 4:00 p.m.

Location: Student Union, Room 270

How did the Grand Canyon become one of America's most recognizable symbols of nature? How have photographs, postcards, maps, and other representations shaped the way we understand, experience, and protect this extraordinary landscape?

Join the University of Tennessee Department of Geography and Sustainability for its 2026 Geography Awareness Week Distinguished Lecture, "Framing Nature at the Grand Canyon: From Rim to River and Beyond," presented by Dr. Yolonda Youngs, professor at California State University, San Bernardino, and recipient of the 2025 American Association of Geographers (AAG) J.B. Jackson Book Prize.

Drawing on years of archival research and fieldwork, Dr. Youngs explores how visual representations of the Grand Canyon have influenced public perceptions, conservation policies, and tourism. From historical archives to rim-to-river hikes and a three-week rafting expedition, she shares the methods and discoveries behind her research while examining broader questions about environmental stewardship, sustainability, and environmental justice.

The lecture offers an opportunity to explore how geography helps us understand not only the landscapes around us, but also the ways those landscapes acquire meaning and shape our relationships with the natural world.

A reception will begin at 3:30 p.m., followed by the lecture at 4:00 p.m. Students, faculty, staff, and members of the broader campus community are welcome.