In Memory of William B. Wood, 1956-2005
2001 Anderson Medal Recipient

The James R. Anderson Distinguished Medal in Applied Geography was created by the Applied Geography Specialty Group, Association of American Geographers. The award honors James Anderson, an internationally acclaimed geographer, public servant and researcher who made an extraordinary contribution to the field of applied geography.

Since its inception in 1983, the Anderson Medal has been awarded to a select group of individuals whose contributions to applied geography through teaching, research, public service, and/or private enterprise are recognized by the Anderson Medal Committee as representing the standards of excellence set by Dr. Anderson.

In 2001, the Anderson Medal Committee had the pleasure and privilege of naming Dr. William Wood an Anderson Medal recipient.

As even a cursory examination of his dossier reveals, Bill Wood enjoyed an outstanding career. Most importantly for the Anderson Medal Committee, however, and for the entire field of geography, Bill was an active, visible, published, credible, innovative and enthusiastic applied geographer, whose professional interests and responsibilities covered a range of subject matters, including political geography, regional development, urban geography, military geography and cultural geography.

Perhaps even more notable from the Anderson Medal perspective, however, Bill brought a strong methodological bent to his work, and was a leading, informed advocate for the application of geographic information systems in public administration. In that respect, Bill Wood carried on a tradition that Jim Anderson helped set in motion four decades ago.

As a closing observation about a remarkable career, Bill Wood’s exceptional combination of training and work experience enabled him to share two key traits of James Anderson. First, Bill also understood why and how to make the case for applied geography in the policy, program, planning and operations domains, which is no easy task under the best of circumstances.

Second, as shown in his publications and presentations, Bill also undertook his professional missions and tasks with the purposefulness and competency of a first-rate scholar and applied researcher, employing words, numbers, and graphics with compelling conviction before a wide range of audiences.

Bill Wood served his country with distinction, and he brought insight, recognition and respect to the field of applied geography. Hs passing is mourned by the recipients of the Anderson Medal, and the applied geography community.

It is appropriate to close this memoriam with words of highest praise: James Anderson would be pleased to count William B. Wood among the recipients of the James Anderson Distinguished Medal in Applied Geography.

Dr. Barry Wellar, Chair, Anderson Medal Committee
Association of American Geographers
July 25, 2005
Ottawa, Ontario

Dr. William B. Wood is Deputy Assistant Secretary for Analysis and Information Management in the Bureau of Intelligence and Research (INR) and the Geographer for the US Department of State. He oversees the work of offices covering global issues, economic, and African affairs, as well as those providing information management for the bureau and geographic information and remote sensing services for the Department. As the Geographer for the Department of State, he provides guidance to federal mapping agencies on the proper depiction of international boundaries and foreign place names for US cartographic products.

Prior to this appointment in 2001, Dr. Wood was the Director of INR’s Office of the Geographer and Global Issues. He received his undergraduate degree from the University of California at Berkeley and his Ph.D. in Geography from the University of Hawaii. His graduate research--sponsored by the Population Institute, East-West Center--was on urban and regional planning, urbanization, and regional development, particularly in Southeast Asia. In 1985 he joined the Department of State and since 1990 has served as a member of the Senior Executive Service.

Dr. Wood is responsible for analysis on the foreign policy implications of a wide range of "global issues": boundary and territorial disputes; refugee and migration flows; human rights and humanitarian crisis interventions; war crimes accountability and atrocities prevention; ethnic distribution and conflicts; environmental, energy, and natural resource problems; and United Nations activities. He oversees INR’s information and publishing services, including its classified web site. He leads the development of geographic information systems (GIS) applications for the Department of State’s current international affairs concerns. He initiated and oversees the interagency Humanitarian Information Unit, which focuses on unclassified information support for international complex emergencies.

Dr. Wood has published numerous articles in academic journals on political geographic, GIS, sustainable development, and international migration topics. His co-edited book (with G. Demko) is Reordering the World - Geopolitical Perspectives on the 21st Century (Westview, second edition, 1999).