This November, our Student Spotlight is Cody Kimpton, who is a senior double-majoring in Geography and Ecology. Within the Department of Geography and the Environment, he is currently studying with Dr. Alexandra Ponette-González. Read on below to learn about Cody and his journey in Geography!

For many of us, childhood experiences shape our interests - for Cody, it was The Magic School Bus, a show that teaches kids about more complex scientific concepts in a fun way that's accessible for younger ages. It was this show that became instrumental for his education. Back then, when Cody was in classes, he would find himself thinking, "Hey! There's a Magic School Bus episode about this!" But more recent interests that paved Cody's way to becoming a Geography major are things like plants, the environment, and sustainability (which are touched on and are even the subjects of a few different geography classes at UNT). Cody was drawn to our undergraduate program after deciding to take the Sustainability Certificate. The first class he took was Intro to Earth Science with Dr. Ponette-González; he really liked geography, so he decided to double major (he was just an Ecology major before). Cody likes geography because it's not just a major, but a way of thinking. He also knows that it is a very broad subject, relating to the "why of the where", so people can really do anything with geography as long as they are asking questions like "Why is this happening here?" or "How does this place relate to the people?"

For Cody, the best part about being an undergraduate student at UNT has definitely been the people he has met. Faculty and other students have made his time at UNT really enjoyable, and he will always appreciate the connections he has made and friendships he has formed. Cody is currently doing research about particulate matter in leaves, and he thinks it's cool to connect with other geography students doing research about completely different things than he is because their research relates back to geography. With geography specifically, Cody feels like he's learning things from everyone, students and professors alike, which has been a really great experience for him. And speaking of, one of the lessons Cody has learned is to ask for help when you need it. Whether it is from a professional in the field or from other students or from your professors, most people will understand that life happens and they will be willing to help you.

Cody's plans after graduation aren't yet solidified, but he knows that he wants to do some form of education in a non-classroom setting. He would like a career where he can teach people and continue to learn at the same time. Cody's been looking into things like national/state forests and parks, outdoor education centers, museums, gardens, and things like that where he would have the opportunity to spread knowledge about subjects or places in a more hands-on way that can reach multiple age groups.

Cody's not sure if the following counts as a "fun" fact (and no pun intended here!) but we sure do think it is - in middle school, he had pi memorized up to about 30 digits. He can't do it anymore because he needs that brain storage for other things, but it used to be a pretty fun thing for him to do. Also, it's only fitting that being a Geography & Ecology major, Cody considers all the biking/walking trails in Denton as "hidden gems." Cody especially likes walking along the Denton Katy Trail, because every now and then, he'll see markers about the history of Denton along the trail. It's awesome that Cody finds ways to learn - even while having fun!