Stone Forest in China

Hi,

My name is Kerry Lyste – Geography and GIS instructor at Everett Community College. I have taught Geography and GIS since 1998. I am a University of Washington and Western Washington University (I guess that makes me a Husky Viking). At UW, I received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Geography that focused on GIS and Social Geography, and I graduated from Western Washington University with a Master of Science degree from Huxley College, in Geography as well. My Thesis topic at WWU was "Community Factors and Dynamics of an Established Urban Watershed Restoration Community in Northwest Seattle", and my area of research focused on using GIS in Cognitive Mapping.

I am a Canadian (a fact that I do not admit to very often) - born in Dawson Creek, British Columbia, which is “mile 0” of the Alaska Highway. After moving to the "states" when I was twelve, I graduated from Bellingham High School in 1979, and went directly to Western Washington University where I studied as a classical performance major in Music (piano) for two years. After deciding that the starving artist lifestyle was not for me, I returned to school many years later and became a starving student - for a long time. I stumbled onto my field as the direct result of the Environmental Studies program being re-organized at the UW. The fact that I chose Geography is a decision for which I am continually grateful, and serves me very well today - there is a tremendous amount of flexibility and utility in the educational background I received – I feel it is the most creative and challenging academic career I could have chosen.

I live in Bellingham and have a family of 5 – my wife Alexis, Nicholas, Julia, and the newest family member is Sonnet Lyste, born on April 10, 2004. Sonnet is often displayed prominently on my homepage, with some of the latest photos. If you have any questions about the Geography or GIS program, please contact me, and I will get back to you.

At Bumbershoot – Sonnet is about 1…