Derek H. Alderman is the new head of the Department of Geography.
He comes to UT from East Carolina University where he was a professor and department chair, as well as a research fellow in cultural and heritage tourism at the Center for Sustainable Tourism, and co-coordinator of the RESET (Race, Ethnicity, and Social Equity in Tourism) Initiative.
Alderman has a doctorate in geography from the University of Georgia. His research interests include civil rights and heritage tourism.
The former head of the Department of Geography, Professor Shih-Lung Shaw, resigned from the position a year ago to pursue his research more intensely. Professor Carol Harden served as interim department head.