Robert Browning South

Regional economic development, industrial location, Latin America

PhD: University of Maryland 1972 (Minors: Agricultural Economics, Latin American Studies Dissertation: An Analysis of Commodity Flows and the Spatial Structure of the Bolivian Economy, 1972, 270 pp. )

M.A. : Indiana University 1965 (Geography)

BA: Indiana University 1961 (Geology)

National University of Mexico 1958

Dr. Robert South attended Indiana University as an undergraduate and graduate student (B.A. Geology, M.A. Geography), and the University of Maryland (Ph.D. Geography). His research interests include economic geography, regional economic development, Colonial networks, and location problems-industrial location. Dr. South has a long-standing interest in Latin America. As an undergraduate he attended the University of Mexico (UNAM), was a Fulbright scholar (Mexico), conducted field work and research in Bolivia, and was a Peace Corps Volunteer (Chile). He was also a visiting scientist at Argonne National Laboratory conducting research on socio-economic environmental impacts of industrial location. He has published numerous articles on themes of economic geography focusing on Latin America, and has been a consultant to several U.S. companies on industrial location decisions.  His current research interest is focused on U.S. manufacturing closure (Mexico), and the repatriation of manufacturing (U.S.).

1976 -To Present Associate/ Assistant Professor, University of Cincinnati,

- Head, Department of Geography, University of Cincinnati, 1987-1992, 1992-1996, 1996-2000,

- Visiting Scientist, Argonne National Laboratory, Department of Energy, Chicago, Illinois, 1978,

- Instructor of Geography, Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo, 1964-66,

- Research Assistant, Division of Community Planning, Indiana University, 1964,

- Peace Corps, Chile, 1961-1963,

- United States Navy (Reserve), Honorable Discharge, 1955-1961,

- Development Alternatives Incorporated, Bolivia, 2004 (Consultant),

- Prodensa, Monterrey, Mexico, 1988-2000 (Consultant-Industrial Location),

- Optimize, Nogales, Arizona-Mexico, 1987-1988 (Consultant-Industrial Location),

- Cincinnati Electronics, Tucson, Hermosillo, Mexico,1986-1988 (Consultant, Industrial Location),

- Meridian Oil Company, Houston, TX, 1986-1987 (Consultant-Industrial Environmental Impact),

- Dames & Moore, Cincinnati, Denver, Toronto, 1973-83 (Consultant-Environmental Impact),

U.C. International, Education Abroad Program, “Yucatan Field Trip $2,000, 1996; $14,000, 2001; $14,000; 2003; $15,000, 2005; $800, 2007; $800, 2008; $800, 2009; $800, 2010

U.C. International, Education Abroad Program, Cuba Field Trip, $1000, 2006

NASA, Ohio View, $360,000 (Contributing PI), 2000

Department of the Treasury, Maquilas and NAFTA, $39,949, 1998-1999

University of Cincinnati, Faculty Development Council, Collaborative Assessment in the Use of Geographic Techniques for Environmental Monitoring, $4,544, 1998

Department of the Treasury, Mexico’s Maquilas- Prototype, $39,254, 1997-1998

Goss-Houghton-Wohlgemuth-Herchede Foundation, Program Enhancement, Department of Geography, $35,000, 1995

University of Cincinnati, University Research Council, Mexico’s Border Industrialization, $3000, 1991

University of Cincinnati, Faculty Development Council, $2,500, 1990

University of Cincinnati, University Educational Council Grant, $4,215, 1987

USIA, University Affiliation Program, University of Cincinnati and the Universidad Autonoma de Nuevo Leon, Monterrey, Mexico, $50,000, 1985, (Co-PI)

University of Cincinnati, University Research Council, Coca-Cocaine, Bolivia, $2,000, 1973

University of Cincinnati, Renton K. Brodie Dissertation Grant, 1971

Grant: #OAI DOD W 91260-06D0005 Investigators:Beck, Richard; Eisner, Wendy; Frohn, Robert; Hinkel, Kenneth; South, Robert Browning 04-25-2007 -09-30-2008 Department of the Army SCAN-1 Role:Collaborator $77,500.00 Closed Level:Federal

Grant: #06S-0190 / W91260-06-D-005 Investigators:Beck, Richard; South, Robert Browning 08-01-2008 -08-31-2011 Department of the Army SCAN-1 Role:Collaborator $1,303,104.00 Active Level:Federal

Peer Reviewed Publications

“Spatial Variations in Mexican Maquiladora Closure,” 2007, Urban Geography, 27(8): 734-756
“Native American Remote Sensing Distance Education Prototype,” 2001. Journal of Photogrammetric Engineering and Remote Sensing, , 67(2): 193-197 (Dr. R. Beck, et al)

“Transnational Maquiladora Location,” 1990, Annals, Association of American Geographers, 80(4): 549-570

“Environmental Legislation and the Location Process,” 1986, Geographical Review 76(1): 20-35

“Energy-The Industrial Sector,” Northern Arizona University Energy Institute. 1979 Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AR

“Coca in Bolivia,” 1977, Geographical Review, 67(1): 22-33

“The Economic Organization of Bolivia: An Analysis of Commodity Flows,”1976,Southeastern Geographer 16(1): 9-25

“Water Yield in a Tropical Environment: A Case Study for Honduras,” 1976, Proceedings, Conference of Latin Americanist Geographers, 5: 51-56 (with M. Shelton)

“The Politicians’ Demand for a Geographic Redistribution of NSF Funds,” 1976, The Professional Geographer 28(4): 387-393 (with R. Koontz)

“Coca-Cocaine:  A Cash Crop in Highland Bolivia,” 1974, Proceedings, of the Association of American Geographers, 6: 133-137

“Patterns of Commodity Flow: Bolivia’s Spatial Structure,” 1973, Proceedings, of the Association of American Geographers, 5: 250-254

“Protestantism in Costa Rica,” 1973, Latin American Papers, East Lakes Division, Association of American Geographers (with R. Symanski)

Technical Report

DEC, 2004,2003 Satellite Inventory of Licit Crops in the Chapare, Bolivia. Development                     Alternatives Incorporated, Washington, D.C.

Maquila Data Base - NAFTA & Rules of Origin, 1999, Department of the Treasury, 736 pp.
Maquila Data Base Analysis, 1997, Department of the Treasury, United States Customs Service, Washington, D.C., 732 pp

Environmental Impact Statement, AMAX Corporation, 1974, Socio-Economic Analysis. Catlin, Illinois.  Cincinnati: Dames & Moore 

Environmental Impact Statement, FMC Corporation, 1973, Socio-Economic Analysis. Lincoln County, Wyoming. Denver: Dames & Moore

Review

James Rubenstein, The World Economy: Global Forces and Local Diversity, 2005, 328 pp.
Beth Lashley, Ed. World Regions Text Book, 2001

Instituto Nacional de Estadistica y Census, Statistical Atlas of Argentina, Cartographic Perspectives 25, Fall, 1996, pp. 38-39

Patricia A. Wilson, Exports and Local Development: Mexico’s New Maquiladoras, Annals, Association of American Geographers 83(4), December 1993, pp. 748-751

Daniel P. Arreola and James R. Curtis, The Mexican Border Cities: Landscape Anatomy and Place Personality, Journal of Cultural Geography 14(1), 1993, pp. 95-96

Arthur Morris, South America, Journal of Geography 83(6), 1984, pp. 297-298  

Henk Haring, Sunbelt Frontier and Broader Economy: Manufacturing in El Paso-Ciudad Juarez, Economic Geography 61(4), 1986, pp. 389-390

John Weiss, Industry in Developing Countries, Annals Regional Science 25(2), 1991, pp.152-154

Poster Presentations

“The Product Cycle: Export Manufactures in Mexico,” 2010, Annual Meeting, Association of American Geographers, Washington, D.C.

“NAFTA’s Impact: Export Manufactures in Mexico,”2009, Annual Meeting, Association of American Geographers, Las Vegas

Paper Presentations

“Maquila Closure and the Product Life Cycle,” 2008, Annual Meeting, Association of American Geographers, Boston, MA

“U.S. Manufactures for Export Plant Closure in Mexico,” 2006, Annual Meeting, Association of American Geographers, Chicago, Ill

“Spatial Variations in Plant Closure: Mexico’s Manufactures for Export,” 2004, Annual Meeting, Association of American Geographers, Philadelphia, PA

“Maquila Success and Failure: A Macro-Micro Analysis,” 2003, Association of Borderlands Studies, Las Vages, N

“GIS and Geographic Education,” 2003, GIS Day, Cincinnati Museum of Natural History and Science

“Maquila Closures,” 2001, Annual Meeting, Association of American Geographers, NY

“Will Success Spoil the Border Industrialization Program,” 2000, Annual Meeting, Association of American Geographers, Pittsburgh, PA

“Recruiting for a Technological Future,” 2000, Bureau of Land Management, Department of the Interior, Washington, D.C.

“NAFTA Fraud,” 1999, United States Customs Service, Office of Enforcement, Washington, D.C.

Maquila-Data Base and Analysis,” 1997, United States Customs Service, Office of Enforcement, Washington, D.C.

“Developing International Field Trips”, 1996, University Faculty Retreat Presenter, University of Cincinnati, OH

“Maquiladora Disinvestments: An Analysis of Plant Failures,” 1996, Annual Meeting, Western Social Science Association, Reno, NV

“Foreign Plant Closures in Mexico: A Case Analysis,” 1995, Annual Meeting, Association of American Geographers, Chicago, Ill

“Off-shore Transnational Location Decisions,”1995, Department of Geography, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN

“Maquiladora Location Decisions,” 1994, Conference of Latin Americanist Geographers, Ciudad Juarez, Mexico

“Foreign Manufactures in Nuevo Leon: A Locational Analysis,” 1994, College of Social Sciences and Economics, Monterrey, Mexico

“Agglomeration Economies and Foreign Assembly Plant Location in Mexico,” 1993, Annual Meeting, Association of American Geographers, Atlanta, GA

“Transnational Assembly Plant Location in Mexico,” 1991, Western Regional Science Association, Monterey, CA

“Mexico’s Maquiladoras-Dependency Development,” 1990, Annual Meeting, Association of American Geographers, Toronto, Canada

“Industrial Location along the Mexican Border,” 1989, Annual Meeting, Association of American Geographers, Detroit, MI

“Locational Policy for Mexico’s Transnational Assembly Manufactures,” 1988, Annual Meeting, Association of American Geographers, Phoenix, AR

“Mexico's Maquila Industries,” 1987, Conference of Latin Americanist Geographers, Merida, Mexico

“Industrial Agglomeration in Mexico, 1987, “Department of Geography, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY

“The Mexican Border Industrialization Program,” 1987, Offshore Manufacturing Seminar, Collectron, S.A., Tucson, AR

“NEPA’s Legacy,” 1986, Annual Meeting, Association of American Geographers, Minneapolis, MN

“The National Environmental Policy Act: Impacts on Facility Location,” 1983, Annual Meeting, Association of American Geographers, Denver, CO

“PSD Increment Consumption-Impacts on Industrial Development,” 1981, Annual Meeting, Association of American Geographers, Los Angeles, CA

“International Balance of Payments, Mexico’s Oil,” 1981, Conference on Regional Impacts of Mexico-U.S. Economic Relations, Guanajuato, Mexico.

“Variations in State Environmental Impact Legislation,” 1977, Annual Meeting, Association of American Geographers, Salt Lake City, UT

“Water Yield in a Tropical Environment: A Case Study for Honduras,” 1974, Conference of Latin Americanist Geographers, Boca Roton, FL

“Coca-Cocaine: A Cash Crop in Highland Bolivia,” 1974, Annual Meeting, Association of American Geographers, Seattle, WA

“Breaching the Barriers in Andean South America: A Case Study of Transportation and National Integration in Bolivia,” 1973, The National Council for Geographic Education, Washington, D.C.

“Patterns of Commodity Flow: Bolivia’s Spatial Structure, 1973, Annual Meeting, Association of American Geographers, Atlanta, GA

“Protestantism in Costa Rica,” 1973, East Lakes Meetings, Association of American Geographers, Pittsburgh, PA

1985 -1986 Fulbright, Mexico

1977 Canadian Studies Program Award

1973 National Science Foundation, Institute, Computerized Algorithms for Solving Location Problems University of Iowa,

1968 -1969 National Science Foundation Traineeship, University of Maryland,

Department of Political Science, Head Search Committee Committee Member 2003

(International Global Studies and Affairs, Globalization Executive Committee, University of Cincinnati ) Committee Member 1997 -1999

(College of Arts and Sciences, Future Search Committee ) Committee Member 1997

(Department of Geology Head review, Chair, University of Cincinnati ) 1997

(Department of Communication Sciences and Disorder Head review, University of Cincinnati ) 1993

(College of Arts and Sciences, Long Range Planning Committee ) Committee Member 1986 -1987

(Co-Program Organizer Annual Meeting 1983, East Lakes Division, Association of American Geographers, Cincinnati, Ohio )

(Conference on Mexico - U.S. Economic Relations, The Border Industrialization Program, session organizer and moderator, Guanajuato, Mexico ) 1981

(Director of Graduate Studies, Department of Geography ) 1981 -1985

(Latin American Studies Committee ) 1980

(Member, Graduate Faculty ) 1973 -To Present

(Director of Undergraduate Studies, Department of Geography ) 1972 -1980

(College of Arts and Sciences, Academic Advisory Council ) 1972 -1980

(College of Arts and Sciences, Correlation Committee ) 1971 -1980

Economic Geography, Regional Economic Development, Latin America

Association of American Geographers (AAG)

Conference of Latin Americanist Geographers

Economic Geography

Industrial Location

Regional Economic Development

Latin America, North America

Field trips, Yucatan, Mexico, 1987-2009 (nineteen trips); Cuba 2006